Digital Commons Network^™

Russo-Ukraine War And Gendered Approaches To Strategic Competition, Dr. Olga R. Chiriac, Dr. Jahara “Franky” Matisek

Women, Peace, and Security

The 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia represents a logical step in the Russian war against women, minorities, and “Western values.”  The discussion aims to better understand the complexity and fragility of the contemporary security environment by presenting an effective frame for correctly analyzing women’s influence and experience as both agents and subjects of change. The panelists explore the conflict through the weaponization of gender in the global information war against the U.S., NATO, and Ukraine. Furthermore, they highlight the correlation between the weaponization of gendered narratives and its relationship to fostering societal resilience and networks of resistance. The discussion …

Joint Maritime Operations, Professor Jane Stokes

Women, Peace, and Security

During this discussion, Professor Jane Stokes, will discuss the integration process of WPS material into JPME curriculum and how to nest contemporary security issues specifically into the Joint Maritime Operations (JMO) syllabus. Through the lens of a JMO professor, Professor Stokes will explain how WPS discussions on state stability and fragility provide an appropriate seminar topic related to the competition continuum. Prof Stokes will then conclude with remarks on the need for additional case study material and experienced based articles to further the depth of these classroom discussions.

The Newport Manual On The Law Of Naval Warfare, James Kraska, Raul "Pete" Pedrozo, David Letts, Wolff Heintschel Von Heinegg, Rob Mclaughlin, James Farrant, Yurika Ishii, Gurpreet S. Khurana, Koki Sato

International Law Studies

This first edition of the Newport Manual has been superseded by the Newport Manual on the Law of Naval Warfare, Second Edition, published as Volume 105 (2025) of International Law Studies.

Should Have Known Better? The Standard Of Knowledge For Command Responsibility In International Criminal Law, Roee Bloch

International Law Studies

The criminal doctrine of command responsibility has a rich legal history, which makes it a widely recognized, if unsettled, concept of international criminal law. This article focuses on a key element of command responsibility: the commander’s knowledge of a subordinate's crimes. This article argues that current customary law instructs to apply a standard of actual knowledge of the commander, rather than the lower standard of constructive knowledge. The article reaches this conclusion by observing the primary shaping factor of international law—State behavior. Through the example of six diverse legal systems, the article demonstrates how the approach of legislative, executive, and …

Mahan, Corbett, And The Foundations Of Naval Strategic Thought, Michael Romero, Kevin D. Mccranie

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

Mahan’S Theory And The Realities Of The First World War—His Final Considerations On Sea Power, Kevin D. Mccranie

Naval War College Review

Although Mahan’s commentary on World War I was constrained from August 1914 and he died in December, his understanding of naval strategy at the strategic level proved almost impeccable, and he made significant deductions about the newest technologies and their effects. His conclusions explain to a significant degree how the war developed in the years following his death.

Dilemmas Faced In Developing Small Navies, Andrzej Makowski

Naval War College Review

Small navies face two important problems: the difficulty of acquiring the requisite financial resources and managing them properly, and the need to transform themselves so they can cooperate as parts of multinational teams. The latter aspect is the most important factor affecting their continued existence.

Tirpitz’S Trap, Jeremy Stocker

Naval War College Review

Chinese leaders probably believe that America’s worldwide commitments mean that the United States never will concentrate its entire naval strength against them in a conflict. But “Tirpitz’s Trap” serves as a warning of the consequences of challenging a maritime rival at sea while retaining the commitments inherent in a continental state with strategically significant land borders and powerful neighbors.

The Final Countdown?—Charting A New Course For Capital Ships In Pacific War Plans, Cameron M. Rountree

Naval War College Review

The Navy’s World War II fleet demonstrated that success came from employing the capital ship of the time—the battleship—collaboratively with aircraft carriers. Today, the Navy and the joint force should combine today’s capital ship—the aircraft carrier—with a reinvestment in surface and undersea platforms with extended-range standoff weapons.

Strategy, Uncertainty, And The China Challenge, Jeffrey W. Meiser, Renny Babiarz Phd, David Mudd

Naval War College Review

Despite China’s increasing aggressiveness, its intentions are indeterminate, even aligning with U.S. interests in some arenas. Furthermore, China simply may fail in achieving even its foremost national and foreign-policy goals. Given this uncertainty, the United States should not base its policy and strategy on any specific prediction about Chinese intentions or abilities.

From The Editors, Robert Ayer

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

President's Forum, Shoshana Chatfield Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy, President, Naval War College

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

Winter 2023 Full Issue, The U.S. Naval War College

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

Aid And Assistance As A “Use Of Force” Under The Jus Ad Bellum, Michael N. Schmitt, W. Casey Biggerstaff

International Law Studies

Although the prohibition of the use of force is a cornerstone of international law, our understanding of what constitutes a “use of force” under Article 2(4) of the UN Charter nonetheless continues to evolve. While the term was traditionally understood to mean armed force, emerging interpretations are expanding our understanding of the prohibition’s breadth. The Charter’s text, travaux préparatoires, and subsequent interpretations and practice by States, reinforced by the persuasive reasoning of the International Court of Justice, all confirm that the notion of force extends to indirect force, which includes military support provided to parties to a conflict. Yet, to …

The Shadow Of Success: How International Criminal Law Has Come To Shape The Battlefield, Gabriella Blum

International Law Studies

The rise of international criminal law (ICL) has undoubtedly contributed to the development and enforcement of international humanitarian law (IHL). Yet, there are also important and oft-overlooked ways in which it has done the opposite. By labeling certain violations of the laws of war as “criminal” and setting up dedicated mechanisms for prosecution and punishment of offenders, the content, practice, and logic of ICL are displacing those of IHL. With its doctrinal precision, elaborate institutions, and the seemingly irresistible claim of political and moral priority, ICL is overshadowing the more diffuse, less institutionalized, and more difficult to enforce IHL.

But …

Malware, A Device Under The 1988 Sua Convention, Michael Petta

International Law Studies

In 1988 the International Maritime Organization modernized international law in response to a vexing problem of the time—maritime terrorism. Before then, not all violent crimes against vessels amounted to piracy and therefore many maritime criminals escaped justice. To close this gap and facilitate the prosecution of those who endanger navigation, IMO member States enacted the 1988 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation. More than three decades later, the 1988 SUA Convention may be useful to address a more modern problem—cyberattacks against commercial vessels. The 1988 treaty prohibits various acts against shipping, including the …

China Maritime Report No. 26: Beyond The First Battle: Overcoming A Protracted Blockade Of Taiwan, Lonnie D. Henley

CMSI China Maritime Reports

If there is a war over Taiwan, an extended Chinese blockade is likely to determine the outcome. While a blockade might include intercepting ships at sea, the primary focus would be on sealing airfields and ports, particularly on the west coast of Taiwan. China could sustain that type of blockade indefinitely. Penetrating a prolonged blockade and keeping Taiwan alive would require a serious U.S. investment in systems and operational concepts that we currently do not have. Unless we make that investment, we may win the first battle, defeating an attempted landing. But we cannot win the war.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: The War At Sea, Raul (Pete) Pedrozo

International Law Studies

Although much has been written about the Russia-Ukraine conflict, most writings have focused on land warfare. This article explores the conflict at sea and a host of legal issues arising from that aspect of the conflict. The article begins with a discussion of a series of events at sea that preceded the Russian invasion in 2022, including the Kerch Strait incidents and interference with freedom of navigation in the Black Sea. It then discusses multiple post-invasion legal issues involving the war at sea, including access to the Black Sea, maritime exclusion zones, naval mines, naval bombardment, unmanned maritime systems, targeting …

Care For The Sorrowing Soul: Healing Moral Injuries From Military Service And Implications For The Rest Of Us, Tom Gibbons, Duane Larson, Jeff Zust

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

Review Essay: At Last: Due Attention To Privateers—"Rebels At Sea: Privateering In The American Revolution," "The Untold War At Sea: America’S Revolutionary Privateers", Anna Matilde Bassoli, Michael Romero, Eric Jay Dolin, Kylie A. Hulbert

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

Commentary: Nwp 3, Fleet Warfare, Change 1, Robert C. Rubel

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

Putin’S Ukraine Invasion: Turbocharging Sino-Russian Collaboration In Energy, Maritime Security, And Beyond?, Andrew S. Erickson, Gabriel B. Collins

Naval War College Review

Putin’s war of choice in Ukraine will continue to send shock waves across the shores of maritime Asia for years, with unfolding impacts on ecosystems inhabited by oil barrels, gas pipelines, submarine technologies, jet engines, and basing access, within a context of a China-Russia relationship characterized over the centuries by cycles of fear, temporary bonds, and renewed division.

Nuclear Weapons In Russia’S War Against Ukraine, Stephen Blank

Naval War College Review

Western concern about Russian nuclear weapons’ potential deployment continues to suffuse policy responses to the Ukraine war, inhibiting relief efforts. Russia’s rhetoric and past exercises contribute to the pervasive Western belief that Russia might use nuclear weapons, including in a conflict that begins as a purely conventional war, to force its enemies to accept its terms.

Naval Considerations In The Russo-Ukrainian War, Seth Cropsey

Naval War College Review

Russia’s grand military strategy has a distinct maritime bent, the Ukrainian south coast is Russia’s most tangible strategic prize, and naval forces are crucial to holding it. Since the war’s beginning, Ukraine’s carefully planned strategy has applied stress to key elements of Russia’s maritime strategy, and Ukraine’s theory of victory is shaped by maritime considerations as thoroughly as Russia’s.

The Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Blocking Access To The Black Sea, Raul Pedrozo

Naval War College Review

Turkey’s prohibition of passage through the Black Sea straits by all foreign warships—including NATO’s—is difficult to justify under the Montreux Convention; Ankara more likely invoked it to mitigate repercussions from Moscow. Doing so tarnishes the country’s status as an honest broker and faithful guardian of the convention, which could have unintended long-term consequences.

Autumn 2022 Full Issue, The U.S. Naval War College

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

Imperial Twilight: The Opium War And The End Of China’S Last Golden Age, Benjamin E. Mainardi, Stephen R. Platt

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

On Operations: Operational Art And Military Disciplines, Edmund B. Hernandez, B. A. Friedman

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

Military Virtues, Edward Erwin, Michael Skerker, David Whetham, Don Carrick

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.

Innovating Victory: Naval Technology In Three Wars, Timothy J. Demy, Vincent P. O’Hara, Leonard R. Heinz

Naval War College Review

No abstract provided.