Conversations with History: Institute
of International Studies, UC Berkeley
This interview is part of the Institute's "Conversations
with History" series, and uses Internet technology to share with the
public Berkeley's distinction as a global forum for ideas.
Welcome to a Conversation with History. I'm Harry
Kreisler of the Institute of International Studies. Our distinguished
guest today is Max Boot who is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign
Relations and a columnist for the LA Times.
His
new book is War Made New: Technology, Warfare and the Course of History
1500 to Today.
- Warfare Technology in History ...
transforming the military ... gunpowder ... first industrial revolution
... inventions and the military's use of them
- Spinoffs from War Technology ...
the impetus for the rise of states ... bureaucracy and centralization ...
organization of modern life and business ... reprivitization of the military
- Twentiety-Century Wars ... WWI
technology stalemate ... WWII and the harnessing of resources ... U.S. and
U.S.S.R. ... fighting the last war or the next war
- The Post - Cold War World ... Soviet
downfall in Afghanistan ... U.S. military dominance ... newest technologies
quickly superceded ... hierarchies vs. networks ... loss of obvious targets
... terrorism's new level of technology
- Beyond Technology: People ... limits
of technology ... importance of universities ... cultural understanding
... improvisation vs. bureaucracy in warfare
- The Iraq War ... Rumsfeld's transformation
put to the test ... lack of planning structures for postwar occupation ...
difficulty of nation-building ... Lebanon-Israel war: firepower vs. information
war
- Conclusion ... labels
... power of American ideals ... nonmilitary resources for transforming
the world ... disappointment with handling of the war ... implementation
failures despite past business success of leaders ... future of civilian-military
relationship in U.S. ... defeat inspires reform


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