Jörg Mutt: Military Education and Command Culture

While there are many factors that determine the outcome of wars between nations, the most important is the command capability of the officer corps—that is, how officers command their units. This is because a unit's combat capability depends on an officer's perception and practice of command, including their definition of command, command methods, and crisis management strategies. Furthermore, outstanding officers are forged through a nation's military education system. This book compares the command cultures and the underlying officer education systems demonstrated by the armed forces of the United States and Germany—considered the world's strongest militaries from 1901 to 1940—during the two World Wars. The author investigates and analyzes various reference materials from both countries to reveal a surprising fact: the military of the United States, a democratic society, was highly rigid, whereas the military of Germany, a strict society, actually emphasized free and creative thinking. This cultural difference stemmed precisely from the differences in officer education methods. The author vividly describes this point through concrete examples and abundant photographic materials. As proof of the value of its content, this book has been selected as must-read by a U.S. Marine Corps General, the Director of the Army Mobility Center, the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, and the Chief of Staff of the Australian Army, and it won the “Outstanding Writing Award” from the U.S. Army Historical Foundation in 2012. Korea established the Korea Military Academy and the Army College using the U.S. Military Academy and the Command and Staff College as role models. Although this book covers history from decades ago, it raises important implications and questions for Korea’s current officer education system and command culture. It asks: which direction are we truly heading now?

Korean title: 군사교육과 지휘문화

Korean author: 외르크 무트

Korean publisher: 일조각

ISBN-13: 9788933707920