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Book Review: The Unfinished Quest: India’s Search for Major Power Status from Nehru to Modi
Patrick Bratton
Author: T. V. Paul
Reviewed by: Dr. Patrick Bratton, professor of national security, Department of National Security and Strategy, US Army War College
In this sweeping analysis, T. V. Paul traces India’s decades-long journey to global prominence, revealing how aspirations for major power status have been shaped—and often stalled—by internal contradictions and external constraints. Blending hard-power metrics with soft-power dynamics, Paul explores India’s evolving role as a “swing power” in the Indo-Pacific and its complex rivalry with China. From Nehru’s nonalignment to Modi’s assertive nationalism, this book offers a compelling framework for understanding India’s place in the shifting global order.
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Book Review: Cornerstone of the Nation: The Defense Industry and the Building of Modern Korea Under Park Chung Hee
Kevin Davidson
Author: Peter Banseok Kwon
Reviewed by: Colonel Kevin Davidson, US Air Force, Northeast Asia foreign affairs officer, United States Africa Command Liaison Office
In this groundbreaking study, Peter Banseok Kwon uncovers how South Korea’s defense industry became the engine of its rapid modernization under President Park Chung Hee. Drawing on declassified archives and firsthand interviews, Kwon reveals a hidden alliance of military, scientific, and industrial forces that transformed Korea into a global economic power. Cornerstone of the Nation reframes the “Miracle on the Han River” as a story of militarized industrialization, offering fresh insights into authoritarian development and Cold War geopolitics.
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Book Review: Who Will Defend Europe?: An Awakened Russia and a Sleeping Continent
Darrell Driver
Author: Keir Giles
Reviewed by: Dr. Darrell Driver, director, warfighter studies, Department of Military Strategy, Planning and Operations, US Army War College
As Russia re-arms and the US retreats from its traditional role, Europe faces a chilling question: Can it defend itself against a rising threat? Keir Giles delivers a forceful wake-up call, exposing decades of complacency and the urgent need for renewed leadership and military investment. This gripping analysis warns that without decisive action, the continent risks sleepwalking into disaster.
©2026 Darrell W. Driver
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Book Review: Strategy and Grand Strategy
John Erickson
Author: Joshua Rovner
Reviewed by: John Erickson, senior engineer, Axiom Technologies
Joshua Rovner’s Strategy and Grand Strategy is a compelling and essential exploration of how nations succeed—or fail—when aligning military strategy with broader security goals. Through vivid historical case studies and sharp analysis, Rovner reveals how misunderstanding or ignoring the relationship between strategy (a theory of victory) and grand strategy (a theory of security) can lead to disastrous outcomes. This book is a must-read for anyone involved in national security, defense planning, or the study of statecraft in an era of technological and geopolitical complexity.
©2026 John Erickson
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