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"This book is the 1942 edition of a book originally published in 1936by the U.S. Naval War College"—T.p. verso.
| Introduction | ix |
| Sound Military Decision | 1 |
| Index | 227 |
November 30, 1941
SOUND MILITARY DECISION was first published at the Naval War Collegein 1936. It included the essential features of THE ESTIMATE OF THESITUATION which, since 1910, had been issued at intervals in a seriesof revised editions. The new material that was added in 1936 wasintended to assist in enlarging the viewpoint and in broadening thebasis of professional judgment.
Primarily intended for the purposes of the Naval War College, thiswork is the cumulative result of years of untiring and loyal effort onthe part of the College staff and student body. Equally important havebeen the advice and assistance contributed by other officers of wideprofessional experience and attainment.
The objective has been a brief but inclusive treatment of thefundamentals of the military profession, i.e., the profession of arms.The emphasis, naturally, is on the exercise of mental effort in thesolution of military problems, more especially in our Navy. Anenormous literature has been consulted, and research has included allavailable and pertinent military writings. Care has also been taken toinclude, from civil sources, the findings of those authoritative workswhich deal with related matters and with the applicable underlyingtruths.
In a work of this type and scope, it is manifestly not possible toillustrate the abstract text by historical examples and analogies.These are complementary features of the War College resident andcorrespondence c