In 1911 Capt. Alfred Thayer Mahan wrote in his book Armaments and Arbitrations, “the study of military history lies at the foundation of all sound military conclusions and practices.” One hundred years later, as we sail ever further into the twenty-first century, we are commonly told we face the most challenging circumstances in history, or that it is more dangerous now than ever before. These exaggerations tend to ignore the lessons of strategy and policy that come from our past. The 21st Century Foundations series gives modern perspective to the great strategists and military philosophers of the past, placing their writings, principles, and theories within modern discussions and debates. Whether drawn from famous men or more obscure contributors with lesser known works, collecting and analyzing their writing will inform a new generation of students, military professionals, and policy makers alike. The essays and papers collected in this series are not provided in order to spell out cut and dry answers or exact procedures, but instead to help make sure we ask the right questions as we face the challenges of the future. The series informs the present by collecting and offering strategists and thinkers of the past. This series is edited by Benjamin Armstrong.

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