Civilian control and the American military: myths and realities.
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Authors
Hamilton, Joseph Bruce
Subjects
Civilian Control
Military Reform
National Military Establishment
Joint Chiefs of Staff
German General Staff
Department of Defense.
Military Reform
National Military Establishment
Joint Chiefs of Staff
German General Staff
Department of Defense.
Advisors
Teti, Frank M.
Date of Issue
1987
Date
December 1987
Publisher
Language
en_US
Abstract
This thesis examines civilian control of the American
military. It shows that a phobia about losing civilian
control of the military establishment has been caused by the
misinterpretation of two historical experiences, namely: the
American experience of civilian-military relations; and, the
German experience of militarism during the First and Second
World Wars. A description of the United States National
Military Establishment of the twentieth century is included.
Discussion of the American experience covers the early
Constitutional balance, informal elements and cultural
characteristics of the American military, and certain
particularly difficult periods during U.S. history.
Analysis of the German system shows how the German military
was as much subverted from external forces as it was itself
subversive. The conclusion made is that the nature of the
American military is such that excessive fear of military
misuse of power is unwarranted, and that military reform
should be based on this concept.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs (NSA)
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
83 p.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.