every quantitative measure is actually a stack of qualitative assumptions in a trenchcoat
12.03.2026 12:13
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every quantitative measure is actually a stack of qualitative assumptions in a trenchcoat
Can’t help rhetorically asking if these were “known unknown” projectiles or “unknown unknown” projectiles.
IYKYK…
David Farragut as a rear admiral, photographed about 1863, before successfully taking most of his ships through the minefield that guarded Mobile, Alabama.
Indeed. Unless, of course, your name is David “Leroy Jenkins” Farragut.
There’s a great authoritative study out there on the Japanese use of small suicide boats (think Kamikaze on the water) during the Okinawa campaign.
Even with total “sea control” a few motivated individuals in small boats can make a mess of things.
New episode just posted (featuring @honer.bsky.social):
MCUP read my mind, restocking “Snowmobiles and Grand Ideals” just as my first box ran out! It’s the definitive John Boyd—600 pages of him in his own words that you won’t find anywhere else.
Download for free here: www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/...
Order here: forms.office.com/Pages/Respon...
This is wise.
Screen shot of CNBC story headlined, “Trump says no deal with Iran to end war without ‘unconditional surrender'” published 6 March 2026 by Dan Mangan.
In my research on Admiral King and his influence on JCS decision making in WWII, one thing that leapt out was his regret of a public announcement of unconditional surrender because of how it constrained the Allied approach to war termination.
One can only wonder that he would think of this.
My latest at The Atlantic on why the US using up so much of its missile inventory on a war we didn't need is going to have downstream consequences. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
The launch event chaired by @dmorganowen.bsky.social hosted at St. Andrews University, will feature presentations from contributors and @draefox.bsky.social for the book Framing the First World War: How Divergent Views Shaped a Global Conflict.
#firstworldwar #WWI #militaryhistory #upkansas
War is a continuation of betting-market price discovery by other means.
Unsolicited writing advice, no. 181015:
If you're feeling creatively exhausted, then fill your tank with creative things. Read books. Watch films. See plays. Listen to music. Look at art. Remind yourself what creativity means to you.
A picture of the book “Wielding the Trident: Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Americas’s Victory in the Pacific” by Andrew K. Blackley.
Was nice to come home to this the other day. #NavalHistory
Not even close...
Enjoyed that one.
The “Games of War” hybrid conference at the University of Gdansk is approaching on 24 Feb. I’m honored to be talking about how military educational #wargames can incorporate lessons from Russia’s invasion of #Ukraine. Info and registration here:
gamesofwar.ug.edu.pl
Not yet. That should be coming later this year. I’m hoping it is in print next spring.
Thank you! I believe it was recorded.
I examine command and leadership opportunities he had throughout his career. I do not believe it is possible to appreciate King’s approach to WWII without those earlier experiences, especially his time on the Atlantic Fleet staff in WWI.
I'm going to follow the line of argument in my forthcoming book on Admiral Ernest J. King and examine the ASW challenge from two primary lenses: 1) organizational and 2) tactical and doctrinal.
Title slide for the presentation. Title is "Tenth Fleet and the Transformation of ASW." The subtitle is "Trent Hone | WNHA Symposium | February 2026." The main image shows the aft deck of a US Navy destroyer. Crew members are standing between depth charge racks, watching the explosion of a depth charge in the near distance. A convoy of ships proceeds in the far distance.
Excited to be sharing thoughts about the Tenth Fleet and the development of ASW in the US Navy in World War II at the WNHA Symposium aboard USS Midway this morning.
Day 2 of the Western #Naval #History Symposium. This line up is superb 🙌
A few thoughts on possible US-Iran conflict (1/11):
Whichever one you can get your hands on in time.
Covfefe.
Right! And reviewing their writing, thinking, and negotiations is fascinating. They understand how to bridge the divide between policy and military operations without intruding on the authority of their civilian leadership.
Writing is thinking.
It's not some marginal boring task you can skip. It's the heart of it.
Wold War Two poster with the text, “United we are strong. United we will win.” The image is of a series of cannon barrels firing. Each barrel displays the flag of a different nation: U.S., Great Britain, Soviet Union, Nationalist China, Australia, Norway, Brazil, Mexico, etc.
Multicultural economic zone war poster
