Hey Guys

A bit of market research here. My college wants to expand it portfolio of Higher Education courses and I have suggested a Foundation Degree in War Studies. If you were to do such a course what sort of units would you like to study?

Cheers

Ross

__________________
Thoughts on Military History
Cornish Scale Modellers
Ross' Military Modelling and Art

I don't know about units but I would like to study the evolution of tactics and see how and if there were differences between battles in say the Punic Wars and today's battles.

__________________

American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

I would like to see something along the lines of what the underlying causes of war are. I don't mean something as simple as expanding boundaries, but what prompted war-goers to choose the war route over all others to accomplish that goal.

Also, for those that failed, what may they have done differently that could have possibly changed the result.

__________________
Mark Manchester
USAF 1989-1993

Why does everyone on this forum always steal my posts?

IF I just took your title and DID NOT read your first post, then my answer would have to be my wallet filled with 100 £10 notes. Oh the joy...

__________________
Patriotism is where the love of your country comes first, nationalism is where the hate of other countries comes first.-Charles De Gaulle.

Ross,
Sounds good. Is this a single class or a series of classes?

How in depth would you want this class or classes to be? Would they be an intro or survey type class or aimed at something more in depth? I would like a class that compared and contrasted larger units along national lines. Why did each country organize their larger elements in the manner they did and how the goals of the military and national leaders dictated how brigades and divisions were developed and sustained, when compared to other countries.

__________________
Best Regards,
JW

I would like to see a course that studies how European countries handle or mis-handle complex problems like the recent break up of Yugoslavia. You have the EU, NATO, Serbs, Croates, Muslems, Greek Orithodox Church and all kinds of other odds and ends trying to take a slice of the pie. Who are the players who arm the fighters and who are the ones who won't play and why ?
It makes me wonder how Tito kept things together over the years in peace, as far as I know.

__________________
Work Harder ! Millions on welfare are depending on you.

Cheers for the replies coming. The course is a serious of module, 14 in total spread over two years. It is a university level qualification that is a level below a full degree. It runs for 2 rather than 3 years. This is a list of units I have thought about so far.

First Year

1. Introduction to War and the World
2. Introduction to Politics
3. Introduction to International Relations
4. Air Power in the Age of Total War

Second Year

1. Military Thought from Machiavelli to Warden
2. A Case Study in Military Misfortune: Dieppe, 19 August 1942
3. Conflict Resolution
4. The Politics of the Northern Ireland Conflict
5. Terrorism

By definition the course should involve elements of both history and politics so that student can top up to a full degree in History, Politics or International Relations.

Ross

__________________
Thoughts on Military History
Cornish Scale Modellers
Ross' Military Modelling and Art

Who starts it? We know it's not the little guy.
Who plants the seeds, waters it, weeds it, nurtures it?
Politics?
Media?
Military/MIC?
Industry/Economics?
Overpopulation?
Greed/Envy?
Religion/Faith?
Resources....Food,Fuel,Water,Land
Where does the blame-game actually end?
Where does the "Buck" stop? (please don't say ..."It was a collection of many things.") or is this "typical bureaucracy and just happens"....no fault?
Why are all other options exhausted? Not defenders....Aggressors. Is it as stupid as a "Bar-room" throw down? (on a Global scale)

Who said/says GO !....? How did He/She/They get the power? It is said No One takes power, they are given it (willingly) by people that are either too lazy, too scared, or too stupid to do for themselves.
there has to be someone....it's not an act of GOD....all others need backing.

__________________
All opinions expressed here are those of "Little Green Men" and don't necessarily represent views, positions, policy, thoughts, actions, or anything else.

Northern Ireland is an excellent case to study ! Very complex and little understood by most people.

All the stuff listed by Skunk Works are excellent things to be able to know about plus if the players are still alive, have them as guest speakers to explain their thinking and views of how things happened.

Skunk you have a good brain on your shoulders ! If you could take that list and answer all the questions in a war such as Viet Nam and get the views of everyone such as Russia, China, the US, Viet Nam it would be an excellent read. Sadly, the majority of people view things in one dimension or don't care at all.

__________________
Work Harder ! Millions on welfare are depending on you.

Undergraduate level?

First thing off at least two courses on strategy and tactics at the theoretical level with applied usage through scenarios and class participation.
At least one class on the politics and legalities of war.
Other classes worth considering:

Simulation of war and computers
The application of seapower (at least one class should be manditory)
Leadership and managment
The usual courses on campaigns historical and current.

I could list numbers of wonderful books for many of these courses.

But, one has to have a thorough understanding of strategy, tactics, and the concepts of leadership and management along with the political and legal realities of conflict and war before one can really comprehend the full history of war.

I would add to T.A.'s, that the course material should address the psychological and emotional motivation which is used to promote the acceptance of military conflict by a population - both the aggressor and defender; the processes which enable men and women to risk and sacrifice themselves in war; and an examination of emotional and psychological cost to individuals who endure and survive a war. The study of warfare should consider the costs that cannot be quantified by lists or dollars.

Michelle

Here is the postgrad Masters course run by the Scottish Centre for War Studies at University of Glasgow-
University of Glasgow :: School of Historical Studies :: Scottish Centre for War Studies

Take a run through their course modules to see the depth of coverage of military history.

__________________
Regards,

Gordon
History Vault Bookshop
FortressScotland-http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/Historian/

What i'd like to see tought at some University is a class-or series of classes dealing with the tactics of battlefield commanders such as: Gen R.E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Grant etc (for Civil War) Gen Patton, GFM Rommel, Manstein, Bradley, Alexander, etc for WWII, (Alexander the Great as well) Hannible (SP?) British Gen Wolf, George Washington, Hindenburg, Ludendorff, etx Then i'd like to see some heavy studying on battles such as: the Battles for Kursk, Stalingrad, Kharkov, The drive towards Moscow, the drive towards Astrakhan-on the Volga, (which was the German's furthest advance in Russian territory in WWII) Siege of Leningrad, Operation Market-Garden, Operation Citadel etc etc etc etc.

Or simply put, mainly a class that dealt with all theaters of Battle in WWII.

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.