author
James P. Wade
b. 1930
Best known for helping shape the "shock and awe" idea, this American military writer brought decades of defense and policy experience to his work. His career moved between science, strategy, government, and national security writing.
1 Audiobook
Shock and Awe — Achieving Rapid Dominance
by Harlan Ullman, James P. Wade
About the author
Born on December 26, 1930, James Paul Wade Jr. was an American military writer, strategist, and defense official. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, later earned advanced degrees in physics from the University of Virginia, and built a career that connected technical research with high-level policy work.
Wade served in a range of military, government, and defense-industry roles, including senior positions connected to U.S. defense research and engineering. He is most often remembered as the co-author, with Harlan K. Ullman, of the doctrine of strategic dominance, widely known as "shock and awe," first presented in the 1996 study Shock and Awe: Achieving Rapid Dominance.
He died on March 21, 2017. For readers interested in military thought and modern strategy, his work stands out for trying to explain how overwhelming force, technology, and psychological impact could reshape the course of conflict.