THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON

April 22, 1959

TO THE CORPS OF CADETS, UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY

I am glad to learn of the forthcoming publication of The West Point Atlas of American Wars, for use in cadet instruction -- and indeed for use by all military personnel in the study of military history.

Through a careful and objective study of the significant campaigns of the world, a professional officer acquires a knowledge of military experience which he himself could not otherwise accumulate. The facts of a given battle may no longer serve any practical purpose except as a framework on which to base an analysis; but when the serious student of the military art delves into the reasons for the failure of a specific attack -- or soberly analyzes the professional qualities of one of the responsible commanders of the past -- he is, by this very activity, preparing for a day in which he, under different circumstances, may be facing decisions of vital consequence to his country.

The "principles of war" which this atlas will assist you in studying are broad. They apply to air and naval warfare as well as to land combat. They are not, in the final analysis, limited to any one type of warfare, or even limited exclusively to war itself. But principles as such can rarely be studied in a vacuum; military operations are drastically affected by many considerations, one of the most important of which is the geography of the region. Thus, it is important that these campaigns be studied in conjunction with the very best available in clear and accurate maps.

I am confident that The West Point Atlas of American Wars will prove a tremendous aid in instructing -- and inspiring -- the minds of those whose profession it will be to defend the frontiers of the Free World against all enemies.