Changing Military Doctrine: Presidents and Military Power in Fifth Republic France, 1958-2000 (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780275972868)

As Rynning shows, armed forces have a natural interest in shaping military doctrine according to their resources, doctrinal traditions, as well as their assessment of the international environment. However, armed forces are also the instrument of policy-makers who are in charge of national security. Using civil-military relations in France from 1958 to the present as a case study, he shows when policy-makers are capable of controlling military doctrine as well as the means armed forces rely on to influence doctrine.

Some scholars argue that policy-makers can control military doctrine only when the international environment is threatening--a situation granting them added decision-making authority. Others argue that such control ultimately depends on the degree of domestic political disagreement/consensus. With access to most of the leading military personnel and policy-makers of the era, Rynning provides an analysis that will be instructive to scholars as well as policy-makers and military leaders concerned with contemporary civil-military relations.

Author: Sten Rynning
ISBN-10: 0275972860
ISBN-13: 9780275972868
Publisher: Praeger
Language: English
Published: 10/30/2001
Pages: 256
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.26lbs
Size: 9.48h x 6.34w x 0.96d

Review Citation(s):
Reference and Research Bk News 02/01/2002 pg. 232
Choice 09/01/2002 pg. 175