At a basic level, military strategy covers the planning and conduct of campaigns, the movement and disposition of forces, and the deception of enemies. There are numerous military strategies, including attrition warfare, counter-insurgency, expeditionary warfare, total war, irregular warfare, and siege warfare. Attrition warfare is a strategy where one side wears down the other side through incessant attacks. Counter-insurgency includes tactics used in a wide variety of environments, to combat rebels in their terrain and attempt to weaken their support base. Expeditionary warfare involves military operations that are conducted outside of the states territory. Total war is a strategy where a belligerent uses its entire resources, including population and industry, in order to achieve victory. Irregular warfare refers to warfare conduct by non-state combatants that do not follow traditional military conventions or laws. Finally, siege warfare involves surrounding an area, such as a city or fortress, and using aggressive measures such as bombardment and blockades in order to capture it.
Throughout history, some military strategies have been successful and have come to be seen as general principles for commanders. One such example is the strategy of “concentration of force”, which involves concentrating larger forces of an army in a single location in order to overwhelm the enemy. This strategy was implemented by generals such as Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, and Napoleon Bonaparte. Additionally, a strategy of “maneuver” has been used in warfare to outmaneuver the enemy and use mobility to gain an advantage. This strategy was implemented by generals such as Ulysses S. Grant.
A third general principle of war is “surprise.” This involves catching the enemy unawares and using unexpected tactics in order to gain an advantage. This strategy was famously employed by Hannibal Barca when he crossed the Alps and surprised the Romans by attacking them from the north. “Economy of force” is a strategy where a commander uses fewer forces to concentrate on key points, thus allowing them to maximize the effect of their forces. This strategy was famously used by General George Washington during the Revolutionary War.
Finally, a strategy known as “grand tactics” focuses on the actual use of battlefields to gain an advantage. This strategy involves creating a strategy to face the enemy on their own ground and using terrain, natural obstacles and other aspects of battlefields to gain an advantage. This strategy was famously used by General Erwin Rommel during World War II.
In conclusion, throughout history there have been numerous strategies proven to be effective and that have come to be seen as general principles for commanders. Examples include the strategies of “concentration of force”, “maneuver”, “surprise”, “economy of force” and “grand tactics.” These strategies can be used to gain an advantage over the enemy and allow commanders to maximize the efficiency of their forces.
