Some Military Operations Research (MOR) Classics
by Clayton J. Thomas, AFSAA/SAN
What are the MOR classics? After the MORS Heritage Committee asked this questions in the PHALANX (Sept 1992), we received a few (mostly specialized) reading lists and a scattering of individual suggestions. Based on those responses, we think it useful to focus now on classics and/or author-analysts that have been especially influential in the (especially early) development of MOR or MOR analysts.
To convey what we are looking for (and have identified from our responses, etc.), I list a few nominees as examples, and also indicate some classes we would exclude at this stage although they contain some great contributions to the literature.
Here are some of my nominees (in a few cases using recent re-printings, etc.):
Blackett, P.M.S., Studies of War, Nuclear and Conventional, Hill and Wang, New York, 1962. Research Society of America, 3(l), 955.
There are other author-analysts I would include, but don't have quite the right references at hand. One, for example, is H.K. Weiss who inspired many of us. And for some of those listed above, there are other seminal contributions that could well be included. But the list does include some "real classics."
Various classes were intentionally excluded from the list:
Brothers, L.A., "Operations Analysis in the United States Air Force," Journal of the Operations Research Society of America, 2(l), 1954.
Hitch, C.J., and McKean, R.N., The Economics of Defense in the Nuclear Age, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1960.
Kent, G.A., "On Analysis," Air University Review, 18(4), 1967.
Koopman, B.O., Search and Screening: General Principles with Historical Applications, Pergamon Press, NY, 1980.
Lanchester, F.W., Aircraft in Warfare: The Dawn of the Fourth Arm, Constable and Company, London, 1916.
Morse, P.M., and Kimball, G.E., Methods of Operations Research, Peninsula Publishing, Los Altos, CA, 1970.
Quade, E.S., Analysts for Military Decisions, Rand McNally, Chicago, 1966.
Solandt, 0., "Observation, Experiment, and Measurement in Operations Research," Journal of the Operations
PHALANX
Standard Military Classics (Clausewitz, Sun Tzu, etc.)
Classics less closely tied to MOR (Dantzig's Linear Programming and Extensions, von Neumann and Morgenstem's Theory of Games. and Economic Behavior, etc.)
Voluminous Treatises or Texts (Taylor's monumental work on Lanchester Equations, etc.)
Monographs in MORS or ORSA MAS series
Critiques (GAO or IG reports, etc.)
Such classes include many magnificent pieces of work, as well as some that have had considerable recent impact on the MOR community. What the list seeks to illustrate, however, is primarily the kind of early classic that had major formative impact on significant MOR agencies or numbers of MOR analysts.
Many readers will think of possible additions in the spirit of the illustrative list-classics that some of us forgot, didn't know about, or maybe failed to appreciate properly. Although we are not interested in "unduly" extending the list, we would like to include other classics of compelling stature and impact.
If you have any suggestions please forward them to the MORS office at morsoffice@aol.com and we will forward the information to the appropriate individuals. Thank you.