Book/Printed Material Characteristics of successful U.S. military interventions Characteristics of successful US military interventions / Characteristics of successful United States military interventions

Title

• Characteristics of successful U.S. military interventions

Other Title

• Characteristics of successful US military interventions
• Characteristics of successful United States military interventions

Summary

• Using an original data set of 145 ground, air, and naval interventions from 1898 through 2016, this report identifies those factors that have made U.S. military interventions more or less successful at achieving their political objectives. While these objectives were often successfully achieved, about 63 percent of the time overall, levels of success have been declining over time as the United States has pursued increasingly ambitious objectives. The research combines statistical analysis and detailed case studies of three types of interventions -- combat, stability operations, and deterrence. The research highlights that the factors that promote the successful achievement of political objectives vary by the nature of the objective and the intervention. For example, sending additional ground forces may help to defeat adversaries in combat missions but may have a more contingent effect on success in institution-building in stability operations, where nonmilitary resources and pre-intervention planning may be especially vital. The report offers five main policy recommendations. First, planners should carefully match political objectives to strategy because factors that promote success vary substantially by objective type. Second, sending more forces does not always promote success, but for certain types of objectives and interventions, greater capabilities may be essential. Third, policymakers should have realistic expectations regarding the possibility of achieving highly ambitious objectives. Fourth, pre-intervention planning is crucial. Finally, policymakers should carefully evaluate the role that might be played by third parties, which is often under appreciated.

Names

• Kavanagh, Jennifer, 1981- author
• Frederick, Bryan A., author
• Stark, Alexandra, author
• Chandler, Nathan, 1982- author
• Smith, Meagan L., author
• Povlock, Matthew, author
• Davis, Lynn E. (Lynn Etheridge), 1943- author
• Geist, Edward, author
• Arroyo Center
• Rand Corporation, publisher

Created / Published

• Santa Monica, Calif. : RAND Corporation, [2019]

Contents

• Existing literature : findings and shortcomings -- Collecting data on U.S. military interventions -- Factors that affect success : a quantitative look -- Factors that affect success : case studies -- Synthesis and recommendations.

Headings

• -  United States--Military policy--History--Evaluation
• -  Military planning--United States
• -  Intervention (International law)--Case studies
• -  Planification militaire--États-Unis
• -  Intervention (Droit international)--Études de cas
• -  Intervention (International law)
• -  Military planning
• -  Military policy--Evaluation
• -  United States

Genre

• Case studies
• History

Notes

• -  "RAND Arroyo Center."
• -  "Prepared for the United States Army."
• -  "This research was conducted with the RAND Arroyo Center's Personnel, Training, and Health Program"--Preface (page iii)
• -  Also available on the Internet as a PDF file.
• -  Includes bibliographical references (pages 309-325).
• -  Description based on print version record; resource not viewed.

Medium

• 1 online resource (xxvii, 325 pages) : illustrations.

Call Number/Physical Location

• UA23.6

Digital Id

• https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gdc/gdcebookspublic.2024739968

Library of Congress Control Number

• 2024739968

Rights Advisory

• This is non-restricted, fully open content that may be accessed on and off of the Library of Congress campus, with no restrictions, by an unlimited number of users

Access Advisory

• Unrestricted online access

Online Format

• image
• pdf

LCCN Permalink

• https://lccn.loc.gov/2024739968

Additional Metadata Formats

• MARCXML Record
• MODS Record
• Dublin Core Record