WAR AND PEACE IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD 

Study Guide

Pedro Méndez de Vigo y Montojo

Cavalry Brigadier General

Salvador Sánchez Tapia

General de Brigada de Infantería

José Luis Calvo Albero
Infantry Brigadier General

Javier Rupérez

Spanish Ambassador in the United States (2000-2004)

 

T.1. INTRODUCTION TO THE SUBJECT. STRATEGIC PANORAMA 2020 

  • General introduction to the subjecti: academic program, type of class, requirementsand evaluation 
  • General vision of the world situation in 2020 from an international relations and security perspective 
  • Main strategic trends on the international scene, with particular emphasis on the EU and NATO

 

T.2. CONFLICT AND WAR

  • War as a human phenomenon
  • What is war? Causes, aims, nature and character
  • Relation between politics, war and strategy 
  • The elements of the national power: diplomatic, information, military and economic)

 

T.3. HISTORIC EVOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT 

  • Historic evolution of the war 
  • The war in the classic world
  • Mediaval war
  • War in the modern world 

MAXIMUM DATE TO OBTEIN THE OK FOR THE ASSIGMENT 

 

T.4. STRATEGIC THOUGHT

  • Tucídides
  • Sun-Tzu
  • Clausewitz
  • Liddell Hart

 

T.5. THE FRAMEWORK OF THE CONFLICT: LIMITING FACTORS. ETHIC IN THE WAR 

  • Limiting framework in the war: International Systema, interests, etc 
  • Fair war theory
  • Humanitarian International Law 
  • Ius post bellum
  • Responsability to Protect (R2P)

 

T.6. PUBLIC OPINION AND CONFLICTS. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MEDIA 

  • Origin and evolution of the war reporters 
  • The value of the image 
  • Influence in the war conflicts 
  • Strategic Communication 
  • The dilemma principles vs interests 

 

T.7. INTERNATIONAL SYSTEMA: THE DEFENSE OF EUROPE AND THE EUROPE OF THE DEFENSE 

  • Historical evolution of the European project from the end of the IIWW
  • The Common Policy of Security and Defense in the Lisbon Treaty 
  • Military capabilities
  • Civilian capabilities
  • The operations 
  • Challenges to be done

 

T.8. INTERNATIONAL SYSTEMA: THE ATLANTIC ALLIANCE

  • Origin: the global post-war
  • The Cold War 
  • The end the Wall and the new century 
  • The NATO after 11-S  
  • The operations "out of area" 
  • Current and future challenges

 

T.9. INTERNATIONAL SYSTEMA: UNITED STATES 

  • International and national framework that define the North American strategic vision
  • The North American systema in the definition of politics and security strategy 
  • Strategic priorities 
  • The question of American decline

 

T.10. THE SPANISH SECURITY STRATEGY 

  • Background 
  • Risk and threats
  • Líneas de acción estratégicas
  • A comprehensive safety model

 

T.11. PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE CONFLICT 

  • Hybrid war 
  • Terrorism
  • Cybersecurity
  • Tecnology and Conflict
  • Other threats to the international security

MAXIMUM DATE TO DELIVER THE ASSIGMENT 

 

T.12. CURRENT CONFLICTS: RUSIA AND CHINA + STUDENTS EXPOSITION (I) 

T.13. CURRENT CONFLICTS: MIDDLE EAST AND TERRORISM + STUDENTS EXPOSITION (II) 

T.14. STUDENTS EXPOSITION (III)