The Shape of the American Military, Technology, Culture Essay

Technology and the American Way of War Since 1945 covers in detail a wide range of weapons systems, technologies, and other equipment developed by the United States Military. Naturally, a significant amount of Mahnken’s book places a heavy emphasis on technologies and systems developed during the Cold War. The book could almost be examined as a complete history of the development of military technology during that period, however, the author has a much more significant purpose for his work than to just educate the reader on military history. Mahnken says, â€Å"This book is about the interaction of technology and culture in the context of the strategic environment. It argues that technology both shaped and was shaped by the culture of the U.S.†¦show more content†¦Two, it put no personnel in immediate danger (Mahnken, loc. 330-340). Another question is whether or not nuclear weapons had revolutionized warfare and the use of ground forces. Mahnken writes that â€Å"The advent of nuclear weapons and strategic air power appeared to call into question the utility of traditional ground forces† (Mahnken, loc. 665). While nuclear weapons were certainly an advantage in warfare, not every situation is going to call for the use of a nuclear weapon. History has shown that even in the most recent of conflicts, militaries continue to rely on ground forces. Perhaps the advancement of aircraft and their technologies have been much more crucial to the changes in modern-day militaries and how they fight wars. However, history has shown that even recent conflicts continue to rely on ground forces to some extent. The use of air power may have taken over, but nuclear advancements seem to be of little consequence today. Air bombings and the use of â€Å"smart† weapons has dramatically increased, but troops still hit the ground. As previously stated, Mahnken proposes that technology is not only shaped by culture, but that technology itself shapes culture. Changes in higher education prove him to be right. By the early 70’s there were over 10,000 engineers employed in the aerospace industry (Mahnken, loc. 788). Major Course Themes Like Keegan, Mahnken believes culture and society will help shape technology. In his book’sShow MoreRelatedFragile States : Causes And Impact1484 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"failing†, or failed and address the possible causes of state failure as well as the â€Å"danger signs† that might warn of impending failure. No global definition exists for states described as â€Å"fragile†, â€Å"failing†, or failed because they come in all shapes and sizes. Yet, countries that have failed at the basic responsibilities of governance and sovereign authority are generally lumped into this group. 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