On June 12, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a historic summit held in Singapore. While the summit addressed a number of issues, its main focus was persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear program. For decades, North Korea has invested huge amounts in this program. The heavy investment has occurred despite pressure and economic sanctions from the US and other world powers. In defending its nuclear program, North Korea asserted that the program was vital for the stability and survival of its leadership. The arguments that North Korea presented underscore the issues that underlie military strategies. When nations develop their arsenal and invest in such deadly technologies as nuclear weapons, they seek to gain political advantage and defend their interests. The examples of the US, China and North Korea show that military expenditures are done in the pursuit of strategic advantages. Military science allows one to understand the motivations that push nations to develop such weapons as nuclear bombs.
Before discussing how military science enhances understanding of military maneuvers, it is important to explore the scope of this discipline. Essentially, military science is a field which examines the processes, behaviors and institutions whose operations determine how nations wage war. Individuals who undertake military science seek to understand the interactions among different forces and the impacts that these forces have on armed warfare and the use of coercive force. With the aid of literature, the discussion below investigates how military science allows individuals to recognize the motivations that prompt nations to invest in advanced weapons programs.
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As noted above, military science highlights the forces that inspire nations to invest in weapons programs. For one to understand the purpose that investment in sophisticated weaponry serves, they simply need to trace the development of the US atomic and nuclear weapons program. In his article, Lavoy (2003) traces the evolution that these programs have undergone. He notes that initially, the US was secretive in the development of the programs. It feared that other nations would invest in similar programs thereby posing threats to its security and dominance. The secrecy with which the US treated its programs shows that as nations build their military strategies, their main objective is to outperform other countries. By concealing its nuclear and atomic programs, the US was evidently striving to get ahead of other military powers. How the US developed its nuclear program underscores the role that military science plays in highlighting the factors that shape military strategies.
For years, the US has led the world in promoting peace and discouraging the development of nuclear weapons. A critical analysis of American efforts through the lens of military science reveals that these efforts have been driven by selfish American interests. Lavoy notes that in collaboration with its partners, the US urged the world to ratify the Nuclear Nonproliferation treaty (Lavoy, 2003). Furthermore, the US encouraged such nations as India and Pakistan to develop atomic energy instead of nuclear weapons. The motives of the US are evident; it sought to limit the number of countries with nuclear weapons. Thanks to military science, one can conclude that the US-led nuclear nonproliferation campaign was aimed at securing American interests.
Lavoy is not the only scholar whose works highlight the impact that military science has on understanding of the military strategies that different countries have adopted. Peng and Yao (2005) are other scholars who have examined military strategies. Their article gives particular focus to China’s objectives and programs. Peng and Yao describe how Chinese authorities have developed the country’s naval power (Peng & Yao, 2005). In an effort to gain dominance in the sea, China continues to invest huge amounts. Furthermore, China has modernized its military strategies and programs. The country’s new direction is a sharp departure from the rather timid policies that it pursued in past years. Peng and Yao make it clear that China’s military programs are designed to serve strategic purposes. The progress that China has made is clear evidence that the need to gain strategic advantages on the global geopolitical stage is the main force that inspires nations to modernize and invest in military programs. This understanding is gained through an examination of military strategies through the perspective of military science. Peng and Yao are joined by Fravel and Medeiros (2010) whose article also addresses the evolution of China’s military strategy. This duo describes how China has developed its nuclear program in response to the numerous security and political threats that it faces. Thanks to its investment in this program, China has joined the small list of nations with nuclear capabilities. It is clear that China’s program has allowed it to have significant influence on the global stage. By viewing China’s nuclear program and overall military strategy through the lens of military science, it can be concluded that the acquisition of political advantages is the main motivation that drives weapons programs and military strategies.
In the introduction, reference was made to North Korea’s nuclear program. This program is the subject of the article that Bermudez (2015) authored. Through this article, Bermudez tracks the transformation that North Korea’s program has undergone. Initially, the authorities in this country pursued nuclear programs for defensive purposes. It was believed that with a well-developed nuclear program, North Korea would be safe from foreign aggression. In later years, the North Korean leadership recognized that nuclear programs could be exploited for political advantages (Bermudez, 2015). As one reads Bermudez’s article, they are able to appreciate the complexities surrounding nuclear weapons. Moreover, this article demonstrates the relevance of military science to current political issues that the world faces. By applying military science, the numerous forces that drive global military operations are revealed.
The application of coercive force is among the many issues that military science addresses. This discipline explores the objectives that nations pursue when they deploy coercive force. The US is among the nations whose histories are littered with many instances where coercive force was used. The Vietnam War and the War on Terror are among the military campaigns that the US has conducted. When consulted, many people feel that these campaigns have been catastrophic failures. Military science recognizes the fluidity of military strategies. When governments witness that their military strategies are ineffective, they usually change them. As Romaniuk (2015) notes, under the Obama administration, the US rolled back its military operations abroad. The change in strategy shows that military science helps to explain the strategies that underlie the decisions that nations make as regard their military strategies. Overall, military science is an extensive discipline whose application enhances understanding of the decisions, processes and institutions which drive military operations.
In conclusion, military science is among the fields whose significance cannot go unnoticed. This field is concerned with understanding how nations develop their military strategies. When the insights from this field are applied to military strategies, it enables one to understand the complexities of warfare. North Korea, the US and China are among the countries which have invested heavily in their weapons programs. While these programs deliver numerous gains, their primary goal is to protect the interests of the individual countries. Furthermore, the weapons programs enable the countries to demonstrate dominance and influence on the global stage.
References
Bermudez JR., J. S., (2015). North Korea’s Development of a Nuclear Weapons Strategy . US-Korea Institute at SAIS. Retrieved June 10, 2018, from https://www.38north.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/NKNF_Nuclear-Weapons-Strategy_Bermudez.pdf
Fravel, T, & Medeiros, E., (2010). China’s Search for Assured Retaliation: The Evolution of Chinese Nuclear Strategy and Force Structure. International Security , Vol. 35, No. 2 pp. 48–87.
Lavoy, P. R. (2003). The enduring effects of atoms for peace. Arms Control Today , 33 (10), 26.
Peng, G., & Yao, Y. (Eds.). (2005). The science of military strategy . Military Science Publishing House.
Romaniuk, S, N., (2015). US Military Doctrine: Strategy, Tactics, and the Operational Art. Technical Report .
