Strategic Assessment in War

This analytical study of how military organizations and governments behave during war--specifically, how they adjust their strategies in response to enemy actions--emphasizes how hard it is to make good decisions in rapidly changing environments. Following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, for instance, a Saudi Arabian official suggested that his country gauge Iraq's intentions before seeking American military assistance. Replied King Fahd: "The Kuwaitis did not rush into a decision, and today they are guests in our hotels!" Scott Sigmund Gartner's prose can lean heavily on academic jargon--parts of Strategic Assessment in War read like a political scientist writing for other political scientists--but anecdotes such as the aforementioned exchange enliven the text. Indeed, Gartner has an eye for telling details. One standard problem for the military is evaluating the performance of its leaders. In the First World War, reports the author, British infantry officers found their careers ruined if their units didn't suffer enough casualties. Most of Gartner's critique focuses on three case studies drawn from the antisubmarine actions during the First and Second World Wars and the Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War. Another chapter provides an extended look at the Carter administration's behavior during the Iran hostage crisis. --John J. Miller