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Also by Michael C. Desch:

Civilian Control of the Military, June 2010
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CIVILIAN CONTROL OF THE MILITARY
By: Michael C. Desch

The Changing Security Environment

The Johns Hopkins University Press
June 2010
On Sale: June 23, 2010
200 pages
ISBN: 0801866391
EAN: 9780801866395
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Non-Fiction

The end of the Cold War brought widespread optimism about the future of civil-military relations. But as Michael Desch argues in this thought-provoking challenge to Harold Lasswell's famous "garrison state" thesis, the truth is that civilian authorities have not been able to exert greater control over military policies and decision making. In wartime, civil authorities cannot help but pay close attention to military matters. In times of peace, however, civilian leaders are less interested in military affairs—and therefore often surrender them to the military.

Focusing on a wide range of times and places, Desch begins with a look at changes in U.S. civil-military relations since the end of the Cold War. He then turns to the former Soviet Union, explaining why it was easier for civilians to control the Soviet military than its present-day Russian successor. He examines the Hindenburg-Ludendorff dictatorship in World War I Germany, Japan during the interwar era, and France's role in the Algerian crisis. Finally, he explores the changing domestic security environment and civil-military relations in South America.

Media Buzz

PBS News Hour - June 23, 2010