May 14, 2026

In part two of this two-part episode, COL Kyle Marcrum and Dr. Jessica Liao discuss Taiwan President Lai’s special defense budget and the Kuomingdang Chair, Cheng Li-wun, visit to Beijing.

May 14, 2026

Welcome to the Summer 2026 issue of Parameters, which consists of two In Focus special commentaries, three forums (Indo-Pacific, Strategy, and Historical Studies) and the Strategic Competition Corner.

May 14, 2026

This essay explores the advantages and risks associated with leveraging interstate rivalry frameworks for strategy development and planning. Advantages include reducing strategic uncertainty and gaining efficiencies in some aspects of force planning. Risks include trusting the data and accepting the methodical pace of research. While US security documents typically describe adversaries as threats or competitors, they rarely acknowledge that the behavior patterns among America’s three current interstate rivals—China, Russia, and Iran—differ fundamentally from those of mere threats or competitors. This analysis will benefit defense professionals responsible for developing regional or global strategies and for directing war-gaming efforts.

May 13, 2026

In part one of this two-part episode, COL Kyle Marcrum and Dr. Jessica Liao discuss Taiwan President Lai’s special defense budget and why it is stalled in Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan.

May 12, 2026

In Hero of Fort Sumter: The Extraordinary Life of Robert Anderson, Wesley Moody brings to life the man whose stand at the dawn of the Civil War helped shape the nation’s destiny. From frontier battles to the dramatic siege of Fort Sumter, Anderson’s story is one of quiet courage and pivotal leadership. This compelling biography reveals how one soldier’s sense of duty helped ignite a war—and preserve a Union.

May 12, 2026

Great-power rivalry is reshaping the global landscape, and The New Cold War and the Remaking of Regions explores how this competition is redefining regional orders across the world. Edited by T. V. Paul and Markus Kornprobst, the book brings together leading scholars to examine how states respond to strategic pressures in a fragmented international system. It’s a timely and thought-provoking analysis of the new geopolitical realities facing regions from Europe to Asia.

May 12, 2026

States are increasingly turning to non-state actors to fight their battles, reshaping the nature of modern warfare. Proxy Wars from a Global Perspective, edited by Paweł Bernat, Cüneyt Gürer, and Cyprian Aleksander Kozera, offers a sweeping analysis of this trend through case studies from Mali, Ukraine, Syria, and beyond. With insights from international relations and security experts, the book challenges outdated Cold War frameworks and introduces a new paradigm for understanding outsourced conflict in a multipolar world.

May 12, 2026

In this riveting account, James Donovan tells the dramatic story of the 82nd Airborne Division’s mission to seize and hold the La Fière bridge—an unassuming but vital link in the success of the D-Day invasion. Dropped behind enemy lines hours before the beach landings, these paratroopers faced overwhelming odds in a brutal three-day battle that culminated in a near-suicidal charge across a narrow causeway. Blending firsthand accounts, archival research, and battlefield visits, Donovan honors the courage and sacrifice that helped turn the tide of World War II.

May 12, 2026

How is China reshaping the strategic balance in the Indian Ocean? In China's Air Power and Maritime Strategies Towards the Indian Ocean Region, Joshy M. Paul explores Beijing’s military modernization, naval expansion, and airpower ambitions as it seeks dominance through bases, partnerships, and economic leverage. This timely analysis reveals the growing contest between China’s expeditionary capabilities and India’s deterrence strategies in one of the world’s most critical maritime theaters.