Strategy: Theorist, Philosopher, and Practitioners: Videos

Sun Tzu was a military genius, and his book The Art of War, written 2,400 years ago, is still the essential how-to guide for winning on the battlefield and, many argue, in business. This A&E Special tells the epic story of Sun Tzu as it illustrates a conflict in which his tactics posthumously saved a city from defeat and paved the way toward the unification of China. Examples of historic battles ranging from antiquity to the present day repeatedly demonstrate that in war, a commander who understands strategy is the most dangerous weapon of all. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (91 minutes)

This program provides a study of Julius Caesar—general, statesman, absolute ruler of Rome. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire. (45 minutes)

Few literary works have inspired as diverse and impassioned opinions as Machiavelli’s The Prince. While some have denounced it as epitomizing the immorality and cynicism of despotic political rulers, others have considered it a paragon of pragmatism and lucidity in political affairs—including Napoleon Bonaparte, who deemed The Prince the only book that deserved to be read. In this program, the treatise that gave birth to modern political theory is examined in depth, both from a historical perspective and in the context of Machiavelli’s own turbulent life. As a diplomat and city official, Machiavelli witnessed firsthand and was eventually caught up in the power struggles and intrigues of 16th-century Florence. From these observations and experiences, The Prince—acknowledged by many as Western history’s most important text on politics—was born.

t a time when revolutionary France was assailed from all sides, there emerged a young military officer whose genius and ambition assured him of great fame—and notoriety. In this program, Dr. David Chandler—world-renowned authority on the Emperor Napoleon and author of The Campaigns of Napoleon—provides full commentary on the strategies and tactics of the Napoleonic Wars.

The Big Picture: The Admiral Chester Nimitz Story (30:00)

This episode of the U.S. Army’s The Big Picture television series follows the life and career of Admiral Chester Nimitz, one of the greatest Navy commanders in U.S. history. Raised on the plains of Texas, Nimitz had never seen an ocean when he entered the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, at the beginning of the 20th century. Yet, 40 years later he rescued the Pacific from the tyranny of one of the mightiest fleets ever assembled through incredible and brilliant victories at Midway and the Coral Sea, at Okinawa, and the Philippines. Using rare, previously unseen film, this video from the National Archives and Records Administration takes the viewer from Nimitz’s early days at the Naval Academy and the Spanish-American War through World War II. Admiral Nimitz’s contributions to strategy and leadership and his personal courage ensure he will be admired by future generations of Navy servicemen and women.

This documentary from Biography reviews the career and personal life of controversial General George S. Patton. Patton graduated from West Point and placed fifth in the military pentathlon in the 1912 Olympics. By April 1941 he was commander of the Second Armored Division and in October 1942 he directed the amphibious landings near Casablanca and the ensuing campaign across North Africa. By July 1943 he commanded the U.S. Seventh Army in the Allied invasion of Sicily; he excelled militarily there with a bold campaign that beat the British into Palermo, but the notorious incident in which he verbally abused two ailing soldiers, one of whom he also slapped, nearly cost him his career. He was eventually assigned to lead the Third Army, which led the breakout from Normandy in July--September 1944; after diverting his forces to relieve the Americans trapped in the Battle of the Bulge, he crossed the Rhine in March 1945 and advanced through the heart of Germany into Czechoslovakia. A staunch