Book Review — Purpose and Power: U.S. Grand Strategy from the Revolutionary Era to the Present

In his latest work, Donald Stoker tackles a question many in the fields of military strategy and international relations may be asking themselves: What is the United States’ grand strategy? Purpose and Power: U.S. Grand Strategy from the Revolutionary Era to the Present provides both students and practitioners in these fields a historical roadmap to the maze that is U.S. grand strategy.  From its founding in 1776 to the reemergence of great power competition with Russia and China, Stoker provides a comprehensive analysis of U.S. grand strategy. For Stoker, “grand strategy is the coordinated use of the various elements of national power.” While this interpretation may be reminiscent of many contemporary interpretations of the topic, what sets Purpose and Power apart is Stoker’s insistence on clearly defined political aims as the starting point for crafting a nation’s grand strategy. As Stoker states on page one of Purpose and Power, to use power without a political aim “is to flail, to expand at times both blood and treasure for no clear purpose.” For over 700 pages, Stoker meticulously chronicles successive U.S. presidential administrations, first defining their political aims and then analyzing their employment of the realms of national power (diplomatic, informational, military, and economic) to support American interests. At the start of a new administration, Stoker has provided scholars and security policy professionals with a valuable framework to evaluate the actions of the United States, her allies, and even her enemies. 

Donald Stoker serves as the Professor of National Security and Resource Strategy at the National Defense University’s Dwight D. Eisenhower School in Washington, D.C. Throughout his prolific career, Stoker has published over 70 books and articles on strategy, the military, and foreign affairs, garnering prestigious recognitions such as the Fletcher Pratt Award and earning a place on the Army Chief of Staff and British Army’s professional reading lists. A former adjunct professor with Georgetown’s Security Studies Program, Stoker has educated students on strategic thinking and critical analysis since 1999. His latest work (Purpose and Power), published in early 2024 by Cambridge University Press, provides an over 700-page comprehensive analysis of U.S. political aims and grand strategy. With his celebrated career as a historian and scholar of grand strategy, Stoker is an ideal guide through the lengthy history of U.S. grand strategy.

Throughout “Purpose and Power,” Stoker unravels the complex and dynamic nature of U.S. grand strategy by addressing two foundational questions: What are the political aims we hope to achieve, and how can the United States utilize its power and resources to achieve these objectives? A noted scholar on the life and teachings of Clausewitz, Stoker’s analysis is rooted in the Clausewitzian principle that “war is a continuation of politics by other means.” Throughout major chapters in American history, Stoker identifies the underlying political interests of successive administrations and emphasizes clearly defined political aims as the bedrock of an effective grand strategy. Stoker then provides a detailed analysis of the diplomatic, informational, military, and economic (DIME) strategies employed to achieve these interests, providing readers a comprehensive review of American grand strategy successes and failures. 

Purpose and Power’s structure makes it a useful reference tool. The book is organized into four parts, each focusing on a specific era in American history. His first section, entitled “ From Backwater to Great Power (1775-1913),”  explores the founding days of U.S. grand strategy, from its desire for independence during the Revolutionary War, its quest for territorial expansion, the Civil War and reconstruction, and culminating in the founding of the “American Empire.” Stoker analyzes the shifting political aims that propelled the United States from a small band of colonies to a major player on the international stage.

The second section, “From Great Power to Superpower (1913-1990),” analyzes the United States’ entrance to the global stage and its ascendency to its position as global superpower. The book discusses major events of the 20th century, such as both the World Wars and the Cold War. It also focuses on the strategic decisions that led the United States to its current position in the global order and how this shifted its strategic aims to a more global perspective.  

Stoker’s third section, “The Post-Cold War World (1990-2009),” delves into how the United States navigated its new position on the global stage, facing the complexities of the unipolar moment and the War on Terror, and critically assesses the political aims of recent administrations.  Stoker closes out the book with a section entitled “Retreat and Defeat (2009-2022).”  In it, Stoker analyzes competing efforts from recent administrations to reevaluate America’s position on the global stage, the disastrous end to the War on Terror, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Purpose and Power has received acclaim from scholars and policy analysts alike for its breadth and comprehensive analysis of U.S. grand strategy. Military historian and author of Surge: My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War, Peter Mansoor, praised the book as “an excellent primer on the evolution of America’s use of power,” and “highly recommended [“Purpose and Power”] for graduate and professional military education.” Thomas G. Mahnken of the Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS recommended Purpose and Power as a “book that looks back upon the history of American grand strategy to inform debates over America’s purpose in the twenty-first century.”

Purpose and Power is an excellent primer on U.S. grand strategy and political history for students and scholars passionate about American grand strategy. Stoker provides readers with an in-depth look at America’s strategic history, furnishing a comprehensive analysis of historical events, a clear hypothesis of what makes for a good grand strategy, and a strong framework to analyze historical and contemporary strategies. 

However, this reading should not be undertaken lightly. Stoker’s depth and level of historical detail require a deep level of commitment and engagement from readers who may find its breadth of detail overwhelming. As with any historical analysis, readers may disagree with Stoker’s interpretation of certain historical events and strategies. Stoker holds little back in his assessments of the Biden and Trump administrations, identifying how failure to define clear political aims can result in chaos and a failed strategy. While Stoker defends his claims through painstaking research and detail, any discussion of political aims and interests will always invite debate.

Purpose and Power” offers an in-depth and critical analysis of U.S. grand strategy and how it has evolved throughout its history. The question of “What should America’s grand strategy be?” is just as pressing in the early days of the Trump administration as it was in 1776. For scholars and professionals hoping to influence the future of U.S. national security strategy and foreign policy, Stoker offers salient advice: “Examining the nation’s past actions—good and ill—is the best preparation for overcoming today’s challenges and tomorrow’s.”

Purpose and Power: U.S. Grand Strategy from the Revolutionary Era to the Present can be purchased via this link (not affiliate).

Views expressed are the author’s own and do not represent the views of GSSR, Georgetown University, or any other entity. This book review was not sponsored by the author of the book. Image Credit: Canva Images