This is the book you want for a high level overview of Marine Corps strategy defined by General Al Gray. This is the strategy that the Corps will use for the next century.

I believe the priciples presented in Warfighting have a broader application than physical combat. In life we encounter situations where the understanding and applying of these principles could help.

I realize that this is standard reading for the USMC, but it is billed as a tome for the civilian as well. I found it a bit too general for tactics, both for personal protection, as well as for law enforcement. OK as a general overview of battlefield/global warfare, but not easily adapted to other uses.

Warfighting has a very rare characteristic for a book: it depictes much more than it expresses across its pages.

I'm a former Alumnus of the most prestigious Italian Military School (Nunziatella, est. 1787), and in a sense a bit of someone with the military gene inside, having had my grand-grandfather in the Army and my father in the Air Force.

Presently I'm a manager involved in the medical field, working for one of the top pharma companies worldwide.

Looking at this book with both types of spectacles, I found a very remarkable piece of work, which deserved a very special place in my library, side to side with groundbreaking books like "The Prince" by Machiavelli, "The art of war" by Sun Tzu and "About war" by von Clausewitz.

Warfighting depicts the operating modalities of a recognized military Corp, the US Marines, and gives precious insights to commanders, for example about how leveraging skills and manouvering when fighting against a numerically stronger adversary.

When simply substituting the words "officer" or "commander" in the text with "manager", Warfighting becomes a leading-edge manual about ways of conducting business in the modern world, by lean, mobile and highly professional organizations more than by the old-style molochs.

Only tens of pages, dense of significance, something you will never forget.

Amazing.

Good book to instill leadership qualities in your workforce. This should be the basis for required college course in all business degree programs.

If you're into winning any sort of competition, not just warfare, this is an excellent book to read, concise and to the point. You can read it in a few hours and be forever changed by it. My only criticism is that, judging from the endnotes, it leans a bit too much on Carl von Clausewitz and too little on modern thinkers such as John Boyd, a USAF fighter pilot whose impact on Marine Corps tactics is considerable and widely acknowledged. As the disasters of subsequent German history would demonstrate, war is not, as Clausewitz believed, diplomacy taken to a new level. Wars are much more costly and difficult to extract oneself from than a conference in Geneva.

Also keep in mind that it's not enough to win a war. You also need to win the peace that follows. During World War I and for several years afterward there was a fierce debate over how to make a peace that would last. Pacifists thought the world would come to learn that wars don't pay, an idea so absurd no one mentions it today. Internationalists thought the League of Nations could keep the peace, even though it soon failed its first test, a war between Poland and Russia that immediately followed the war. Militarists, a group little seen immediately after such a bloody war, continued to insist on the importance of bigger and bigger battleships. Even Churchill, although he later regretted it, thought for a time that disarmament would work.

In retrospect, there was only a few who got it right and the one who got it right the best was a popular English writer, G. K. Chesterton. In 1932 he would warn that Germany was going to find itself a dictator and that the next war would break out over a border dispute between Germany and Poland, precisely what happened in 1939.

If you want to win a war, read this book. If you want to learn how one war can be used to prevent the next war, read Chesterton, who bluntly wrote in 1917 that, "Peace without victory is war without excuse." Chesterton also gave some of the most telling arguments against pacifism ever put into print, noting that: "the real point against the cause of Pacifism is that it is not a cause at all, but only a weakening of all causes. It does not announce any aim; it only announces that it will never use certain means in pursuing any aim. It does not define its goal; it only defines a stopping-place, beyond which nobody must go in the search for any goal."

--Michael W. Perry, Editor of Chesterton on War and Peace: Battling the Ideas and Movements that Led to Nazism and World War II

Elegant in its simplicity, powerful and profound in its application -- this is a superb, practical primer on leadership.

This is the best book that I've ever read regarding military doctrine-- it elegantly sums up the most relevant points of Clausewitz and Boyd's OODA Loop to come to sound military principle in less than 100 pages. It also includes a number of references to the Eastern military philosophy (think Art of War and the Book of Five Rings, both required reading for the Japanese businessman) and ties them to our Western military philosophy quite elegantly.



If you aren't familiar with Clausewitz then I'd recommend picking up On Strategy by Summers; Warfighting will not give you all of the elements necessary to understand concepts like Friction.



This book travels with me wherever I go-- it is relevant to business and even personal development and is more than worth the price being charged for it.

This is the best book that I've ever read regarding military doctrine-- it elegantly sums up the most relevant points of Clausewitz and Boyd's OODA Loop to come to sound military principle in less than 100 pages. It also includes a number of references to the Eastern military philosophy (think Art of War and the Book of Five Rings, both required reading for the Japanese businessman) and ties them to our Western military philosophy quite elegantly.

If you aren't familiar with Clausewitz then I'd recommend picking up On Strategy by Summers; Warfighting will not give you all of the elements necessary to understand concepts like Friction.

This book travels with me wherever I go-- it is relevant to business and even personal development and is more than worth the price being charged for it.

Warfighting was written for the Marine unfamiliar with maneuver warfare to pick up, flip through, memorize the axioms, and apply in battle. As such, like most other field manuals issued to soldiers, it is a distillation of a large swath of ideas from Sun Tzu to Liddell-Hart. That said, it packs a good punch for such a small work. If, however, you're looking for a more detailed illustration of the principles outlined here, you might take a look at B.H. Liddell-Hart's "Strategy" as well as Thomas Cleary's translation of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War."

Additionally, those westerners who enjoy axioms focusing on the flux of life, war, or what have you might also like to take a look at Heraclitus' "Fragments." The basic tenets of Taoism that permeate Sun Tzu (and, by proxy, "Warfighting") can be equally well found in Heraclitus. His primary "thesis" if you will, "nothing is stationary, life is flux," is the axiom upon which maneuver warfare strategy is founded.

The US Marine Corp's version of Sun Tzu's Art of War. Concise and direct as would be expected from the Marines, yet with depth enough to make the points clear. A wonderful work for explaining how the Marines fight wars and a good resource for a competive advantage in any context. A handy resource for the military or military history enthusiast. A must read for every Marine. Insight for business leaders and more.

I liked this because it's direct(no psychological excuses for your inadequacy). It's short so there's no wading through opinion and hearsay. It's timeless because it's based on principle. It's applicable like Danforth's "I Dare You"(you have to think:"how does this apply to my life"). It's fully referenced so you can dig deeper.I catch myself going back and rereading it all the time(no you can't borrow mine).

Great book that takes elements of traditional knowledge about war making (Sun Tzu, Clausewitz, etc) and combines it with the know-how of war as gathered by the United States Marine Corps in the modern era.

Stacking this book up against the likes of Sun Tzu and Clausewitz, it is probably better than both when it comes to a straightforward, contemporary appreciation of the elements of war.

As other reviewers have observed, there is a tendency for people to get mired in the meaning of Sun Tzu and Clausewitz is probably too complex and heavy-going for most readers.

This book is short, to the point, but has great value. I also like the language and style of the book. Great stuff.

I'm a former Marine who studied FMFM-1 "Warfighting" back in the early 1990's during my service in the Infantry. It is one of the best books out there on strategy and is directly applicable to the business world.

One thing I'd like to point out is this book (like most non-confidential documents published by the US Govt) is freely available on the Internet. Search under FMFM-1 (the first edition) or MCDP-1 (the 1997 re-write) on Google for the PDFs. This printed version does have a small introduction by F. Lee Bailey and a few other famous people who are also Marines.

Also, unlike a previous reviewer, don't discount the philosophy of Sun Tzu. "Warfighting" is a derivative of Clausewitz and Tzu. By reading these older philosophies you will become a better strategic thinker -- in all ways of life, not just war or business.

Semper Fi.

I'm a former Marine who studied FMFM-1 "Warfighting" back in the early 1990's during my service in the Infantry. It is one of the best books out there on strategy and is directly applicable to the business world.

One thing I'd like to point out is this book (like most non-confidential documents published by the US Govt) is freely available on the Internet. Search under FMFM-1 (the first edition) or MCDP-1 (the 1997 re-write) on Google for the PDFs. This printed version does have a small introduction by F. Lee Bailey and a few other famous people who are also Marines.

Also, unlike a previous reviewer, don't discount the philosophy of Sun Tzu. "Warfighting" is a derivative of Clausewitz and Tzu. By reading these older philosophies you will become a better strategic thinker -- in all ways of life, not just war or business.

Semper Fi.

I don't know how many books there are on strategy, but there must be thousands. There are books that will tell you the latest fad in business strategy and strategic planning. There are textbooks on strategy written for students in graduate management programs.

There are innumerable memoirs, and books purporting to connect military strategy to business strategy. There are books about strategy that are actually historical studies of one kind or another. There are great philosophical tomes like Von Clausewitz's masterpiece On War. But there are very few books that are short, well written, and filled with enough wisdom that you keep going back to them. Two of those books are Sun Tzu's classic The Art of War and Warfighting: The U. S. Marine Corps Book of Strategy.

Both are very short. Both are packed with wisdom that you can apply in a variety of situations. Of the two, though, I'd pick Warfighting as the book you "must have" if you're going to make sense of strategy.

Warfighting is the contents of FMF-1, the manual of U. S. Marine Corps doctrine which is distributed to all Marine officers. Rumor has it that it was personally penned by General Al Gray, the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps and a significant figure in Marine Corps history.

Unlike most commandants since the early 20th Century, Gray enlisted in the Marines and rose to the rank of Sergeant before being commissioned in 1952. He was commandant from 1987 to 1991. The first thing he changed was how the commandant dressed.

Most commandants, before and since, wore the Marine dress uniform as their working attire. Gray wore utilities, the working attire of the vast majority of Marines. He drank from a canteen cup emblazoned with four stars.

He not only changed the way the commandant looked, he changed what was expected of Marines. He started by creating a required reading list for both commissioned and non-commissioned officers, the only such list in any of the services.

He made changes in Marine leadership training, increasing the emphasis on training in how to think, not what to do. And he created the doctrine of the Marines that you will read in this book. Whether he actually put down the words or not, this is his book and it's excellent.

Warfighting is extremely well written and develops in a logical progression, yet it's still a book that you can dip into for a nugget of wisdom here and there. You can also read it through in a single sitting.

Warfighting is a book that's easy to adapt, whether you're studying ancient military campaigns in a class in history or thinking about business strategy. It's also a book written by a modern Westerner and, therefore it has a more straightforward and less elliptical style than the Sun Tzu classic.

Both books are good. I have both. I use them with clients. I find that my clients spend time puzzling over Sun Tzu, trying to tease meaning from the translation of a text written in a different language, hundreds of years ago. When they read Warfighting, they spend their time adapting what they've read to their business situations.

The best recommendation I can give you on this book is to tell you that I usually have several copies around. I keep them to give to clients and friends because what they read in Warfighting helps them do a better job of creating strategies for their businesses.

Warfighting exemplifies in decisive, unambiguous terms for the U.S. Marines Corps a Philosophy of Combat, engineered to expedite the tactical, strategic and operational liquidation of the enemy (opposition) by means of a purposeful and well-orchestrated violence.

The triangulation of brevity, audacity and clarity captured in word is positively stunning!

*America would be wise to take counsel of history, and recognize that war/conflict becomes inevitable when civilized men forfeit vigilance, virtue and valor, in favor of consensus and security.

Warfighting offers the capstone examination of the American way in battle- of how free men structure themselves to achieve victory against the enemy. And unlike many military treatments, this manual offers a host of ancillary applications for life: anyone who is part of a team would benefit from Warfighting's maxims. The brief, yet penetrating historical analysis of the Grant v. Lee campaigns of the American Civil War justifies this book. The logical dissection of purpose, strategy, tactics and leadership make Warfighting what I consider to be an essential text in any thinking person's library.

The ideas in this manual represent not only guidance for military success, but for thinking and acting in general.

This is not a how to manual; it isn't even a doctrine guideline. Instead it is a philosophy book. This book lays out simple, fundamental and critical facts about any conflict situation. The value of flexibility, of planning, of taking advantage of opportunities and maintaining the initiative are layout in a quick and easy read.
These truths are valid for the warfighting philosophy of the Marine Corp just as they are for meetings, debates, or presentations or critical reviews. The value of acting on a good plan quickly instead of waiting for the perfect plan later rang especially true. How many times are businesses caught flatfooted by competitors not because they didn't see the trend coming but because they were frozen by indecision?
I highly recommend this book to anybody who is curious about attack, defense, feint, and parry in any situation. The best defense is said to be a good offense, but perhaps the best offense is simply understanding and acting according to the simple principles in Warfighting.

While speaking from a military perspective, this book is essentially a manual for victory in campaigns of all kinds, whether military, commercial, or political. The core philosophy of "ruthless opportunism" is supported through a diligent exposition of the nature, theory, training, and conduct of war. Gray's approach is unremittingly demanding in every dimension of human capacity, and nothing less could be the price of triumph.

Warfighting was written with the intent of informing Marine Officers about the Commandant's vision of what Marines should think about combat. This manual is about more than just conducting military operations; it sets forth the framework for success in all endeavors. Completely lacking in detail, this manual puts forth ideas that encourages the reader to fill in the details themselves. Whether you are fighting a war of mobility or planning an upgrade for your company's IT infrastructure, Warfighting suggests the mindset that you should have to create success. If you are looking for a step-by-step tutorial on success, please buy a book written by a consultant. Warfighting is meant for people who value adaptability, creativity, personal initiative, and the ability to improvise to overcome obstacles as they present themselves, not people who fear uncertainty.