The Structure of Strategic Revolution: Total War and the Roots of the Soviet Warfare State

By James J. Schneider

Book Overview

Schneider (military theory, School of Advanced Military Studies) shows how the Soviet security apparatus evolved and how the warfare state was achieved by Stalin. He offers insights into the strategic revolution of the 19th century that resulted from the Industrial Revolution, and argues that the su

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 089141522X
• ISBN13: 9780891415220
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Presidio Pr
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.8" x 1.5" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

Excellent overview on modern military theory

Schneider's excellent "Structure of Strategic Revolution" is perhaps the best one-book lesson on military theory I have yet found. He starts with a concise and excellent deconstruction of historical military theory, much in the manner of Svechin himself. Perhaps as like Svechin, Schneider is a teacher of military theory and has applied his classes to his own theoretical work. So for those of you unable to attend the US Army's School of Advanced Military Studies and become, as they call it "a Jedi Knight", then read on.But the beginning is just to lay a framework for an overview of the Red Army group of military theorists of the 20s and 30s whose story of tragic endings, subsequent rebirth as the basis of American land warfare doctrine (not to mention many others) is only matched by the brilliant insight of their theory. But this book isn't a personal history it is all about military art.While critiqued above as "dense" I've found Schneider's style relatively easy to read compared to other military theorists. But more importantly than style is the basis of the work and that is a study of the most comprehensive, accurate and effective form of military doctrine yet developed. While in the Soviet experience this lead to the creation of the total warfare state and its subsequent collapse this theory has many utilities for richer and less vulnerable states like America and Australia.Schneider's conclusion is to examine the effect of the application of best practice military theory to an entire state. In this case Stalin and the Soviet Union. The book isn't really about Stalin the great monster and examines the actual sensible reasons that the Soviet Union felt the necessity to do so. While Schneider explores the ultimate conclusion of this historical chapter with the collapse of the Soviet Union one has to wonder how these ideas (the Red Army groups') are being interpreted in that one remaining total warfare state: North Korea.

Learn from the masters

Schneider's excellent "Structure of Strategic Revolution" is perhaps the best one-book lesson on modern military theory I have yet found. He starts with a concise and excellent deconstruction of historical military theory, much in the manner of Svechin himself. Perhaps as like Svechin, Schneider is a teacher of military theory and has applied his classes to his own theoretical work. So for those of you unable to attend the US Army's School of Advanced Military Studies and become, as they call it "a Jedi Knight", then read on.But the beginning is just to lay a framework for an overview of the Red Army group of military theorists of the 20s and 30s whose story of tragic endings, subsequent rebirth as the basis of American land warfare doctrine (not to mention many others) is only matched by the brilliant insight of their theory. But this book isn't a personal history it is all about military art.While critiqued above as "dense" I've found Schneider's style relatively easy to read compared to other military theorists. But more importantly than style is the basis of the work and that is a study of the most comprehensive, accurate and effective form of military doctrine yet developed. While in the Soviet experience this lead to the creation of the total warfare state and its subsequent collapse this theory has many utilities for richer and less vulnerable states like America and Australia.Schneider's conclusion is to examine the effect of the application of best practice military theory to an entire state. In this case Stalin and the Soviet Union. The book isn't really about Stalin the great monster and examines the actual sensible reasons that the Soviet Union felt the necessity to do so. While Schneider explores the ultimate conclusion of this historical chapter with the collapse of the Soviet Union one has to wonder how these ideas (the Red Army group's) are being interpreted in that one remaining total warfare state: North Korea.