Military strategy of great powers: managing power asymmetry and structural change in the twenty-first century

"This book explores the military strategies of the five system-determining great powers during the twenty-first century. The book's point of departure is that analyses of countries' defence strategies should acknowledge that states come in various shapes and sizes and that their strategic choices are affected by their perceptions of their position in the international system and by power asymmetries between more and less resourceful states. This creates a diversity in strategies that is often overlooked in theoretically oriented analyses. The book examines how five major powers - the United States, China, the United Kingdom, France and Russia - have adjusted their strategies to improve or maintain their relative position and to manage power asymmetries during the twenty-first century. It also develops and applies an analytical framework for exploring and categorising the strategies pursued by the five major powers which combines elements of structural realism with research on power transition theory and status competition. The concluding chapter addresses questions related to stability and change in the present international system. This book will be of interest to students of strategic studies, foreign policy, and International Relations"--

Stability and change in great powers' strategy -- Exploring great power strategies in an era of unipolar demise -- Operationalising the dependent variable -- The United States and the strategy of the unipole -- The strategies of the contesters -- The strategy of the conservators -- Managing Power Asymmetry and Structural Change.

Intro -- Half Title -- Series Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Acknowledgements -- Abbreviations -- 1. The diversity of great powers' strategies -- Notes -- Bibliography -- 2. Exploring great power strategies -- Introduction -- 2.1 Change and stability in the post-Cold War international system -- 2.1.1 Basic premises of structural realism -- 2.1.2 The stability of unipolar systems -- 2.2 System stability and great power interaction processes -- 2.2.1 Basic premises of power transition theory -- 2.2.2 Status competition -- 2.2.3 The distribution of power in the present international system -- Notes -- Bibliography -- 3. Operationalising the dependent variable -- Introduction -- 3.1 Alignment strategies of great powers -- 3.1.1 Alignment strategies of the unipolar power -- 3.1.2 Alignment strategies of secondary great powers -- 3.1.3 Exploring the alignment strategy - security environment -- 3.2 Military strategies of great powers -- 3.2.1 Ends and objectives -- 3.2.2 Military means -- 3.2.3 Using military force - ways -- 3.2.4 Summary - operationalising military strategy -- 3.3 Research design -- Notes -- Bibliography -- 4. The US and the strategy of the unipole -- Introduction -- 4.1 Strategic environment -- 4.1.1 Actors -- 4.1.2 Regions -- 4.1.3 Themes -- 4.2 Ends -- 4.2.1 Values -- 4.2.2 Threats -- 4.2.3 Needs -- 4.2.4 Vulnerabilities -- 4.3 Means -- 4.3.1 Traditional means -- 4.3.2 Enablers -- 4.3.3 Nuclear means -- 4.3.4 Modern means -- 4.4 Ways -- 4.4.1 Situation -- 4.4.2 Employment -- 4.4.3 Behaviour -- 4.5 Conclusions - the American strategy -- Notes -- Bibliography -- 5. The strategies of the contesters -- Introduction -- 5.1 The strategy of China -- 5.1.1 Strategic environment -- 5.1.2 Ends -- 5.1.3 Means -- 5.1.4 Ways -- 5.1.5 Conclusions - the Chinese strategy -- 5.2 The strategy of Russia.

Military Strategy of Middle Powers explores to what degree twenty-first-century middle powers adjust their military strategies due to changes in the international order, such as the decline in US power. The overarching objective of the book is to explain continuity and change in the strategies of a group of middle powers during the twenty-first century. These strategies are described, compared, and explained through the lens of Realism. In order to find potential explanations for change or continuity within the cases, as well as for similarities and differences between the cases, the strategies of 11 'middle' powers are analysed (Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, India, Japan, and South Korea). This group of countries are considered similar in several important aspects, primarily regarding relative power capacity. When searching for potential explanations for different strategic behaviours among the middle powers, their unique regional characteristics are a key focus and, consequently, the impact of the structure and polarity, as well as the patterns of amity and enmity, of the regional context are analysed. The empirical investigation is focused on security strategies used since the terrorist attacks 9/11 2001, which was one of the first major challenges to US hegemony.

"Military Strategy of Middle Powers explores to what degree 21st-century middle powers adjust their military strategies due to changes in the international order, such as the decline in US power. The overarching objective of the book is to explain continuity and change in the strategies of a group of middle powers during the 21st century. These strategies are described, compared and explained through the lens of Realism. In order to find potential explanations for change or continuity, the strategies of eleven 'middle' powers are analysed (Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, India, Japan, South Korea). This group of countries are considered similar in several important aspects, such as relative power capacity. When searching for potential explanations for different strategic behaviours among the middle powers, their unique regional characteristics are a key focus and, consequently, the impact of the structure and polarity, as well as the patterns of amity and enmity, of the regional context are analysed. The empirical investigation is focused on security strategies used since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, which was one of the first major challenges to US hegemony. This book will be of much interest to students of military and strategic studies, foreign policy and International Relations, in general"--

"Military Strategy of Middle Powers explores to what degree 21st-century middle powers adjust their military strategies due to changes in the international order, such as the decline in US power. The overarching objective of the book is to explain continuity and change in the strategies of a group of middle powers during the 21st century. These strategies are described, compared and explained through the lens of Realism. In order to find potential explanations for change or continuity, the strategies of eleven 'middle' powers are analysed (Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, India, Japan, South Korea). This group of countries are considered similar in several important aspects, such as relative power capacity. When searching for potential explanations for different strategic behaviours among the middle powers, their unique regional characteristics are a key focus and, consequently, the impact of the structure and polarity, as well as the patterns of amity and enmity, of the regional context are analysed. The empirical investigation is focused on security strategies used since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, which was one of the first major challenges to US hegemony. This book will be of much interest to students of military and strategic studies, foreign policy and International Relations, in general"--

"The book explores how small states adjust their military strategies in response to external shocks. Using primary sources from four Nordic countries, (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden), this volume explores how small states have adjusted their military strategies in response to external shocks of the 21st century. The 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Russian interventions in Georgia and Ukraine, and the rise of the Islamic State have all forced the Nordic states to adopt new strategies. While the responses have not been uniform, their differing relations to the EU and NATO have not prevented these countries from behaving similarly in military affairs. Limitations in military capacity has led all four countries to pursue strategies that include cooperation with more resourceful partners. It is necessary for them to cooperate with others to protect and promote their national interests. Moreover, the Nordic cosmopolitan outlook expresses milieu-shaping ambitions that we generally would not expect small states to pursue against a potential great power aggressor. This book will be of much interest to students of military strategy, defence studies, security studies, and international relations"--

Continuity and change in small states' strategy -- Studying small states' strategic adjustments -- Before the shocks -- The first shock : the 9/11 terrorist attacks -- The second shock : the Georgian war -- The third and fourth shocks : Ukraine and the caliphate -- External shocks and the responses of small states.

The book explores how small states adjust their military strategies in response to external shocks. Using primary sources from four Nordic countries, (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden), this volume explores how small states have adjusted their military strategies in response to external shocks of the 21st century. The 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Russian interventions in Georgia and Ukraine, and the rise of the Islamic State have all forced the Nordic states to adopt new strategies. While the responses have not been uniform, their differing relations to the EU and NATO have not prevented these countries from behaving similarly in military affairs. Limitations in military capacity has led all four countries to pursue strategies that include cooperation with more resourceful partners. It is necessary for them to cooperate with others to protect and promote their national interests. Moreover, the Nordic cosmopolitan outlook expresses milieu-shaping ambitions that we generally would not expect small states to pursue against a potential great power aggressor. This book will be of much interest to students of military strategy, defense studies, security studies, and international relations.