Vincent Desportes

Vincent Desportes (born on 24 February 1953) is a retired French Army general and military theorist.

Desportes graduated from the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr, specialising in armour warfare. He also holds an engineer's degree, a diplôme d'études approfondies in sociology, a MBA, and graduated from the U.S. Army War College.

He was Military attaché in the French embassy in the USA, aid to the General secretary for national defence, and director of the Centre de doctrine et d'emploi des forces.

Along with Jean-Francois Phelizon, Desportes is co-director of the "Stratégies & Doctrines" collection of Economica editions.

Desportes headed the Collège interarmées de défense in 2008-2010.

Honours

 * Officer of the Legion of Honour
 * Officer of the National Order of Merit
 * Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature
 * Badge of Honour of the Bundeswehr (Germany)
 * Officer of the Legion of Merit (USA)
 * Meritorious Service Medal (USA)

Books

 * Cavalerie de décision, ADDIM, 1998, ISBN 2-907341-84-7


 * Comprendre la guerre, Economica, 2000, 2e édition en 2001, ISBN 2-7178-4286-1 Prix Fréville de l'Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques Prix Vauban de l'Association des Auditeurs de l'IHEDN


 * L'Amérique en Armes, Economica, 2002, ISBN 2-7178-4434-1


 * Décider dans l'incertitude, Economica, 2004, 2e édition en 2007, ISBN 2-7178-5335-9 English Translation Deciding in the Dark, Economica, 2008, ISBN 2-7178-5574-2


 * Introduction à la Stratégie, Economica, 2007, ISBN 2-7178-5423-1


 * La Guerre Probable, Economica, 2007, ISBN 2-7178-5504-1  Prix de la Saint-Cyrienne 2008 English Translation Tomorrow’s War, Brookings Institution Press, 2009, ISBN 2-7178-5718-4

Articles

 * Articles in Défense & Sécurité Internationale
 * Articles in Défense et sécurité collective
 * Several articles in Doctrine
 * Article in Politique Etrangère (journal of the IFRI)
 * Interview in Défense et Sécurité internationale (DSI)
 * Article in Revue Militaire Suisse
 * Interview in DefenseNews
 * Interview in Le Monde
 * Article in La Tribune
 * Interview in Small War Journal
 * Entretien in  Le Monde 07/02/2010