author

James P. Wade

b. 1930

Best known for helping shape the idea of “shock and awe,” this American military writer brought academic training and Pentagon experience to questions of strategy, defense, and rapid dominance. His work sits at the crossroads of military thought and modern U.S. policy.

1 Audiobook

Shock and Awe — Achieving Rapid Dominance

Shock and Awe — Achieving Rapid Dominance

by Harlan Ullman, James P. Wade

About the author

Born in Richmond Heights, Missouri, in 1930, James P. Wade Jr. built a career that combined military service, scholarship, and defense policy. He graduated from the United States Military Academy, later earned both a master's degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, and served on active duty before moving into civilian defense work.

From 1968 through 1986, he held several roles in the U.S. Department of Defense, including directing the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks Task Force. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed him chairman of the Military Liaison Committee to the U.S. Department of Energy.

As a writer, he is best remembered for co-authoring, with Harlan K. Ullman, the doctrine of strategic dominance, widely known as "shock and awe." Their 1996 monograph, Shock and Awe: Achieving Rapid Dominance, became his most recognized work and helped secure his place in discussions of modern military strategy.