Winning at War: Seven Keys to Military Victory throughout History

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction: The Template of Mars. 2. Superior Weapons and Technology Entrepreneurship. 3. Superior Discipline. 4. Sustained but Controlled Ruthlessness. 5. Receptivity to Military and Integrative Innovation. 6. The Ability and Willingness to Protect Capital from People and Rulers. 7. The Centrality of Superior Will. 8. The Belief That There Will always be another War. 9. Applying the Template: A Battle. 10. Applying the Template: A War. Index.

“What independent variables determine success in war? Drawing on forty years of studying and teaching war, political scientist Christian P. Potholm presents a “Template of Mars” Seven Variables that have served as predictors of military success over time and across cultures. In winning at War, Potholm explains these variables technology, sustained ruthlessness, discipline, receptivity to ruthlessness, discipline, receptivity to innovation, protection of military capital from civilians and rulers, will and the belief that there will always be another war and provides case studies of their implementation, from ancient battles to todays’”. (jacket)