"We Choose to Go to the Moon": An Analysis of a Cold War Means-Developing Strategy

Authors

David Christopher Arnold

Files

Description

Strategists often ask “With the means available right now, what end can we achieve?” However, in strategy design it can be more appropriate to ask, “What is the desired end, and what means are available to achieve it?” The answer to this question may be, “If this is the desired end, first this new capability has to be created.” This case study examines how Kennedy determined he could achieve his ends (beat the Soviets in the world competition) in a particular way (shape the world conversation) using means yet to be created (the moon landing).

Publication Date

1-2022

Publisher

National Defense University Press

City

Washington, DC

Recommended Citation

Arnold, David Christopher, ""We Choose to Go to the Moon": An Analysis of a Cold War Means-Developing Strategy" (2022). NDU Case Studies. 5.
https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/ndu-case-studies/5