LDR 404: Warfighting: Nature & Conduct of War

Ever since Cain killed Abel there has been strife between human beings. When strife occurs between our political associations, war is born. The nature of war is a "violent clash of interests between or among organized groups," and just as our nature drives us to collaborate in peace, our fallen nature drives us to kill in war. Using the Marine Corps' highly influential doctrinal text on war and warfighting (Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 1: Warfighting) as a guiding text, this course will explore the nature and conduct of war in each of its levels: tactical, operational, and strategic. It seeks to understand war as a part of the human condition and the broad impact it has had throughout history including as recorded in the arts. It explores the evolution of maneuver warfare in the modern era, its chief architects, and examples of it in action. This course will expose participants in a small degree to some of the environmental and psychological aspects of warfighting through puzzles, physical scenarios, and tactical decision games. This course is an elective for the Military Leadership minor and is open to all students with an interest in the military, military history, leadership, and the nature and conduct of war.