No nation can create a lasting society without the proper implementation of strategy, said Hal Brands in a lecture on his book “The New Makers of Modern Strategy” at a luncheon hosted by the Center for Military History and Grand Strategy Oct.17.
“Nobody can do very well for very long without it,” Brands said. “And so the practice of strategy has been the subject of unending debate and redefinition over the years, even some of our most talented leaders have struggled with the dilemmas strategy poses.”
Brands spoke on the relationship between history and strategy, as well as its importance to the future of the United States. Students and guests attended a lunch, a lecture, Q&A session, book signing, and a dessert reception.
“The book showed how immersion in history in particular, produces a better, stronger intellectual engagement with the dynamics of war and peace,” Brands said. “In doing so, it helped establish strategic studies in a modern academic field, one that was rooted in the idea that you can use the past for insight into present problems.”
Brands is the Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
He said today is the perfect time to redefine strategy in order to better understand it.
Mark Moyar, the William P. Harris chair of military history at Hillsdale College, said he plans to incorporate the book into his classes due to its significance.
“I am going to be using it in a course, and it’s one of the most influential books that will be published this year,” Moyar said.
Edward Gutiérrez, director of the Center for Military History and Grand Strategy, said the center lectures seek to prepare citizens with an understanding of the reality of war.
“The center’s mission is for everyone, which includes students, faculty, staff, guests, and the wider public because we post all events on the Center’s website,” Gutiérrez said.
The program began recently at Hillsdale College in Sept. 2022, however, its events now attract many students and other guests.
“We went to the first lecture and became very interested and decided to support it,” said Jacqueline Blood, a friend of the college.
Gutiérrez said the lecture series reflects the core characteristics of the center.
“The lecture series represents one of the center’s cornerstones,” Gutiérrez said. “It is our ongoing event where we strive to bring brilliant minds — such as Dr. Brands — to engage with the past, which aids us in navigating America’s present and future.”
The lecture by Brands followed the Center for Military History and Grand Strategy’s annual conference held earlier this year. The conference focused on war in Afghanistan and is the first of several lectures which will occur later this year.
“The program is still in its early stages,” Moyar said. “We had a conference last month regarding Afghanistan and then this event. We are still figuring out exactly which direction we are going to go but so far it’s mostly been events like the one with Dr. Brands.”
Gutiérrez said he believes the Center for Military History and Grand Strategy will become a part of the solution in reuniting strategy and history.
“Too few of us employ strategic level historic-driven analysis as a guide for understanding the human condition,” Gutiérrez said. “It is an honor to host scholars such as Dr. Brands due to his essential message — we have abandoned historical and strategic thought at our peril.”
