Kickoff Keynote “War Does Not Wait: Time, Miscalculation, and the Illusion of Readiness.”
The morning keynote address will examine why military and civilian institutions consistently misjudge the time available before conflict, and why recognizing danger so often fails to produce timely action. Using historical evidence from the interwar years preceding World War II, contrasts between early Cold War mobilization and later periods of institutional drift, and post-Cold War surprise conflicts, the address will explore how complacency forms, even among experienced professionals. The keynote offers a disciplined, non-sensational critique of readiness, grounding contemporary challenges in rigorous historical analysis rather than alarmism.
Source: U.S. Naval Institute
