The Strategic Level of War

1
The Strategic Level of War

• Introduction
• Lesson 1

2
8802

• Builds on the theorists of 8801
• Explores the relationship between
• National security
• Strategy
• Military strategy
• Frames 8803, the OLOW

3
8802

• Focuses on
• The decision-making process
• National interests
• The development of national goals and objectives
• The process of how national interests become
  articulated into goals or ends of strategy.

4
8802

• Examines how
• Strategy is developed
• How military force is used as an element of
  national power

5
8802

• Course objectives
• Course description
• Course schedule

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The levels of war

• Three levels
• Strategic
• Operational
• Tactical

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SLOW

• Art and science of employing national power
• Conflict between nation states
• Limits and constraints

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OLOW

• Planning and conduct of campaigns
• Strategic and operational objectives

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Campaign?

• A controlled series of
• Simultaneous or sequential operations
• Designed to achieve an operational commanders
  objective
• Normally within a given time and space.

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TLOW

• Planning and conduct of battle
• Application of force and offensive action
• To gain tactical objectives.

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Who does what?

• SLOW
• nation-states
• OLOW
• directing minds
• TLOW
• Forces in combat

NSC/NATO/UN CBTCDR JTF
MEF
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Themes of SLOW

• The Strategy and Policy Match
• The Adequacy of strategy
• Multinational warfare and the international
  environment
• Civil-military relations
• Pre-war plans and Wartime results
• Postwar settlement and war termination.

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Strategic Paradigm

• Almost always rational
• Not the first, not always the last
• Clear goals, as quickly as possible
• Limits to rationality
• Other measures do not stop
• Cannot be abolished

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Lesson 1

• Grand Strategy
• Theory and Practice

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Grand Strategy

• Educational Objectives
• Use of force
• Domestic and foreign policy
• Interests and strategy
• Future use of military force
• Global environment
• Objectives, capabilities and resources

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Strategy

• The art and science of
• Developing and using the
• Political, economic and informational powers of a
  nation
• Together with its armed forces
• To secure national objectives
• During war and peace

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Grand Strategy

• Three parts
• Part 1 Relationship
• Part 2 Theories of International Relations
• Part 3 U.S. record

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Grand Strategy Part 1

• The relationship between
• Strategy
• Policy
• Interests
• Elements of power

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The Relationship
National Interests
National Objectives
Domestic Influences
International Influences
National Policy
Political Process
Grand Strategy Elements of national power NSS
Public Demands
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American Values

• Isolationistic
• Individualistic
• Moralistic
• Ethnocentric
• Chauvinistic
• Impatient

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The Relationship
National Interests
National Objectives
Domestic Influences
International Influences
National Policy
Political Process
Grand Strategy Elements of national power NSS
Public Demands
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The Relationship
National Interests
National Objectives
Domestic Influences
International Influences
National Policy
Political Process
Grand Strategy Elements of national power NSS
Public Demands
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Influences

• Domestic
• Structural
• Political
• Societal

• International
• Economic
• Ideological
• Cultural
• Demographic
• Environmental

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The Relationship
National Interests
National Objectives
Domestic Influences
International Influences
National Policy
Political Process
Grand Strategy Elements of national power NSS
Public Demands
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Grand Strategy

• Elements of national power (DIME)
• Diplomatic
• Informational
• Military
• Economic
• Crowl The Strategists Short Catechism
• How to use national power?

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Crowl The Strategists Short Catechism

• How to use national power
• Interests and political objectives served?
• NMS support national political objectives?
• Limits of military power?
• Alternatives?
• Home front?
• Difference and similarity?

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Military Element

• Active use
• Defense
• Deterrence
• Compellance
• Swaggering
• Passive use

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National Military Strategy

• Recommendations of the CJCS
• Military strategy
• Force structure
• SecDef DPG
• Service POMs

Strategic Assessment 1997
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Grand StrategyPart 2

• Theories in International Relations

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International Relations

• Theories or schools
• Questions
• Why do states act the way they do?
• How should a state act?
• Problem How to balance
• Individual liberty
• Political order
• National security

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International Relations

• Schools
• Idealist
• Realist
• Globalist

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American Foreign Policy

• Idealist
• Manifest destiny
• Wilsonianism
• Realist
• Trade
• Defense
• Globalist
• Physical security

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Grand StrategyPart 3

• The US Record

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The U.S. National Strategy

• US practice is uncertain
• Social science approach
• No agreed upon strategic concept
• Influences
• Problems
• For civilized nations
• For the US

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Strategic Priorities 1997
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Grand Strategy
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Issues for Consideration

• Elements of national power
• Importance of military power
• Grand strategy
• Influence on National Policy
• International Influences

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National Power

• Elements DIME
• Diplomatic
• Information
• Military
• Economic
• Relative utility?

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National Power

• Is it important for successful conduct of a
  nation policy?

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Grand Strategy

• What is it?
• Is grand strategy possible only when confronted
  by one threat?

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Influence on National Policy

• Domestic issues
• Domestic factors
• Societal factors

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Influence on National Policy

• International influences
• Threats from nations and NGOs
• Economic imperatives
• Ideological and cultural forces
• Demographic trends
• Environmental conditions
• Change in international environment

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Points to remember

• Definition of strategy
• Elements of national power
• Uses of military force
• Factors influencing national security policy
• Grand strategy as means and ways to ends
• Future uses of force
• Effect of international influences