Sound Military Decision - Naval War College

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in War—Military Operations—Salient Features—The Fundamental Military Principle—Corollaries. IV The Application of the Fundamental Military Principle (Objectives—Their Selection and Attainment) 43 The Basis for Solution of a Military Problem—The Major Components of a Military Problem—Essential Elements—Selection of Correct Military Objectives—Determination of Effective Military Operations—Physical Objectives—Relative Positions—Apportionment of Fighting Strength—Freedom of Action—Summary. V The Four Steps in the Solution of a Military Problem 79 A Situation—The Incentive—The Assigned Objective—The Motivating Task—The Natural Mental Processes—The Approach to the Solution—The First Step—The Basic Problem—Tasks—The Mission—Survey of Factors of Fighting Strength—Courses of Action—Reflective Thinking—Naval Operations—Analysis and Selection of Courses of Action—The Decision—The Second Step—The Third Step—The Fourth Step—Sequence of Events in the Four Steps—The Use of a Form in the Solution of Problems—Conclusion. *PART II. THE EXERCISE OF PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT IN PLANNING. VI The Selection of a Correct Objective (Including the Determination, in Proper Detail, of the Action Required for its Attainment) The First Step—The Solution of a Basic Problem (The Estimate of the Situation) 117 Process of solving a Problem—Sections of the Estimate Form—Establishment of the Basis for Solution of the Problem—Determination of Suitable, Feasible, and Acceptable Courses of Action—Examination into the Capabilities of the Enemy—Selection of the Best Course of Action—The Decision. VII The Resolution of the Required Action into Detailed Operations (The Second Step—The Solution of Subsidiary Problems) 155 Assumptions—Alternative Plans—Application of the Essential Elements of a Favorable Military Operation—Testing for Suitability, Feasibility, and Acceptability—Formulation of Tasks—Organization of Task Groups—Application of the Fundamental Military Principle to the Determination of Objectives embodied in Tasks—Assembly of Measures for Freedom of Action—Preparation of Subsidiary Plans. *PART III. THE EXERCISE OF PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT IN THE EXECUTION OF THE PLAN VIII The Inauguration of the Planned Action (The Third Step—The Formulation and Issue of Directives) 183 Scope of the Third Step—Military Plans and Military Directives—Essentials of Military Directives—Restatement of the Decision—Standard Forms for Plans and Directives—The Order Form—Types of Naval Directives. IX The Supervision of the Planned Action (The Fourth Step) 197 Nature of the Discussion—Goal of Planning—Importance of Execution—The Incentive—Conditions in War—Recognition of New Problems—Nature of Readjustments Required—Importance of the Will of the Commander—Problems Involving Modification of the Basic Plan—Problems Challenging Integrity of Basic Plan—Further Procedure Applicable to such Problems of the Fourth Step—The Running Estimate of the Situation—Journal and Work Sheet—Special Remarks as to Entries—Summary. *CONCLUSION 217 *APPENDIX Outline Form of an Operation Plan 219 Tabular Form of the Estimate of the Situation 222 *INDEX 227 * Not included in the limited issue for use in Part I of the Correspondence Course.

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      From the earliest days of recorded history, the facts associated with military operations of the past have been constantly studied. The result has been the accumulation of a mass of information from which conclusions have been drawn as to the causes of success and failure. Although scattered through countless volumes, and nowhere completely systematized and classified, this accepted body of knowledge constitutes the basis for the science of war.

      Scientific investigation—that is, the collection, verification, and classification of facts—follows the recurrent procedure of successive analysis, hypothesis, theory, and test. The application of this process to the campaigns of history reveals fundamentals common to all, irrespective of whether the sphere of action has been land, sea, or air. In the ceaseless struggle for supremacy between the offense and the defense, great technological changes have taken place. The successful conduct of war, however, has always depended on effective operations for the creation or maintenance of favorable military situations, whose essential elements have remained unchanged throughout the years (see page 46).

      These fundamental considerations (see page 28), whatever the detailed form of their presentation, are the basis for the successful conduct of war. The need of such a basis has been felt from very early times. It was not, however, until the early part of the Nineteenth Century that students of warfare appear to have recorded the view that the conduct of war is susceptible of reduction to scientific analysis, and that only through a reasoned theory can the true causes of success and failure be explained.

      Such a scientific analysis of any subject has for its chief practical aim the improvement of the art, or practice, of that subject. Forming an important part of the science of war are those new developments in weapons and in other technological fields which, with the passage of time, have brought about great changes in methods of waging war. It is only through founding the art of war—the application of the science of war to actual military situations—on the fundamental truths discovered through the science of war, that changes

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