{"title":"Lawrence Freedman","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLawrence Freedman\u003c\/strong\u003e offers profound insights into the complexities of military history and strategy. His works explore the nature of command and the evolving landscape of strategic affairs, blending detailed analysis with thoughtful reflection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect rigorous examinations of warfare and diplomacy, enriched by a deep understanding of historical context and the challenges faced by military leaders. Freedman’s writing invites contemplation on both traditional and contemporary strategic issues.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-transformation-of-strategic-affairs-by-lawrence-freedman-9780415407243","title":"The Transformation of Strategic Affairs","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book analyses the strategic implications of the shift in focus for the US Armed Forces from regular to irregular war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLawrence Freedman closely examines the difficulty the US Armed Forces face in shifting their focus from preparing for regular wars, in which combat is separated from civil society, to irregular wars, in which combat is integrated with civil society. He argues that the political context of contemporary irregular wars requires that the purpose and practice of western forces be governed by liberal values, showing that this is also the case with regular wars, to the extent they occur. However, it is the integration with civil society that makes the application of liberal values so challenging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Transformation of Strategic Affairs\u003c\/em\u003e suggests that this challenge becomes easier to meet when military operations are understood to contribute to the development of a compelling narrative about the likely course and consequence of a conflict, in which these values are shown to be respected. At the same time, while it is vital that the employment of armed force remains sensitive at all times to the underlying political context and sensitive to the role of narratives in shaping this context, the book shows that a key test of success will always be the defeat of the opposing forces. The 'war on terror' has highlighted these issues, and this \u003cem\u003eAdelphi Paper\u003c\/em\u003e concludes with much-needed suggestions for a strategic response.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis book will be of great interest to students of the US Armed Forces, politics, strategic studies, and military history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47608181227756,"sku":"9780415407243","price":61.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/f779d736ef3412fa2ab60aec634bb83b.jpg?v=1778202679"},{"product_id":"command-by-lawrence-freedman-9780197540671","title":"Command","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUsing examples from a wide variety of conflicts, Lawrence Freedman shows that successful military command depends on the ability not only to use armed forces effectively but also to understand the political context in which they are operating.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCommand in war is about forging effective strategies and implementing them, ensuring that orders are appropriate, well-communicated, and then obeyed. It is also an intensely political process. This is largely because the way wars are fought depends significantly on how their aims are set. Moreover, commanders must possess the ability to work with other command structures, including those of other branches of the armed forces and allies. In \u003cem\u003eCommand\u003c\/em\u003e, Lawrence Freedman explores the importance of political as well as operational considerations in command with a series of eleven vivid case studies, all taken from the period after 1945. Over this period, the risks of nuclear escalation led to a shift away from great power confrontations towards civil wars, and advances in communication technologies made it easier for higher-level commanders to direct their subordinates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFreedman covers defeats as well as victories. Pakistani generals tried to avoid surrender as they were losing the eastern part of their country to India in 1971. Iraq's Saddam Hussein turned his defeats into triumphant narratives of victory. Osama bin Laden escaped the Americans in Afghanistan in 2001. The UK struggled as a junior partner to the US in Iraq after 2003. We encounter insubordinate generals, such as Israel's Arik Sharon, and those in the French army in Algeria, who were so frustrated with their political leadership that they twice tried to change it. At the other end of the scale, Che Guevara in Congo in 1966 and Igor Girkin in Ukraine in 2014 both tried to spark local wars to suit their grandiose objectives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFreedman concludes the book with a meditation on the future of command in a world increasingly reliant on technologies like artificial intelligence. A wide-ranging and insightful history of the changing nature of command in the postwar era, this will stand as a definitive account of a foundational concept in both military affairs and politics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47933931061484,"sku":"9780197540671","price":94.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780197540671-command.jpg?v=1783884959"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/lawrence-freedman.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}