Victory in War: Foundations of Modern Strategy

War demands that scholars and policy makers use victory in precise and coherent terms to communicate what the state seeks to achieve in war. The failure historically to define victory in consistent terms has contributed to confused debates when societies consider whether to wage war. This volume explores the development of a theoretical narrative or language of victory to help scholars and policy makers define carefully and precisely what they mean by victory in war in order to achieve a deeper understanding of victory as the foundation of strategy in the modern world.

William C. Martel is Associate Professor of International Security Studies. His research and teaching interests are in international security and public policy. Formerly a Professor of National Security Affairs at the Naval War College, he also served on the professional staff of the RAND Corporation in Washington, DC. He has been a consultant to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the U.S. Air Force and the USAF Scientific Advisory Board, and the National Security Council.