Jeffrey H. Michaels
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jmichael424.bsky.social
Jeffrey H. Michaels
@jmichael424.bsky.social

Affiliated with King's College London, Oxford CCW, RAND Europe, and the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies.

Political science 82%
Sociology 10%
What if China doesn’t invade Taiwan the way we expect?
A Wargame to Take Taiwan, from China’s Perspective
In August 2025, 25 international experts gathered at Syracuse University to do something unusual: plan China's invasion of Taiwan. For two days,
warontherocks.com

Reposted by Jeffrey Michaels

Current Taiwan wargames may be preparing for the wrong war.
A Wargame to Take Taiwan, from China’s Perspective
In August 2025, 25 international experts gathered at Syracuse University to do something unusual: plan China's invasion of Taiwan. For two days,
warontherocks.com

If so, they've chosen a rather cryptic way of communicating it. Between the SDR and the Sunday Times story that preceded it, the government seems to prefer the trial balloon approach rather than making a firm commitment.

Very much hope you can follow this with a study on the contemporary utility of the bayonet

Reposted by Jeffrey Michaels

@thewavellroom.bsky.social kindly published my article on small arms and the challenges facing those British Army officers working on replacing SA80 as part of Project GRAYBURN.

wavellroom.com/2025/06/11/t...
The false promise of new technology: the British Army and the (new) calibre debate
Ammunition calibre. Should bullets be larger or smaller? It's key debate for thinking about warfare. Read one expert view .
wavellroom.com

Reposted by Jeffrey Michaels

🚨 The latest HCSS report by strategic advisor @jmichael424.bsky.social is recommended by Retd Army Major General @warinthefuture.bsky.social Mick Ryan as one of the top five war and national security reads of the week:
The Big Five - 8 June edition
My regular update on global conflict. This week, a Pacific-focus with the Trump-Xi call, Chinese spies in Taiwan and a detailed look at Taiwan’s evolving version of Ukraine’s drone wall concept.
buff.ly

Reposted by Jeffrey Michaels

Deterring with words? It’s cheaper, faster—and just as vital.

A new guide by HCSS strategic advisor @jmichael424.bsky.social explores how NATO and others have used (and misused) verbal warnings, from WWI to Ukraine.

📝 Read more:
hcss.nl/news/new-rep...
New report | Deterrence Warning Messages: A Short Guide for NATO - HCSS
Why do deterrence efforts fail? Often, it’s not what is said, but how it’s said. In a new report, HCSS strategic advisor Dr. Jeffrey H. Michaels explores how the success or failure of deterrence often...
hcss.nl

Reposted by Jeffrey Michaels

🚨 Why do deterrence efforts fail? Often, it’s not what is said, but how it’s said.

New report by HCSS strategic advisor @jmichael424.bsky.social explores the power—and pitfalls—of deterrence warning messages.

📘 Read more:
hcss.nl/report/deter...
Deterrence Warning Messages: A Short Guide for NATO - HCSS
Why do deterrence efforts fail? Often, it’s not what is said, but how it’s said. In a new report, HCSS strategic advisor Dr. Jeffrey H. Michaels explores how the success or failure of deterrence often...
hcss.nl

Rather curious use of the word 'expected':

"The externally-led review is expected to recommend that our Armed Forces move to warfighting readiness to deter the growing threats faced by the UK. The report makes 62 recommendations, which the government is expected to accept in full."

Reposted by Jeffrey Michaels

🚨 Words matter: from WWI to Ukraine, poorly delivered warnings have often led to deterrence failure.

Coming this week: a new HCSS report by @jmichael424.bsky.social‬ shows how NATO can get deterrence right—starting with communication.

PS: I'm not sure how feasible this was in any event

Always a tricky balance during CW. So much depended on Sov objectives + Sov willingness to initiate nuclear use if they felt opposition too strong. Thus legitimate question of utility of large scale conventional defence but I'd still prefer that option to the alternative.

Quite so although sadly never really replaced with anything better. Approach seems to be 'insufficient and lose' rather than 'insufficient and escalate'. Doubtful 'insufficient and replace' ever taken seriously and never properly resourced.

So much for the Cold War 'deliberate insufficiency' concept of escalating to nuclear use after the army is expended

News agencies swarming to Bolivia to get a comment from Edward Luttwak!
If you declare martial law & several hours later the country’s principal news agency has as its main headline that parliament has repealed your martial law, and none of the provisions of that law have been enforced, then your coup has failed.
If you declare martial law & several hours later the country’s principal news agency has as its main headline that parliament has repealed your martial law, and none of the provisions of that law have been enforced, then your coup has failed.

By South Korean standards at any rate