There are many options when it comes to military strategy. Key among the strategies that have been widely adopted in the battlefield for hundreds of years is maneuver warfare. It is one that has been practiced from the Napoleonic War era to modern times. In this strategy, the team that deploys it focuses on defeating the enemy by negatively affecting its decision making capability. It adopts a shock and awe technique to do so.
Without a doubt, warfare is largely based on movement and attrition. Each side attempts to cover more ground with the ultimate aim being the capitulation or killing of the other group. Over the course of its deployment in battle, strategists have established that the technique is most effective when deployed by several splintered units that have the right technical training. This is primarily due to the fact that scattered units pose a less significant attrition risk that full blown armies. They can also deploy the element of surprise through flanking, which needless to say creates confusion amongst belligerents.
In most battles, success is usually gauged by the number of enemy equipment destroyed, territory occupied and combatants killed. Attrition battles portray a general lack of creativity from both opposing groups. A shock and awe attack, on the other hand, often causes the party being attacked to panic and make a retreat. This way, the attacking force gets sufficient latitude to reoccupy seized ground and attain its primary objectives.
One of the greatest generals to ever deploy the aforementioned strategy to great effect was Napoleon. In fact, he managed to defeat armies that were larger than his using it. His approach involved the use of quick cavalry charges against enemy combatants, shocking them and disabling their movement in the process.
A good example is the France and Austria conflict in Northern Italy, a battle in which Austria had a larger army. The French, commanded by Napoleon, overwhelmed the Austrians by launching rapid attacks against their units, thereby giving them very little reaction time. After his victory, several other generals copied him in their battles.
In the 1850s, technological advancement brought about the mechanization of movement, thereby making maneuver attacks more complicated. Armies that could not pull off quick maneuvers finally had the ability to do so. Additional plans were fused with maneuvering so as to counter the unintended effects of the development. Attacking parties now relied on the quick encirclement of their adversaries and the obliteration of their strong points.
Much of the success that the German army enjoyed in the first half of the Second World War can be directly attributed to the adoption of rapid maneuvering techniques. By then, tanks were the core of the modern infantry. German panzer units, under the command of Erwin Rommel, would attack enemy infantry units in rapid unexpected bursts. This tactic was later called the Blitzkrieg or Lightning Attack.
Nevertheless, the strategy is not short of limitations. It primarily relies on precision, both in terms of enemy personnel and equipment. The Israelis deployed it during the 2006 Lebanon War against Hezbollah. However, they lacked the intelligence to locate the top command of Hezbollah and obliterate it.
Without a doubt, warfare is largely based on movement and attrition. Each side attempts to cover more ground with the ultimate aim being the capitulation or killing of the other group. Over the course of its deployment in battle, strategists have established that the technique is most effective when deployed by several splintered units that have the right technical training. This is primarily due to the fact that scattered units pose a less significant attrition risk that full blown armies. They can also deploy the element of surprise through flanking, which needless to say creates confusion amongst belligerents.
In most battles, success is usually gauged by the number of enemy equipment destroyed, territory occupied and combatants killed. Attrition battles portray a general lack of creativity from both opposing groups. A shock and awe attack, on the other hand, often causes the party being attacked to panic and make a retreat. This way, the attacking force gets sufficient latitude to reoccupy seized ground and attain its primary objectives.
One of the greatest generals to ever deploy the aforementioned strategy to great effect was Napoleon. In fact, he managed to defeat armies that were larger than his using it. His approach involved the use of quick cavalry charges against enemy combatants, shocking them and disabling their movement in the process.
A good example is the France and Austria conflict in Northern Italy, a battle in which Austria had a larger army. The French, commanded by Napoleon, overwhelmed the Austrians by launching rapid attacks against their units, thereby giving them very little reaction time. After his victory, several other generals copied him in their battles.
In the 1850s, technological advancement brought about the mechanization of movement, thereby making maneuver attacks more complicated. Armies that could not pull off quick maneuvers finally had the ability to do so. Additional plans were fused with maneuvering so as to counter the unintended effects of the development. Attacking parties now relied on the quick encirclement of their adversaries and the obliteration of their strong points.
Much of the success that the German army enjoyed in the first half of the Second World War can be directly attributed to the adoption of rapid maneuvering techniques. By then, tanks were the core of the modern infantry. German panzer units, under the command of Erwin Rommel, would attack enemy infantry units in rapid unexpected bursts. This tactic was later called the Blitzkrieg or Lightning Attack.
Nevertheless, the strategy is not short of limitations. It primarily relies on precision, both in terms of enemy personnel and equipment. The Israelis deployed it during the 2006 Lebanon War against Hezbollah. However, they lacked the intelligence to locate the top command of Hezbollah and obliterate it.
About the Author:
If you are looking for information about maneuver warfare, come to our web pages today. More details are available at http://www.genwars-fmfm1.com/about now.
0 commentaires:
Enregistrer un commentaire