Operational Art Some Principles of Maritime Strategy and the Operational Employment of the U.S. Army’s Objective Force

<p>This monograph is about theory and the use of theory to develop doctrine. In light of the dramatic capabilities envisioned for the Objective Force the organized U.S. military mechanism of physical coercion and the dynamic operational environment that characterizes the world of 2002 land and naval theory is examined investigated and analyzed. A common perception is that maritime strategy and land strategy exist in discrete and separate spheres of knowledge. However closer analysis demonstrates that they do not exist as independent areas of study rather they are merely divisions in the overall art of war. To develop and illustrate this concept a general overview of the future threat/operational environment and the proposed characteristics and capabilities of the U.S. Army's Objective Force are presented. Manifest from this description of the Objective Force and the future threat an apparent analogy between the Objective Force and a naval force becomes evident even while it is increasingly apparent that technological advances are blurring the traditional distinctions between the divisions in the art of war - between land sea and air warfare. The functional divisions are becoming less distinct increasingly interrelated and integrated. Through this analogy to maritime operations the following two constructs or paradigms are proposed to help guide the development of doctrine in the theoretical employment of the U.S. Army's Objective Force. 1) The object or goal of Objective Force warfare is command of the white space in other words freedom of action. Objective Force commanders must act to retain and preserve freedom of action. This must be the theoretical basis for all doctrine. 2) The corollary of this is to preserve the force in being. Objective Force commanders must employ maritime concepts to understand and govern the reasoned concentration and dispersal of forces. In combination the concepts are related thusly the core object or goal of Obje</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>