Thomas Hammes
Encyclopedia
Colonel
Thomas X. Hammes is a retired U.S. Marine
officer who is considered a specialist in counter-insurgency warfare.
Hammes' first paper on fourth generation warfare
appeared in the Marine Corps Gazette
in 1989; he developed a book-length treatment while a senior Marine fellow in the Institute for National Security Studies at the National Defense University
. In this work, The Sling and The Stone: On War in the 21st Century, he openly criticized The Pentagon
and the Joint Chiefs of Staff
. Both Hammes and William Lind make use of the term "fourth generation warfare", however Hammes considers it more of a "framework for study" rather than a revolutionary concept. Hammes traces the origins of fourth generation warfare to Mao Zedong
.
In September 2006 Hammes was one of the retired U.S. military officers who, along with Generals John Batiste
and Paul Eaton
, called for Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
to resign. They appeared in front of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee to testify, the first prominent U.S. military officials to publicly criticize Rumsfeld. As a result of their remarks they became widely known, with appearances on national news shows such as on CNN
and NPR
.
Hammes also appeared on the PBS
documentary series Frontline where he criticized the use of private contractors in Iraq.
Hammes has also published two articles on strategy in the magazine Infinity Journal, both articles being quoted in, among others, the Marine Corps Gazette
and the Huffington Post. The first article, published in November 2010, is "Assumptions - A Fatal Oversight", and the second, published in June 2011, is "Limited means strategy: What to do when the cupboard is bare."
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Thomas X. Hammes is a retired U.S. Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
officer who is considered a specialist in counter-insurgency warfare.
Hammes' first paper on fourth generation warfare
Fourth generation warfare
Fourth generation warfare is conflict characterized by a blurring of the lines between war and politics, soldier and civilian.The term was first used in 1989 by a team of United States analysts, including William S. Lind, to describe warfare's return to a decentralized form...
appeared in the Marine Corps Gazette
Marine Corps Gazette
Marine Corps Gazette is a professional journal for U.S. Marines founded in 1916 at Marine Corps Base Quantico for members of the United States Marine Corps. Begun by then Col John A. Lejeune as the vehicle to launch the Marine Corps Association , the journal is known as "The Professional Journal...
in 1989; he developed a book-length treatment while a senior Marine fellow in the Institute for National Security Studies at the National Defense University
National Defense University
The National Defense University is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security strategy. It is chartered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Navy Vice Admiral...
. In this work, The Sling and The Stone: On War in the 21st Century, he openly criticized The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
and the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
. Both Hammes and William Lind make use of the term "fourth generation warfare", however Hammes considers it more of a "framework for study" rather than a revolutionary concept. Hammes traces the origins of fourth generation warfare to Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
.
In September 2006 Hammes was one of the retired U.S. military officers who, along with Generals John Batiste
John Batiste
Major General John Batiste is a retired officer of the United States Army.John Batiste was commissioned as an infantry officer from West Point and served in five US Army heavy divisions over the next 31 years...
and Paul Eaton
Paul Eaton
Major General Paul D. Eaton is a retired United States Army General most known for his command of operations to train Iraqi troops in George W. Bush's invasion of that country...
, called for Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
to resign. They appeared in front of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee to testify, the first prominent U.S. military officials to publicly criticize Rumsfeld. As a result of their remarks they became widely known, with appearances on national news shows such as on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
.
Hammes also appeared on the PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
documentary series Frontline where he criticized the use of private contractors in Iraq.
Hammes has also published two articles on strategy in the magazine Infinity Journal, both articles being quoted in, among others, the Marine Corps Gazette
Marine Corps Gazette
Marine Corps Gazette is a professional journal for U.S. Marines founded in 1916 at Marine Corps Base Quantico for members of the United States Marine Corps. Begun by then Col John A. Lejeune as the vehicle to launch the Marine Corps Association , the journal is known as "The Professional Journal...
and the Huffington Post. The first article, published in November 2010, is "Assumptions - A Fatal Oversight", and the second, published in June 2011, is "Limited means strategy: What to do when the cupboard is bare."
External links
- Video: "Patriots for Profit: The Rise of the Corporate Warrior" Discussion by Hammes at Hammer MuseumHammer MuseumThe Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Culture Center, or the Hammer Museum as it is more commonly known, is an art museum in the Westwood district of Los Angeles, California...
, Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
January 12, 2010 - Insurgency Modern Warfare evolves into a fourth Generation
- The Evolution of War: The Fourth Generation Marine Corps Gazette
- Interview at the Pritzker Military LibraryPritzker Military LibraryThe Pritzker Military Library is a research library for the study of military history in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded in 2003 by COL James N. Pritzker, IL ARNG to be a non-partisan institution for the study of "the citizen soldier as an essential element for the preservation of...
- Assumptions - A Fatal Oversight
- Limited means strategy: What to do when the cupboard is bare