'Strategy' has many modern definitions and uses, from national defence and foreign policy to the business world, but its ancient Greek origins (strategia) alludes to the art of the military leader, or general, in war. This course echoes this ancient and enduring conception to analyse the use of military power to achieve strategic objectives, with a focus on the links between political intent and military action. It explores the nature and character of war, the characteristics of land, sea and air power, and how they might be used to achieve policy ends. In doing so it will examine the pitfalls and risks of military endeavour, the possible benefits, and what military forces can and cannot do. It will also consider the relationship between strategy, operations and tactics, the challenge of political-military relationships, military command systems and how militaries plan operations. Of interest to those seeking better understanding of force as an implement of national policy, the course is particularly appropriate for students considering government service or other positions involving national and international security matters.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Identify the theoretical distinctions between the nature and character of war, and articulate the characteristics of land, sea and air power, with reference to selected military theories.
2. Articulate the relationship between strategy, operations and tactics.
3. Analyse the conduct of military operations and identify the role which command practice, command systems, logistics, technology, geography, the political-military interface, and inter-service and coalition relationships play in determining their outcome.
4. Conduct historical research and critically evaluate historical evidence.
5. Communicate clearly and persuasively on national and international security matters, in a variety of modes

Research-Led Teaching

The course content will reflect the convenor's extensive research and teaching background in the history of warfare in the ninetieth and twentieth centuries. This includes his work as a researcher and author for multi-volume Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations, which will provide a direct foundation for some of the teaching topics.

Field Trips

While no field trips are planned, a key activity is an operational planing day, which will take place on Saturday, 14 October 2023. This requires students to work in groups to prepare an outline plan for the conduct of a military operation. The activity is conducted on campus, though students who can only attend remotely due to COVID-related reasons will be accommodated. Attendance at this event is COMPULSORY and you should make your plans accordingly.

Additional Course Costs

Nil

Examination Material or equipment

Nil

Required Resources

Nil

Recommended Resources

All course readings provided via Wattle. Participants without a strong background in this topic may wish to purchase a general text such as Baylis, Wirtz and Gray, Strategy in the Contemporary World (ed 6) 2018.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Written comments
• Verbal comments
• Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	27 July - Course introduction and frames of reference
2	3 August - Land power and its application
3	10 August - Sea power and its application
4	17 August - Air power and its application
5	24 August - Civil-military relations and command
6	31 August - Occupations and unintended consequences
7	21 September - Case study 1: Suez Crisis, 1956
8	28 September - Case study 2: 1990s peacekeeping deployments, Haiti & Rwanda
9	5 October - Case study 3: the ADF & INTERFET, 1999
10	14 October - (Saturday 1000-1700) - Operational Planning exercise
11	14 October - (Saturday 1000-1700) - Operational Planning exercise
12	26 October - Conflict in the 21st Century

Tutorial Registration

Registration for tutorial groups will be via Wattle.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Reflection Journal, part 1	10 %	21/08/2023	30/08/2023	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Research essay	50 %	20/09/2023	11/10/2023	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Reflection Journal, part 2	10 %	05/10/2023	26/10/2023	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Operational Plan Outline	30 %	25/10/2023	15/11/2023	2, 3, 5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

There is no direct participation mark, but the reflection journals will be marked on the assumption that the tutorial discussions had contributed to them, hence enthusiastic participation is encouraged.

Examination(s)

There are no examinations for this course.

Assessment Task 1

Reflection Journal, part 1

Each of the teaching sessions will be centred on key themes of the course. In turn, for each session, except for the operational planning exercise, a series of questions will be posed. In the reflective journal, you are expected to provide write a brief reflection on the content of each week. The purpose of this journal is for you to engage with the core issues of the course by drawing upon a variety of resources in the sessions' readings, lectures and interaction with your classmates during group work.

For the Reflection Journal, part 1, you need to submit responses for teaching sessions 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The journal will be submitted via Wattle/Turnitin by 11:55 pm (2355 hours) on 21 August 2023. Each student will receive individual feedback via that medium.

Assessment Task 2

Research essay

Students are required to write a 3000 (+/- 10%) word research essay on a topic provided on the STST8052 Wattle site. The intent of this assessment is to have students delve deeper into the theories, issues, and case studies discussed in the classroom. Its aim is to illustrate the factors that determine the character of military operations and their outcomes, including the relevance and application of doctrine; selection and sequencing of objectives; and role of inter-service, multinational, and broader participation.

Students are reminded that this is an exercise in analysis, not description. The requirement is to examine, evaluate, and explain – to mount an argument and not simply describe.

The essay will be submitted via Wattle/Turnitin by 11:55 pm (2355 hours) on 20 September 2023. Each student will receive individual feedback via that medium.

Assessment Task 3

Reflection Journal, part 2

Each of the teaching sessions will be centred on key themes of the course. In turn, for each session, except for the operational planning exercise, a series of questions will be posed. In the reflective journal, you are expected to provide write a brief reflection on the content of each week. The purpose of this journal is for you to engage with the core issues of the course by drawing upon a variety of resources in the sessions' readings, lectures and interaction with your classmates during group work.

For the Reflection Journal, part 2 you need to submit responses for teaching sessions 5, 6, 7 and 8.

The journal will be submitted via Wattle/Turnitin by 11:55 pm (2355 hours) on 5 October 2023, and the grades and feedback released via that medium.

Assessment Task 4

Operational Plan Outline

Students will be required to submit a written version of the outline plan developed by their group during the operational planning exercise on 16 October. Students are expected to revise the plan to reflect the critique and questions arising from their group's brief but should not undertake a complete re-design. Students will be provided with the required format for the outline plan on the day of the exercise.

The plans will be submitted via Wattle/Turnitin by 11:55 pm (2355 hours) on 25 October 2023, and the grades and feedback released via that medium.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

No submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date will be permitted. If an assessment task is not submitted by the due date, a mark of 0 will be awarded. OR Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Student work will be returned via Wattle/Turnitin three weeks after the due date of the piece.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students