Reflections on Clausewitz and Jomini: A Discussion on Theory, MDMP, and Design in the Post OIF Army
Reflections on Clausewitz and Jomini: A Discussion on Theory, MDMP, and Design in the Post OIF Army
by Christopher Otero
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One of the most intellectually challenging moments in the United States Command and General Staff College is when after 10 years of serving in an Army at War you are finally introduced to the two major theorists of modern warfare, Antoine-Henri Jomini and Carl Von Clausewitz. Both are considered to be the most prominent theorists of the western way of warfare and the question that often gets framed by our instructors is which of these two best inform your understanding of modern war? Do you consider yourself Jominian or Clausewitzian in your outlook?
Imagine the surprise when I answered ‘Both’. In this document, I will attempt to explain why the answer NEEDS to be both and why picking one has led the United States Army to a rather peculiar fault of breeding the best tacticians in the world, but generally creating very poor strategists. I will propose a unitary framework that blends the two theorists and endeavors to bridge the gap as well as begin a dialogue about the relationship between the Military Decision Making Process (MDMP) and the Design methodology. It is my intention to eventually propose an update to the MDMP process in an effort to ‘modernize’ it IAW lessons learned.
Download the Full Article:Reflections on Clausewitz and Jomini: A Discussion on Theory, MDMP, and Design in the Post OIF Army
MAJ Christopher Otero, USA, is an active duty military intelligence officer who has served multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq at the Battalion, Brigade Combat Team, and Division level. MAJ Otero is currently attending the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The views expressed in this article are his own and do not reflect the position of the United States Army or the Department of Defense.