Have you ever wanted to know more about how the theory of strategy developed over time?   In this monograph, via the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, Dr. Tami Davis Biddle examines why it is so difficult to devise, implement, and sustain sound strategies and grand strategies. Her analysis begins with an examination of the meaning of the term 'strategy' and a history of the ways that political actors have sought to employ strategies and grand strategies to achieve their desired political aims over the years (pp. 19-37).

She examines the reasons why the logic undergirding strategy is often lacking and why challenges of implementation (including bureaucratic politics, unforeseen events, civil-military tensions, and domestic pressures) complicate and undermine desired outcomes. This monograph, built on a broad base of literature (historical and modern; academic and policy-oriented), will serve as a valuable guide to those seeking to further their knowledge in this vital area of professional military education.