Strategy

In this widely acclaimed work, Edward Luttwak unveils the peculiar logic of strategy that governs all forms of war and the adversarial dealings of nations even in peace.

The book explains a universal logic of strategy through two dimensions: the vertical dimension, which includes five levels—technical, tactical, operational, theater, and grand strategic—and the horizontal dimension, which involves the dynamic contest of wills between belligerents.

Luttwak argues that strategy is characterized by paradoxical, ironic, and contradictory logic, where outcomes often evolve into their opposites.

The book provides examples from ancient Rome to modern conflicts, illustrating how ordinary linear logic is overthrown in the crucible of conflict.

It is a seminal work used in war colleges around the world and has been translated into several languages.