Blending of East and West - Developing a Strategy for the Future

摘要

World War I brought industrialization into the equation of war between nations. Industrialization gave rise to exponential technical growth and both factors accelerated past contemporary thinking on how to conduct war. The permeation of accelerating technology moves information to the forefront of strategic national calculus. This continuous process of evolution is forcing nations to, again, reevaluate methods used for prosecuting successful conflict in every realm-political, economic, social, and military. Global access and movement of information creates an interdependence that reaches into almost every facet of society, creating a primary link between control of information and attainment of strategic goals. For the United States, future success mandates a shift in our traditional, western-style thought concerning conflict. This paper explores the evolution of western thought on conflict in the information age. Western philosophy is slowly aligning with holistic eastern philosophy to answer current and anticipated strategic problems. The control of information makes this type of strategy both plausible and relevant to our current and expected environment. What has not changed is the bedrock from which these strategies are derived- theory.