The Australian Army Study Paper #306 The Tyranny Of Dissonance: Australia's Strategic Culture and Way of War 1901-2005 (2005) By Michael Evans
 
This monograph examines Australia's strategic culture and way of war over the course of a century. It seeks to analyse the relationship between ideas and practice and between geography and history in the evolution of Australian strategic behaviour. The study argues that, since Federation in 1901, there has been, and continues to be, a ‘tyranny of dissonance' between Australian strategic theory and its warfighting practice. While peacetime Australian strategic theory has frequently upheld the defence of geography as a foundation stone of defence policy, strategic activity in wartime and security crisis has usually been undertaken to uphold Australia's liberal democratic values and vital political interests. The monograph goes on to explore this paradox through examining the linkages between Australia's political culture, strategic culture and approach to warfighting.
 
The study argues that, while Australia's political culture and warfighting practice are distinguished by pragmatism, the country's strategic culture has often been overly theoretical and, as a result, has seldom provided a sound guide to military practice in times of war and crisis. Important influences on Australia's strategic culture and approach to war such as the country's liminal geopolitical status, its continental rather than maritime identity, links between foreign policy and defence, and the impact of the ANZAC tradition are analysed in an attempt to illuminate the problem of dissonance.
 
Soft Cover
124 pages
In Good condition