KKMA (Esendorf Zitadelle) Introductory and Preparatory Reading List

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MichaeldeAppinfeldt
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KKMA (Esendorf Zitadelle) Introductory and Preparatory Reading List

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Prior to the Inaugural Commencement Address to inaugurate the Kaiserliche und Königliche Militärakademie, prospective Officer-Cadets are encouraged to read as much of the following material as possible prior to the First Muster. Note that only the items in Section 1 are testable as of 2.1.2018, as they are freely available online.

The succeeding sections are organized according to two criteria: a) their relevance to the core learning precepts of the KKMA, and b) their overall quality. Sections 2, 3 and 4 are not currently testable as, due to the KKMA's current situation, the texts listed cannot be provided to Officer-Cadets free of charge. However, Officer-Cadets are strongly encouraged to try their best to purchase these works, as they are the foundational cores of effective military concepts and doctrines.


HRH Michael I, KS
Duke of Appinfeldt, Count of Breisgau, Duke of Solisia
Aide-de-Camp of His Imperial and Royal Majesty
Chief of the Imperial General Staff
Minister of War

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Section 1 (Testable) -- The works in Section 1 will be considered testable as part of the Introductory Examinations following the Academy's First Muster, due to their freely-available status online.


The Art of War, by Sun Tzu -- Perhaps the most fundamental text on the art of war ever written, the basic work of Master Sun remains as relevant today, as it was 2,500 years ago.

A Message To Garcia (1899) -- Written by a businessman with no military experience, "Message" has become a touchstone in outlining the qualities a person should display, both as a leader, and as a subordinate.

The Defense of Duffer's Drift -- At the time of the Second Boer War (1899-1902), British forces had not been involved in major fighting against equivalent opponents since the Crimean War (1853-1856). As a result, many younger officers lacked realistic training in how to operate against an enemy that thought as they did. "Duffer's Drift", written under the pseudonym "Leftenant Backsight Forethought", sought to impart basic critical thinking skills to the inexperienced officer via a unique mechanism: a series of recurring dreams (or nightmares), where the young officer begins by making foolish, lazy-minded decisions - usually resulting in complete disaster - until by the final dream, he wins through, and succeeds in his mission.

The Defense of Jisr al-Doreaa -- A clever re-use of the "Duffer's Drift" format, this tale is set at the height of the US occupation of Iraq, 2004-2007.

Guerrilla War At Sea -- A look at a nearly unique situation: the naval operations of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, before that group's destruction in 2009.

The US Army Aggressor Force, 1946-1978 -- In 1946, recognizing that their pre-World War 2 training programs were hopelessly - even laughably - inadequate, the U.S. Army created what is arguably the first fully-detailed micronation: AGGRESSOR

Overview of the Economic Forces in the Pacific War -- Authored by naval historian Jonathan Parshall, this paper looks at the staggering disparity in the economic forces at play in World War 2, focusing primarily on the juxtaposition between the United States and Japan.

Invasion: Pearl Harbor! -- Parshall examines one of the enduring introductory myths of operational strategy: whether Imperial Japan was capable - at any time - of invading Hawaii.

Oil and Japanese Strategy in the Solomons: A Postulate -- Parshall's paper examines the role of oil in Pacific operations during World War 2.

The Turning Point of the Pacific War: Two Views -- Two "Combined Fleet" contributors, Scott Fisher and Nathan Forney, present their views on the turning points of the war in the Pacific.

A Soviet Paramilitary Attack On The U.S. And NATO Nuclear Forces (1974) -- And intriguing look at the potential of what the 21st Century would term "asymmetric warfare".

Cuban Missile Crisis Order of Battle -- This overview provides a good view of a "functionaing" Order of Battle (OOB) organized at short notice for a crisis.

The China-India Border War, 1962 -- Written in 1984, this paper presents an overview of a little-known conflict, fought primarily in the Himalaya mountain range.

A Brief Discussion On Psychological Operations -- An in-depth look at one of the most vital components of military operations at any time.

Battle Leadership, The Lectures of Adolf von Schell, Captain, Staff Corps, German Army, delivered in 1930-1931, during the period of his attendance at the US Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia, United States. Captain von Schell began World War 1 serving in the Westphalian VII Corps in Belgium, and spent the second half of the war fighting Bolsheviks in the East. This text would be highly recommended in any case -- that it is freely available for download makes it even better.

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Section 2 (Currently Non-Testable) -- These works are slated for official inclusion in the KKMA curriculum, as soon as a method can be found to provide them to Officer-Cadets at no cost. Note that many of these works are available on epub platforms such as Kindle at a lower cost.


Roots of Strategy, v.1, Roots of Strategy, v.2, Roots of Strategy, v.3, and Roots of Strategy, v.4 -- Compiling fifteen core texts on fundamental military thought, this four volume set will form the basis for the KKMA's curriculum as it is, indeed, virtually an entire military academy by itself. (NB: A version of Sun Tzu's "Art of War" is included in Volume 1.)

Lifeblood of war -- Written by Major General and Visiting Professor Julian Thompson, CB, OBE, Royal Marines (Retired), this is the fundamental introduction to the world of Military Logistics, the "fourth leg" of military forces, without which, nothing a military force does can function. This work cannot be recommended highly enough.

Shooting Blanks, and How To Make War -- Written by strategic analyst James F. Dunnigan, these books are meticulously researched examinations on not simply how modern armies function, but on the traps and failings that they can sometimes fall into.

Infantry Attacks -- Written by legendary German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, this is one of the basic texts on small-unit tactics in modern warfare.

Panzer Leader -- Written after World War 2 by General Heinz Guderian, this memoir outlines the development and use of German armored warfare doctrine.

Platoon Commander, and Company Commander -- These two works, by James R. McDonough and Charles B. Macdonald, respectively, offer detailed personal memoirs of officers in command of infantry troops in combat, both in Vietnam (McDonough) and World War 2 (MacDonald). Strongly recommended.

Fiasco, and The Gamble -- Written by veteran Wall Street Journal reporter Thomas Ricks, these two books chronicle the disastrous US occupation of Iraq, 2003-2008, and how it was barely saved at the 11th Hour by General David Petraeus.

The Generals -- Thomas Ricks returns, with a compelling - and chilling - study of the characteristics of US generalship, from 1941 to 2008.

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Section 3 (Non-Testable) -- The works of Section 3 are not required reading. They are presented as interesting concepts, but are not considered "doctrinal" in any way. Five-hundred+ word papers written on these works may be accepted as extra credit items in the future; as such, additional works may be added from time to time.


The Mercenaries -- This is an introductory history on mercenaries in war, a phenomenon of warfare for at least six thousand years. The work is most notable, however, for its fair and even treatment of the subject of modern mercenary operations in Africa in the 1960's.

Dirty Little Secrets -- Another entry from James F. Dunnigan, this work offers a number of little-known facts about military life and operations, both minute and large-scale. No classified information is contained in this work.

The Battle of Hunger Hill -- Written by Lieutenant Colonel Daniel P. Bolger, US Army (Retire), this work details the operations of his parachute infantry battalion during a rotation to the US Army's "Low Intensity Conflict" training center at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Of interest primarily because portions of this work were used in constructing the Imperial Rules of Engagement (to be included with every Student Leadership Development Manual issued to Officer-Cadets).

Blackhawk Down -- A cautionary tale of the effect of arrogance on highly trained, magnificently equipped troops, and the disastous consequences that can result.

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Section 4 (Non-Testable) -- The works of section 4 are presented as simply as "light reading, of a military nature." None of these works are testable, and are not expected to be admissible as extra credit.


The Prince -- A true work of speculative fiction (specifically, military science fiction), emulated by many, The Prince is a 1100+ page compilation of Dr. Jerry Pournelle's "Future History" series of novels, written as the "prequel/backstory" to that masterpiece of science fiction, The Mote In God's Eye, which Dr. Pournelle co-authored with long-time writing partner Larry Niven. One of the best renditions of military psychology in print.

Hammer's Slammers -- This series, authored by David Drake, offer additional insights into military psychology. Both are strongly recommended, behind only The Prince.

The Brotherhood of War and The Corps -- Author W.E.B. Griffin covers, in the space of nineteen novels, a period of time from 1941 to 1973. This series, although heavily fictionalized, presents a good "feel" for life in the US Army and Marine Corps across three wars, and numerous peacetime operations. It depicts the kinds of political wrangling and backstabbing that even good militaries can fall prey to, especially in the afterglow of a victorious war.

Fields of Fire -- One of the most searing memoirs of war, told as fiction, this is the story of infantry platoon combat and command in the worst of the Vietnam war. Author James Webb served a US Marine infantry platoon commander in the storied 5th Marine Regiment in Vietnam, and would later become Secretary of the US Navy, and a Senator for the State of Virginia.

The Defense of Hill 781 -- A less-than-successful attempt at the Duffer'S Drift style, this work approaches the subject of armored warfare in the desert, using a paratroop infantry officer as the "student". It is...a good attempt.

Coup D'Etat: A Practical Manual -- An interesting study of the practical "how to's" of staging a military coup d'etat, of a type very familiar in Africa and South and Central America, set in the fictional state of Gondwanaland.

Perfect Soldier -- Another work of James F. Dunnigan, this book landed in Section 4 because it is surprisingly basic, as well as spotty in places in its treatment of the history and development of special forces operations, selection and tactics. Still of moderate interest.

Fighting Skills of the SAS -- A book that relies more on flash than substance - as is painfully common with so many other works - this is one of the few books of its kind intended for a civilian audience that actually has a good deal of useful information.
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His Majesty, Michael I, the King of Burgundaria
Grand Duke of Nordinsel, Prince of Scotia and Duke of Appinfeldt
Count of Breisgau, Duke of Solisia
OftE | RKSS | KofOMS | KoStG | IOL - 1st
Field Marshal of the Karno-Ruthenian Army
Aide-de-Camp of His Imperial and Royal Majesty
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General Reference Site

Post by MichaeldeAppinfeldt »

I am recommending -- in the strongest possible way -- that anyone serious about practical military studies should spend as much time as they can devote to reading through this website:
This website is run by retired USMC Colonel Brendan McBreen. Colonel McBreen was the longtime S-3 (Operations and Training) officer for the 2nd of the 5th, one of the United States Marine Corps' most storied units. This office cannot possibly recommend this site, as well as the video below, more highly......
Image
His Majesty, Michael I, the King of Burgundaria
Grand Duke of Nordinsel, Prince of Scotia and Duke of Appinfeldt
Count of Breisgau, Duke of Solisia
OftE | RKSS | KofOMS | KoStG | IOL - 1st
Field Marshal of the Karno-Ruthenian Army
Aide-de-Camp of His Imperial and Royal Majesty
Commander of the Imperial & Royal Leibgarde
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