Brutal Catalyst. This item is unavailable.Brutal Catalyst

Recognized by ARMY Magazine as an "Essential" Title for Modern Conflict Professionals.

"This compelling study... is an essential starting point for anyone hoping to bring such cities back to life."
—Lieutenant General J.J. Frewen, AO, DSC (Australian Army, Ret.)

"Indispensable reading for governmental and private donors who provide the lifeblood funding that supports international urban recovery efforts."
—Dr. Robert J. Bunker, Director of Research and Analysis, C/O Futures, LLC

How do cities survive the unsurvivable?

From the rubble of Mariupol to the resilient streets of Kharkiv, Brutal Catalyst is not just a history of the Ukraine war—it is a blueprint for what comes next. Dr. Russell W. Glenn, a world-renowned expert in urban operations and former senior defense analyst, delivers the definitive guide to post-war urban recovery.

Moving beyond military tactics, this book provides a strategic framework for the civil and military leaders who must rebuild nations when the smoke clears. By synthesizing lessons from historical rebuilds in Tokyo, Berlin, and Sarajevo with real-time analysis of the Ukraine conflict, Glenn offers actionable solutions for the complex "system of systems" that is a modern city.

This book provides critical insights on:

• The "Day After" Problem: How to transition immediately from combat operations to stabilization and recovery.
• Urban Triage: Prioritizing housing, healthcare, and unexploded ordnance disposal in resource-starved environments.
• The Corruption Trap: Managing donor funding and international aid to prevent graft from undermining reconstruction.
• Civil-Military Integration: Bridging the gap between armed forces, NGOs, and local municipal leadership.

"A clear, well-argued, well-documented study of the manmade disasters that befall cities at war... Essential."
—Colonel Gregory Fontenot, US Army (Ret.), former Commander, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division

"Hyper-relevant examples clearly signpost the way ahead for Ukraine’s urban recovery."
—Ben Baker MBE, former British Foreign Office Urban Conflict Advisor

Dr. Russell W. Glenn spent sixteen years in the think tank community before joining the faculty of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, the Australian National University in Canberra, this after over twenty-five years service with the US Army. He and his wife, Dee, now live in Williamsburg, Virginia.