Conventional Deterrence

"Conventional Deterrence" is a scholarly book by John J. Mearsheimer that explores the origins of wars and the strategic decisions of nations regarding conventional warfare. Mearsheimer analyzes various crises that led to significant conventional wars and examines why deterrence failed in these cases. The author particularly highlights the decision-making of the Allies and Germany during the years 1939-1940, as well as the strategic doctrines of Israel and Egypt prior to the major conflicts in the Middle East. Additionally, the relative strengths and weaknesses of NATO and the Warsaw Pact concerning future crises are considered. Mearsheimer also addresses technical aspects such as the impact of precision-guided munitions on conventional deterrence and discusses the debate over maneuver warfare versus attrition warfare. The book provides an in-depth analysis of military strategies and tactics and questions common assumptions about the numerical superiority of armed forces and the role of offensive weapons in deterrence.