Over the past three weeks, the participating naval personnel on the 18th General/Admiral Staff Service National (LGAN) course have been able to experience in theory and practice that history can not only be an interpreted past, but also a basis for the future. As part of the "Thucydides" seminar at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College, they focussed intensively on understanding and developing strategy. The participants were accompanied by the President of the German Maritime Institute (DMI), Rear Admiral (ret.) Karsten Schneider, who provided active support as a "senior mentor".
Maritime strategy - what are Russia and China doing?
Starting with important naval strategists such as Mahan and Corbett, but also less well-known ones such as Wolfgang Wegener and his son Edward, both high-ranking admirals in German navies at different times, strategic principles were taught. These in turn were subsequently applied to the actors Russia and China in order to understand their strategic thinking. It was possible to identify fundamental similarities between the supposedly "old" naval strategies and the current actions of these same players in the world's sea areas and coastal regions.
Own strategy options vis-à-vis China
The highlight of the seminar was a one-week phase of developing a recommendation for action in relation to the global power China. Based on China's strategic thinking, the participants developed options for both fundamental and maritime dealings with the Middle Kingdom. The outcome of the three-week seminar was clear: the time to act is now! Waiting and watching should not be a strategy for behaviour towards China.
Great Power Competition and Indo-Pacific
The conclusion of the "Thucydides" seminar was also the beginning of the LGAN 2021, as the members of all branches of the armed forces will deal in detail with the topic of "Great Power Competition and the Indo-Pacific - possibilities and limits for tasks and contributions of German armed forces" in the study phase accompanying the course.
Author: Benjamin Bachmann
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German
One Response
It was not only a pleasure to develop strategies with this great group, but I also learnt a lot of new things. Thanks to the Naval Faculty at FüAkBw for the excellent preparation and the great speakers!