Military Misfortunes: The Anatomy of Failure in War
“Leaders must be able to master four major tasks. Firstly, they need comprehensively to grasp the overall strategic situation in a conflict and craft the appropriate strategic approach–in essence, to get the big ideas right. Secondly, they must communicate those big ideas, the strategy, effectively throughout the breadth and depth of their organiza
... See moreTo that haunting and recurrent question, despite vigorous investigation, no clear answer yet appears. Even Toynbee, floundering through his massive survey of 20-odd civilizations, was finally able to discern only that: SYSTEMS TEND TO MALFUNCTION CONSPICUOUSLY JUST AFTER THEIR GREATEST TRIUMPH Toynbee explains this effect by pointing out the strong
... See moreJohn Gall • Systemantics. The Systems Bible
Comment s’étonner si les états-majors ont mal organisé leurs services de renseignements ? Ils appartenaient à des milieux où s’était progressivement anémié le goût de se renseigner ; où, pouvant feuilleter Mein Kampf, on doutait encore des vrais buts du nazisme, où, parant l’ignorance du beau mot de « réalisme », on semble en douter encore aujourd’
... See moreMarc Bloch • L'Étrange Défaite (French Edition)
"When I was a brand-new lieutenant, I asked my father, “How would I know if somebody that I worked for or worked for me was going to be a good commander in combat? ... How would you tell in peacetime?” He says, “You won’t. You won’t know because people have capabilities or coping mechanisms that in peacetime look fine, that doesn’t play well in war... See more