The purpose of this monograph is to recommend the retention, modification, or abandonment of certain concepts of the current elements of operational design based on their continued validity within the contemporary operational environment. Military...
This paper examines the applicability of the theories of the 19th Century military theorist, Baron Antoine Henri Jomini, to modern 20th century mid- to high intensity conflict. To do this it briefly reviews the core of Jomini's most famous work,...
The principles of war have been a part of US Army doctrine since 1949. In 1989 with the publication of JCS Pub. 3-0, Doctrine for Joint Operations, the principles of war also became part of Joint doctrine. However, other than their reference in JCS...
Historically, the U.S. Army faces numerous challenges planning for counterinsurgency (COIN) operations. Insurgencies by their very nature occur within the context of a complex operating environment that typically last years if not decades. The...
While hundreds of volumes exist on the Gettysburg Campaign, most examine the battle’s tactical framework and focus on the activities of brigades and regiments. However, of more interest to the serving military professional may be an analysis of...
The Australian Army has commenced a process of transformation to meet the demands of the increasingly complex operational environment in which it is currently operating, and will continue to operate in the foreseeable future. The Australian...
This study examines the effectiveness of Union and Confederate offensive infantry tactics during the Battle of Chancellorsville, May 1863. The analysis of offensive infantry tactics focuses on three types of offensive operations: meeting...
This monograph analyzes the Marine Corps' method for campaign design. It seeks to answer the research question: Is the Marine Corps' campaign design process found in FMFM 1-1 adequate? If not, the campaign design process will produce failure; but,...
Conflict in the twenty-first century involves a complex interaction of variables. Equally complex are modern stability operations that occur concurrently or immediately following war or combat operations. This study examines planning methodology...
The fundamental root cause behind the military defeat of Poland in 1939 is not the result of fighting the combined armies of Germany and the Soviet Union. Rather, the failure is attributed to Poland's political hubris of pursuing its strategic...
This monograph's purpose is to provide tools for campaign planning and to assist planners in considering all actions necessary for success in winning any type of war.
This monograph discusses the increased logistical dependency of the modern battlefield at the operational level of war. Given this dependency, the monograph examines whether a counterlogistics fight at the operational level of war has become the...
Operational art as a focus for U.S. doctrine has only recently emerged in our manuals. Initially, operational art emerged during the interwar period. Reflecting upon the experience of World War I, German and Soviet theorists recognized that mass...
While the nature of war does not change, the conduct and methods available to wage and win wars does. This appears to be the case with respect to hybrid war, an evolving type of war that the United States may soon face. The definition of hybrid war...
As the Army prepares the final drafts of the new operational and tactical manuals for the twenty first century this monograph analyzes the relevance of the principles of war to tactical operations. To do this, this study conducts three evaluations,...
The National Military Strategy outlines the U.S. military concept for winning two nearly simultaneous Major Theaters of War: concentrate in one, shift assets to the second, and win the second. The U.S. doctrine calls for the use of decisive force...
In the aftermath of World War II, many Western armies studied the German Blitzkrieg success. They concluded that the German mission command philosophy was a cornerstone to lead and command troops in fluid and uncertain combat situations. This...
The purpose of this study is to explore and expand the concept of a line of operations and determine its relevance to operational art, and its application to campaign design. Currently, the concept of a line of operations is misunderstood and...
This monograph examines whether or not the U.S. possesses the strategic mobility assets required to win successfully two nearly simultaneous major regional conflicts (MRCs). The current National Security Strategy (NSS) states that the U.S. must...
This monograph examines the topic of operational intelligence from the standpoint of its historical development in support of operational level commanders. It focuses on two periods of military history and attempts to answer the question: what...