Hard War: An Overview of Current U.S. Military Power

Author: Zhang Yonghong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-02-01
Features: The term "hard war" in this book primarily refers to the actual and potential use of military power, including the use of national armed forces for war, implementing military deterrence, strengthening the role of military factors in political and diplomatic leverage, and maintaining a military advantage over current and potential adversaries. After the Cold War, the threat of world war has further diminished, but the dream of human peace remains as distant as ever. As the world's only superpower today, the United States' ambition to dominate the world through power is becoming increasingly unconcealed. Statistics show that since 1990, the United States has taken more than 40 large-scale military actions abroad. Meanwhile, a larger and more ambitious "hard war" is in full swing—advancing the leap forward in military strength with its strong economic and technological capabilities, aiming to establish a dominant position in the future global military landscape. Over the past decade, the United States has made the deepest and most extensive adjustments to its national military strategy since World War II, vigorously accelerating the modernization of armaments, particularly actively promoting and leading the new military revolution based on information technology, attempting to achieve new heights of combat power through the continuous infusion of information superiority. At the same time, the U.S. military believes that material advantages alone are insufficient; what is more important is the simultaneous innovation of "software" such as military theory, organizational structures, education, and training, as well as the improvement of leadership quality. This demonstrates the depth and breadth of the U.S. military's adjustments and reforms. In fact, compared to the series of future-oriented "concepts" the U.S. military has recently unveiled, this "hard war" characterized by the potential use of military power has just begun. Its profound impact on the future global military landscape and international security environment is still difficult to predict. This book primarily introduces some basic aspects of the current U.S. military, combining the latest developments, and is suitable for a broad readership of military enthusiasts.