Playing War

John M. Lillard's "Playing War: Wargaming and U.S. Navy Preparations for World War II" examines a subject that is often overlooked in discussions of American military readiness before the Second World War: the role of tabletop and fleet-level wargaming in shaping naval strategy. Lillard, a historian with a background in operations research, brings a methodical and analytical approach to his study, focusing on how the U.S. Naval War College used wargaming exercises to prepare officers for the challenges they would eventually face in the Pacific theater.

The book's central argument is that the Naval War College's wargaming program, developed and refined over the interwar years, played a significant role in equipping naval officers with the strategic thinking and operational familiarity needed to respond to the demands of war against Japan. Lillard traces the evolution of these games from relatively simple tactical exercises to complex simulations that incorporated logistics, intelligence, and the strategic realities of a two-ocean navy. He draws on institutional records, personal accounts, and the surviving documentation from the War College to reconstruct how these exercises were conducted and what lessons officers took away from them.

One of the strengths of Lillard's work is his willingness to complicate the popular narrative that wargaming alone predicted the course of the Pacific War with uncanny accuracy. While it is true that certain scenarios explored at Newport anticipated aspects of the conflict, Lillard is careful to note the limitations of these games. He points out those areas where wargaming fell short, such as the failure to fully anticipate the role of submarines or the scale of carrier-based aviation, while also crediting the exercises with fostering a generation of officers who were comfortable thinking in terms of fleet maneuver, logistics, and operational risk.

The structure of the book is logical and accessible. Lillard moves chronologically through the interwar period, situating the development of wargaming within the broader context of naval doctrine, budget constraints, and the shifting geopolitical landscape. Readers unfamiliar with the intricacies of naval history will find enough context to follow the argument, though the book does assume some baseline interest in military institutions and strategic planning. Those with a background in naval history or wargaming theory will likely appreciate the level of detail Lillard provides regarding the mechanics of the exercises themselves, including how scoring, adjudication, and scenario design evolved over time.

Lillard's prose is clear and largely free of unnecessary jargon, which makes the technical aspects of wargaming approachable for a general audience. He does an admirable job of humanizing the officers involved, drawing attention to individuals such as Chester Nimitz and other future wartime commanders who participated in these exercises as students or instructors. This personal dimension helps to ground the institutional history in the experiences of the people who would later apply these lessons in actual combat.

The book also raises broader questions about the value of simulation and training in military preparedness, questions that remain relevant well beyond the specific historical period under discussion. Lillard's careful, evidence-based approach avoids overstating the predictive power of wargaming while still making a compelling case for its educational and strategic value. This balance is one of the book's more commendable qualities, as it resists the temptation to turn wargaming into either a magic bullet or a footnote.

Some readers may find the book's focus somewhat narrow, given its concentration on the Naval War College and the officer corps rather than a broader survey of American military preparation. However, this focus allows Lillard to explore his subject with considerable depth rather than skimming across a wider but shallower canvas. The result is a study that contributes meaningfully to the historiography of American naval strategy and offers useful insight into how institutions attempt to prepare for uncertain futures.

Overall, "Playing War" is a well-researched and thoughtfully argued contribution to naval and military history. It will be of particular interest to those studying the interwar period, the U.S. Navy's institutional culture, or the broader history of wargaming as a tool of strategic education. Lillard's balanced treatment of both the successes and shortcomings of the Naval War College's exercises makes for a credible and informative read.