Marines

John R. Boyd Collection - COLL/2062

The papers of John R. Boyd consist of materials related to his research and work with military theory and during the late 20th century. The dates of the collection range from 1927-1999. The collection is arranged in twelve subject series.

Those materials related to his research include extracts from publications with Boyd's annotations, articles and newspaper clippings, and concept papers written by others. The collection also contains a large series of different versions of briefings given by Boyd including Destruction and Creation, Patterns of Conflict, A Discourse on Winning and Losing, and Conceptual Spiral.

The Notes and Notebook series is composed of John Boyd's handwritten notes and drafts. Items that were together in an envelope were kept together. He frequently abbreviated terms. T-T-D scrawled across the top of a page indicates "things to do";. "POC"; is "Patterns of Conflict".

Smaller more generalized series include course syllabi and seminars reflecting Boyd's work developing course curricula in professional military education; technical material; correspondence; and yearbooks.

A series of photographs and slides includes images of Boyd and his family.

Lastly, the collection contains books, the majority of which were heavily annotated by Boyd. The degree of importance Boyd placed on the information is witnessed by how heavily he marked the pages. Pages heavily underlined with stars across the top and bottom were of the greatest interest. Occasionally, comments appear in the margins.

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Box 01: John R. Boyd

Folder 01: John Boyd, Air University Review, 1985 - (FOLD/119492)

This folder contains one letter dated 21 Jan 1986; and an article dated September-October 1985. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized. 
Original title of folder changed from [Air Force Review, 1985] to [Air University Review, 1985] to reflect document.
109860 Correspondence, 21 January 1986. Letter addressed to a Military Reform Caucus Member from David Pryor and Charles E. Grassley, dated January 21, 1986.
109908 The Roots and Future of Modern-Day Military Reform. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 02: John Boyd, Applications of Optical Phase Conjunction, David Pepper - (FOLD/119493)

This folder contains an annotated article from the Scientific American, dated January 1986, by David M. Pepper. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109863 Applications of Optical Phase Conjugation, 1986. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 03: John Boyd, The Arrow of Time, David Layzer, 1975 - (FOLD/119494)

This folder contains a copy of an article [The Arrow of Time] found in the Scientific American, December 1975; original magazine included. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized. This article is annotated.
109913 Scientific American, December 1975 - Original magazine. Due to potential copyright restrictions this was not digitized.
109910 The Arrow of Time - Copy of an annotated article written by David Layzer and found in the Scientific American, dated December 1975. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 04: John Boyd, Artillery Tactics, 1939-1945, Shelford Bidwell, 1976 - (FOLD/119495)

This folder contains an annotated article, [Artillery Tactics, 1939-1945], by Shelford Bidwell that was first published in 1976. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109914 Artillery Tactics, 1939-1945. Annotated article, [Artillery Tactics, 1939-1945], by Shelford Bidwell that was first published in 1976. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 05: John Boyd, Barbarossa: Surprise Attack and Communication, Amnon Sella, 1978 - (FOLD/119496)

This folder contains an annotated article from the Journal of Contemporary History. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109915 Barbarossa: Surprise Attack and Communication. Annotated article by Amnon Sella published in the Journal of Contemporary History. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 06: John Boyd, Business is War! - (FOLD/119497)

This folder contains an annotated article published by The Kappa Group. Letter with attached sticky note digitized, PII - physical address. Due to potential copyright restrictions the additional article was not digitized.
109916 Business is War! Annotated article published by The Kappa Group. Due to potential copyright restrictions the article was not digitized.
109876 Correspondence with attached sticky note, 1991. Correspondence addressed to John R. Boyd from Charles R. Boggs dated March 20, 1991. Sticky note attached to letter addressed to John from Chuck.
109878 Correspondence, 1991. Correspondence addressed to John R. Boyd from Charles R. Boggs dated March 20, 1991. 

Folder 07: John Boyd, Recent Reprints, G. J. Chaitin,1994 - (FOLD/119498)

This folder contains an annotated scrapbook, dated January 15, 1994. Items in scrapbook are organized in inverse chronological order, from the years 1988 through 1994. A bibliography is also included, as well as the author's monograph by Cambridge University Press, and the collections of his papers both published by World Scientific. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109917 Recent Reprints, 1994. Annotated scrapbook, dated January 15, 1994. Items in scrapbook are organized in inverse chronological order, from the years 1988 through 1994. A bibliography is also included, as well as the author's monograph by Cambridge University Press, and the collections of his papers both published by World Scientific. Due to potential copyright restrictions this was not digitized.

Folder 08: John Boyd, Chance and Complexity in the Real World: Clausewitz on the Nonlinear Nature of War, Alan Beyerchen, 1992 - (FOLD/119499)

This folder contains an annotated article, [Chance and Complexity in the Real World: Clausewitz on the Nonlinear Nature of War] by Alan Beyerchen. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized. Two pieces of correspondence between Barry Watts and Alan Beyerchen digitized.
109918 Chance and Complexity in the Real World: Clausewitz on the Nonlinear Nature of War. Annotated article, [Chance and Complexity in the Real World: Clausewitz on the Nonlinear Nature of War] by Alan Beyerchen. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109880 Correspondence. Letter addressed to Alan Beyerchen from Barry Watts.
109879 Correspondence, 1992. Handwritten letter addressed to Barry from Alan, dated 2 September 1992.

Folder 09: John Boyd, Clausewitz in the Age of Technology, A Model of Soviet Mentality - (FOLD/119500)

This folder contains an article [Clausewitz in the Age of Technology] by Michael I. Handel, dated 13 August 1986; and an article [Model of Soviet Mentality] by Dmitry Mikheyev, prepared for delivery at the 26th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association on March 5-9, 1985. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized. This article is annotated.
109920 Clausewitz in the Age of Technology, 1986. An annotated article [Clausewitz in the Age of Technology] by Michael I. Handel, dated 13 August 1986.
Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109921 Model of Soviet Mentality. An annotated article [Model of Soviet Mentality] by Dmitry Mikheyev, prepared for delivery at the 26th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association on March 5-9, 1985. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 10: John Boyd, A Conceptual Foundation for a Theory of Strategy, Gregory Foster - (FOLD/119501)

This folder contains an annotated article [A Conceptual Foundation for a Theory of Strategy] by Gregory D. Foster that was published in the Washington Quarterly, Winter 1990. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109922 A Conceptual Foundation for a Theory of Strategy. An annotated article [A Conceptual Foundation for a Theory of Strategy by Gregory D. Foster that was published in the Washington Quarterly, Winter 1990. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 11: John Boyd, Closing with the Enemy, Douglas Macgregor and VII Corps in the Gulf War, Peter Kindsvatter - (FOLD/119502)

This folder contains an article [Closing with the Enemy] by Lieutenant Colonel Douglas A. Macgregor, published in the Military Review, February 1993; an article [VII Corps in the Gulf War] by, Lieutenant Colonel Peter S. Kindsvatter, published in the Military Review, February 1992; Two Fact Sheets; and an article [The Day We Stopped the War], dated 20 January 1992. Due to potential copyright restrictions the articles were not digitized. Letter addressed to John from David Evans, dated 14 June 1993, digitized.
109923 Closing with the Enemy, 1993. An annotated article [Closing with the Enemy] by Lieutenant Colonel Douglas A. Macgregor, published in the Military Review, February 1993. Due to potential copyright restrictions the article was not digitized.
109881 Correspondence, 1993. Letter addressed to John from David Evans, dated 14 June 1993. 
109925 Field Manual 100-5, Operations Fact Sheet, 1993. Annotated fact sheet on the Field Manual 100-5, Operations, June 1993. Due to potential copyright restrictions this was not digitized.
109924 History of Army Doctrine Fact Sheet, June 1993. An annotated fact sheet on the History of Army Doctrine, June 1993. Due to potential copyright restrictions this was not digitized.
109926 The Day We Stopped the War, 1992. An article [The Day We Stopped the War], dated 20 January 1992. Due to potential copyright restrictions the articles were not digitized.
109927 VII Corps in the Gulf War, 1992. An article [VII Corps in the Gulf War] by Lieutenant Colonel Peter S. Kindsvatter, published in the Military Review, February 1992. Due to potential copyright restrictions the articles were not digitized.

Folder 12: John Boyd, Computational Complexity and the Universal Acceptance of Logic - (FOLD/119503)

This folder contains an annotated article [Computational Complexity and the Universal Acceptance of Logic] published in the Journal of Philosophy, Volume LXXXI, NO. 12, December 1984. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109928 Computational Complexity and the Universal Acceptance of Logic, 1984. An annotated article [Computational Complexity and the Universal Acceptance of Logic] published in the Journal of Philosophy, Volume LXXXI, NO. 12, December 1984. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 13: John Boyd, The Red Bead Experiment - (FOLD/119504)

This folder contains an annotated article. Handwritten letter addressed to Col. Boyd, dated 7 April, digitized. Library Inventory digitized. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109882 Correspondence. Handwritten letter addressed to Col. Boyd from D, dated 7 April.
109883 Library Inventory, 1992. Cinclantflt TQL Team Video Library Inventory, dated April 7, 1992.
109929 The Deming Library, The Red Bead Experiment. The Deming Library, The Red Bead Experiment. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 14: John Boyd, Desert Storm: Fright Night: Task Force 2/34 Armor and Leap of Faith - (FOLD/119505)

This folder contains an annotated article [Fright Night: Task Force 2/34 Armor] by Colonel Gregory Fontenot, US Army; an annotated article [A Leap of Faith] by Colonel E. Maggart; a letter addressed to John R. Boyd from Paul J. Berenson digitized PII - physical address; and a handwritten note. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

109931 A Leap of Faith, 1992. An annotated article [A Leap of Faith] by Colonel E. Maggart published in Armor, January-February 1992. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109884 Correspondence, 1993. Letter addressed to John R. Boyd from Paul J. Berenson, dated July 18, 1993.
109930 Fright Night: Task Force 2/34 Armor, 1993. An annotated article by Colonel Gregory Fontenot, US Army, published in the Military Review, January 1993. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109885 Handwritten Note.

Folder 15: John Boyd, Exploring the Labyrinth of the Mind, James Gleick - (FOLD/119506)

This folder contains an article published in the New York Times Magazine, dated August 21, 1983. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized. This article is annotated.
109932 Exploring the Labyrinth of the Mind, 1983. An annotated article published in the New York Times Magazine, dated August 21, 1983. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 16: John Boyd, Newt Gingrich - (FOLD/119507)

This folder contains an annotated article [The Politics of Perception] by Connie Bruck, published in The New Yorker, October 9, 1995; and The New York Times Magazine, October 29, 1995, Section 6. Due to potential copyright restrictions these articles were not digitized.
109934 The New York Times Magazine, 1995. The New York Times Magazine, October 29, 1995, Section 6. Due to potential copyright restrictions this was not digitized.
109933 The Politics of Perception, 1995. An annotated article [The Politics of Perception] by Connie Bruck, published in The New Yorker, October 9, 1995. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 17: John Boyd, Articles About Time, Harvard Business School - (FOLD/119508)

This folder contains an annotated article [Fast-Cycle Capability for Competitive Power] by Joseph L. Bower and Thomas M. Hout; an annotated article [Time- The Next Source of Competitive Advantage] by George Stalk, Jr.; an annotated article [From the Ladder of Science to the Product Development Cycle] by Ralph E. Gomory; and a letter addressed to John R. Boyd from Thomas M. Hout, dated April 13, 1992, digitized PII - physical address. Due to potential copyright restrictions articles were not digitized.
109886 Correspondence, 1992. Letter addressed to John R. Boyd from Thomas M. Hout, dated April 13, 1992.
109935 Fast-Cycle Capability for Competitive Power, 1988. An annotated article [Fast-Cycle Capability for Competitive Power] by Joseph L. Bower and Thomas M. Hout, reprinted from Harvard Business Review, November-December 1988. Due to potential copyright restrictions articles were not digitized.
109937 From the Ladder of Science to the Product Development Cycle, 1989. An annotated article [From the Ladder of Science to the Product Development Cycle] by Ralph E. Gomory, published in the Harvard Business Review, November-December 1989. Due to potential copyright restrictions this was not digitized.
109936 Time- The Next Source of Competitive Advantage, 1988. An annotated article [Time- The Next Source of Competitive Advantage] by George Stalk, Jr., published in the Harvard Business Review, July-August 1988. Due to potential copyright restrictions this was not digitized.

Folder 18: John Boyd, The IDF Officer and Combat Operations C3I - (FOLD/119509)

This folder contains an annotated article, [The IDF Officer: Linchpin in Unit Cohesion] by Maj. Richard A. Gabriel and Col. Reuvan Gal, dated January 1984; and a Research Report [Combat Operations C3I: Fundamentals and Interactions] by George E. Orr, dated July 1983. Due to potential copyright restrictions these were not digitized.
109939 Combat Operations C3I: Fundamentals and Interactions, 1983. Research Report [Combat Operations C3I: Fundamentals and Interactions] by George E. Orr, published by the Air University Press, dated July 1983. Due to potential copyright restrictions this was not digitized.
109938 The IDF Officer: Linchpin in Unit Cohesion, 1984. An annotated article, [The IDF Officer: Linchpin in Unit Cohesion] by Maj. Richard A. Gabriel and Col. Reuvan Gal, dated January 1984. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 19: John Boyd, Intelligence and Deception - (FOLD/119510)

This folder contains an annotated article [Intelligence and Deception] by Professor R.V. Jones. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109940 Intelligence and Deception. An annotated article [Intelligence and Deception] by Professor R.V. Jones. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 20: John Boyd, Understanding Intelligence Across Cultures, Jean-Marie Bonthous - (FOLD/119511)

This folder contains an annotated article [Understanding Intelligence Across Cultures] by Jean-Marie Bonthous. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109941 Understanding Intelligence Across Cultures. This folder contains an annotated article [Understanding Intelligence Across Cultures] by Jean-Marie Bonthous. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 21: John Boyd, The Mastery of Mystery; Software au Natural; and Fuzzy, Neural and Genetic Methods to Overcome Complexity - (FOLD/119512)

This folder contains an annotated article [The Mystery of Mastery] by Robert J. Trotter; an annotated article [Software au Naturel] by Sharon Begley; an annotated article [Fuzzy, Neural and Genetic Methods to Overcome Complexity]; and a note addressed to John Boyd that was digitized. Due to potential copyright restrictions the articles were not digitized.
109944 Fuzzy, Neural and Genetic Methods to Overcome Complexity, 1995. An annotated article [Fuzzy, Neural and Genetic Methods to Overcome Complexity] published in Computer Design, May 1995. Due to potential copyright restrictions this was not digitized.
109887 Memorandum. Memo from the Assistant Chief of Staff C4I addressed to John Boyd.
109943 Software au Naturel, 1995. An annotated article [Software au Naturel] by Sharon Begley, published in Newsweek, 8 May 1995. Due to potential copyright restrictions this was not digitized.
109942 The Mystery of Mastery, 1986. An annotated article [The Mystery of Mastery] by Robert J. Trotter, published in Psychology Today, July 1986. Due to potential copyright restrictions the articles were not digitized.

Folder 22: John Boyd, Military Reform: Past and Present, Walter Kross - (FOLD/119513)

This folder contains an annotated article [Military Reform: Past and Present] by Lieutenant Colonel Walter Kross, published in the Air University Review. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.
109945 Military Reform: Past and Present. An annotated article [Military Reform: Past and Present] by Lieutenant Colonel Walter Kross, published in the Air University Review. Due to potential copyright restrictions this article was not digitized.

Folder 23: John Boyd, Miscellaneous Articles (1 of 2) - (FOLD/119514)

This folder contains various copied articles and publications. Due to potential copyright restrictions these articles were not digitized. Letter addressed to Colonel Boyd from Barry Watts, dated 26 March 1991, digitized.
109888 Correspondence, 1991. Correspondence addressed to Colonel Boyd from Barry Watts, dated 26 March 1991.
109946

Various copied articles and publications. Due to potential copyright restrictions these articles were not digitized.

1. [Maneuver versus Attrition: A Historical Perspective] by Major John F. Antal, published in the Military Review, October 1992
2. [The Fight to Change How America Fights] by Peter Cary, published in the U.S. News & World Report, 6 May 1991
3. [Cutting Through the Tough Talk] published in the Common Cause
4. [Pilots Try to Restore F-15 Luster] by Anne Keegan, published in the Chicago Tribune, 23 February 1982
5. [How a Computer Can Carry a Tune] by George Johnson
6. [Fast Forward to a Changed World] by Jim Barlow, published in the Houston Chronicle, Section C, dated 19 April 1994
7. [Profile: Vive La Difference] by Marguerite Holloway, published in the Scientific American, dated October 1990
8. [Marketing Warfare], The Institute for Science and Public Affairs, 1984
9. [Troubled Air Force Transport Investigated] by David Evans, published in the Chicago tribune, dated 19 February 1993
10. [Principle of Form Follows Function Lost in Military Fiefdoms] by David Evans, published in the Chicago Tribune, dated 19 February 1993
11. [Incentives for Arms Reduction], Defense Issues, Vol. 1 No.1
12. [Carnot and Darwin], published in Energy and Industrial Age
13. [10. Founding a Science of Spontaneous Order], published in The Sudden Vortex of Ilya Prigogine
14. [Nerve Cells Redo Wiring, Report Says] by Boyce Rensberger, published in The Washington Post
15. [The Soul of Our Machine] by Richard M. Restak 
16. [Brain Cells Try to Battle Alzheimer's, Report Says] by Jan Ziegler, published in The Washington Post, 29 November 1985
17. [Rats Lost Muscle, Bone Strength in Space Flight] by Paul Recer, published in the Erie Daily Times, 6 September 1985
18. [Iron John: A Book About Men Born to be Wild] by Deborah Tannen
19. [Maneuvering in Time] by Capt. Kenneth F. McKenzie, published in the Marine Corps Gazette, dated February 1991
20. [Matters of Choice Muddled by Thought] by Malcom Gladwell, published in The Washington Post, dated 4 March 1991
21. [The Fatal Conceit: The Errors of Socialism] by F.A. Hayek, published by the University of Chicago Press, dated 1988

 

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Box 02: John R. Boyd

   
   

 

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Box 03: John R. Boyd

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Box 04: John R. Boyd