Structure Ascendant

Though it clearly bears the marks of the early 1950s, Ideas and Weapons remains an important and useful classic in the literature on military innovation. I.B. Holley's analysis of the role of institutional structure in shaping the adoption of the aerial weapon during World War I continues to frame current understanding of the complex interaction between military doctrine, military institutions, and technological change. This Revisit examines the context and content of Holley's analysis, its scholarly reception, and its impact on current literature in the history military technology.