Military History and Military Theory

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to discuss the relationship between military history and military theory through a chronological analysis. Military history in some form has always been used to formulate military theory i.e. generalizations of historical experience to guide action in the present and in the future. History is however hard to interpret, and has served different purposes over time. In the ancient world history linked to morality, and historiography contained practicle advice for generals. The scientfic revolution saw the birth of scientific laws for warfare, inspired by natural sciences i.e. codifying historical experience. The Napoleonic era saw the birth of modern warfare and the development of modern military theory. Jomini synthezised the Enlightenment with experiences of the Napoleonic wars into scientific principles of war. From a Romantic historical tradition came Clausewitz, a historicist general focused on understanding the nature of war. For Clausewitz history was about understanding, and could not be used for scientific principles. In the same era came Marxism – a materialist, deterministic theory of history, influencing for example Russian and Chinese military thinking as well as theories of guerilla war. Using military history to create military theory still revolves around the dialectic, will history repeat itself or not? If it does, then it can be used for formulating theory. If it doesn´t, history can be used for understanding the past and as a guide. Every new generation of the military have reinvented and reinterpreted history. Most of the doctrines and theories of warfare today rests on a mixture of concepts from both Clausewitz and from Jomini – and in every case military history is the very foundation of both. The dialectic relationship between military history and military theory seems to be as old as the phenonema of war itself.