Secretary Mike Wynne Looks Back at the Work of Dr. Harald Malmgren

Editor’s Note: With the death last week of our friend and colleague Dr. Harald Malmgren. we have an opportunity to honor him and to familiarize a broader audience with his work and his contribution to the United States and the Western democracies.

We have released the book we were working with him all last year today February 17, 2025. Sadly, we can not show him the final product but our readers can do so.

Secretary Mike Wynne wrote a forward to the book and that follows.

Post World War 2 diplomacy and economic planning was very one sided, requiring a balance of compassion and coercion–an extension of military action.

This perspective was essentially altered with the coming of a decidedly multipolar standoff period with a strong opponent in the USSR and the growth of regional national powers.

Though war has been described as diplomacy through other means, with the expansion of the nations with ‘nuclear’ capability, avoiding all-out war was critical, if not existential.

Approaches to international relations, economic strategy and diplomatic actions needed new thinking, and became multi-dimensional.

This book honors this ‘new thinking’ by examining the works of Dr. Harald Malmgren.

Dr. Malmgren provided to strategic analysis, a systemic approach with clear logic connecting disparate actions and actors becoming the intellectual force behind what is described currently as the ‘whole of government’ approach to international policies.

What the reader will see herein is the architecture of the modern integration of economics, diplomacy, and statecraft. Using Dr. Malmgren’s continuing work, this collection illustrates his unique perspective that he has brought to industry, finance and his efforts in Government.

His works underscores decades of the United States approach to managing its place within the multipolar order. The goal has been to maintain America’s place as a key player in a secure, prosperous, and healthy world order. This present century contains waves and counter waves of views of our future, providing a fertile area of perspective from big thinkers.

It is a rare treat to meet with and wander behind the curtain of large American thought as it applies to order and disorder, and the need for a path forward. Rarer still is this opportunity to spend time with a systems thinker within this wider world.

Yes, we know the names of our international diplomats, trade representatives, and scions of industry and banking but not their intellectual support.

This collection of interviews and articles will provide the reader with an in depth understanding of Dr. Malmgren’s specific talent.

The collection is organized around geographic states and regions and provides a view into the perceived forces to be influenced and considered.

In parallel, the articles build an appreciation that the American system continues to supply thinkers of such creative concepts to meet future challenges.

Enjoy this collection and especially the honored talent of Ambassador Harald Malmgren

Michael W. Wynne, 21st Secretary, United States Air Force