Evolution of Warfare

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Evolution of Warfare

• Warfighting MCDP-1

2
Learning Objectives

• Be familiar with the concepts of
• Friction
• Uncertainty
• Fluidity
• The Human Dimension
• Understand the spectrum of conflict and levels of
  war
• Understand the difference between maneuver and
  attrition warfare
• Understand critical vulnerability vs. center of
  gravity
• Understand the concept of exploitation

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Readings

• Warfighting, MCDP-1

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Warfighting
Very simply, this publication describes the
philosophy which distinguishes the U.S. Marine
Corps. The thoughts contained here are not
merely guidance for action in combat but a way of
thinking. This publication provides the
authoritative basis for how we fight and how we
prepare to fight. This book contains no specific
techniques or procedures for conduct. Rather, it
provides broad guidance in the form of concepts
and values. It requires judgment in application.
Gen A. M. Gray
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Definition of War

• WHAT IS IT?
• War is a violent clash of interests between or
  among organized groups characterized by the use
  of military force. p. 3
• The imposition of one will on another.

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Friction

• The force that makes the apparently easy so
  difficult. Clausewitz
• The inherent difficulty encountered by two sides
  who have differing aims.
• indecision
• obstacles
• weather/terrain
• lack of defined goal
• Cant eliminate it we must learn to deal with
  and overcome it. Human will.

7
Uncertanity

• Fog of War
• Unknowns about
• Enemy
• Environment
• Friendly
• Unpredictability Judgment
• What is possible and what is not?
• What is probable and what is not? Enemy
  estimate!
• One of the main reasons we study military
  history.
• LEARN TO USE IT/MINIMIZE ITS IMPACT
• Simple plans w/ contingencies
• Foster initiative
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

8
Fluidity

• Tempo of operations will fluctuate
• The constant flow of actions and counter-actions
  created by unique combination of circumstances
• Requires flexibility adaptability on our part.
• Combat is characterized by brief periods of utter
  chaos followed by long stretches of complete
  boredom

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Disorder

• Friction, uncertainty, and fluidity create
  disorder
• CHAOS
• _at_! happens
• Chaos favors opportunistic will
• Influence the flow of action
• Do not try to control each event

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Complexity

• Tempo often too fast for one central commander to
  control. Information overload
• Even the most simple of plans has many, many
  moving parts (usually called Marines or
  Soldiers).
• We will not centralize decision making
• Call higher for permission or guidance when
  action must be taken
• Its why we have Commanders Intent
• Beirut unloaded weapons

11
Human Dimension

• Encompasses all of the failings and achievements
  of man.
• Violence, Danger, Fear
• Physical and Moral forces
• Stamina
• Fires
• Human will, instilled through leadership, is the
  driving force of all action in war.

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Human Dimension

• Any doctrine which attempts to reduce warfare to
  ratios of forces, weapons, and equipment neglects
  the impact of the human will on the conduct of
  war and is therefore inherently flawed.
• Robert McNamara

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Evolution of Warfare

• Nature of war remains
• Technology
• Weapons
• Communications
• Tactics/Operations/Strategy

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War as Policy

• Warfare will reflect (serve) policy
• Extreme Policy Motive Wars tendency toward
  destruction will be less hindered by political
  restrictions. (Japan the Big One)
• Limited Policy Motive Political considerations
  will restrict force application. (Beirut)
• Two approaches
• strategy of annihilation
• WWII
• strategy of erosion
• Iraq

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Spectrum of Conflict

• HIGH
• MEDIUM
• LOW
• MOOTW
• The Three Block War

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Levels of War

• Strategic
• National strategy
• Military strategy
• Operational
• Tactical

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Initiative vs. Response

• Initiative is not the same as OFFENSE
• Taking the initiative may mean digging in.
• Response is not the same as DEFENSE
• Your response to an act may be to attack.
• Which of the two concepts is stronger?

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Offense vs. Defense

• Offense striking power
• Defense resisting power
• Components of one another
• Culminating Point point where the offense runs
  out of gas and we assume a defensive posture.

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Styles of Warfare

• MANEUVER
• Blitzkrieg
• Inchon

• ATTRITION
• WW I
• Maginot Line
• USSR

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Combat Power

• Total force that can be brought to bear.
• Tangibles and intangibles

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Speed and Focus

• Speed is rapidity of action.
• Tempo is speed averaged over time
• Only RELATIVE speed matters
• Focus is the convergence of effects in time and
  space on an objective.
• Can achieve decisive local superiority for a
  numerically inferior force
• Involves risk
• Focus by all elements on the OBJECTIVE

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Surprise and Boldness

• Surprise (disorientation)
• Enemy awareness comes too late
• Adds to Combat Power because of psych effect
• Its not what we do its enemys reaction to
  what we do

• Boldness
• Unhesitating exploitation
• Must not be reckless use of assets

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Center of Gravity

• The whole enchilada, the big deal, the heart.
• An enemys source of strength.
• Which factors are critical to the enemy? Which
  can the enemy not do without? Which, if
  eliminated,will bend him most quickly to our will?

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Critical Vunerability

• An enemy source of weakness. A pathway to
  attacking a Center of Gravity.
• we should focus our efforts against a critical
  vulnerability, a vulnerability that, if
  exploited,will do the most significant damage to
  the enemys ability to resist us.

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Exploitation

• Taking advantage of any given situation, or
  better yet, taking advantage of the situation
  which YOU created.

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Review

• What is war?
• Concepts
• Friction
• Uncertainty
• Fluidity
• Human Dimension
• Spectrum of conflict and levels of war
• Maneuver vs attrition
• Critical vulnerability vs. center of gravity