Published December 16, 2025
Tactical victories on the battlefield may signal progress, but history shows they rarely deliver lasting strategic success on their own. Even with unmatched military power, the United States has struggled to convert battlefield dominance into durable outcomes when wars are pursued with limited aims, unclear objectives, or excessive restraint.
Experience from World War II through Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan demonstrates that decisive victory requires clearly defined objectives, overwhelming force, and the resolve to impose enforceable terms of peace. When those elements are absent, conflicts persist, adversaries adapt, and the human, financial, and strategic costs continue to mount.
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The opinions expressed in this video are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hoover Institution or Stanford University.
© 2025 by the Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University.
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