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 types of combat, success is often measured by the number of opposing combatants killed, equipment destroyed and territory seized. There is little creativity deployed on the battlefield. With a shock and awe strategy, however, enemy forces tend to panic and retreat. This gives ample room for the attacking forces to reoccupy pre seized territory and achieve their objectives.
Napoleon is one of the generals who are recorded in history as being successful in the deployment of this strategy in war. It is a known fact that he was able to overwhelm armies that were numerically superior. In his approach, he would charge rapidly against his enemies, leaving them shocked and immobile while at it.
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.
At the turn of the mid 19th century, movement became heavily mechanized, thereby complicating matters for armies that relied on this strategy. Almost every army had the ability to launch rapid attacks. To counter this development, an additional plan was included to maneuver attacks. Troops would quickly encircle their adversaries and obliterate their strong points, leaving them incapacitated in the process.
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 types of combat, success is often measured by the number of opposing combatants killed, equipment destroyed and territory seized. There is little creativity deployed on the battlefield. With a shock and awe strategy, however, enemy forces tend to panic and retreat. This gives ample room for the attacking forces to reoccupy pre seized territory and achieve their objectives.
Napoleon is one of the generals who are recorded in history as being successful in the deployment of this strategy in war. It is a known fact that he was able to overwhelm armies that were numerically superior. In his approach, he would charge rapidly against his enemies, leaving them shocked and immobile while at it.
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.
At the turn of the mid 19th century, movement became heavily mechanized, thereby complicating matters for armies that relied on this strategy. Almost every army had the ability to launch rapid attacks. To counter this development, an additional plan was included to maneuver attacks. Troops would quickly encircle their adversaries and obliterate their strong points, leaving them incapacitated in the process.
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.
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