Abstract
Since achieving victory in World War II, the United States military has a less than enviable combat record in irregular warfare. Through a detailed historical analysis, this article provides perspective on where past decisions and doctrines have led to defeat and where they may have succeeded if given more time or executed differently. In doing so, it provides lessons for future Army engagements and argues that until America becomes proficient in irregular warfare, our enemies will continue to fight us at the lower levels of the spectrum of conflict, where they have a good chance of exhausting our will to fight.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.55540/0031-1723.3164
Recommended Citation
John A. Nagl, "Why America’s Army Can’t Win America’s Wars," Parameters 52, no. 3 (2022), doi:10.55540/0031-1723.3164.
Decisive Point Podcast
John Nagl and Alex debate.mp3 (16690 kB)
Decisive Point Podcast
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