Posted on 05/03/2002 11:03:35 PM PDT by PsyOp
ATTACK
Once at the enemy, you should not aspire to just strike him, but to cling after the attack. - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings. 1645.
The moment the enemy relaxes, attack strongly and quickly. - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings. 1645.
When the enemy makes a quick attack, you must attack strongly and calmly aim for his weak point as he draws near, and strongly defeat him. - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings. 1645.
Attack in an unsuspected manner, knowing his metre and modulation and the appropriate timing. - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings. 1645.
In strategy your spiritual bearing must not be any different from normal. Both in fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm. - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings. 1645.
When you cannot be deceived by men you will have realized the wisdom of strategy. - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings, 1645.
When you have attained the way of strategy there will not be one thing that you cannot understand. - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings, 1645.
You must force the enemy into unconventional situations. - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings, 1645.
You must win by seizing upon the enemy's disorder and derangement, and by not according him even a little of recovery. - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings, 1645.
Attack where his spirit is lax, throw him into confusion, irritate and terrify him. Take advantage of the enemy's rhythm when he is unsettled and you can win. - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings, 1645.
If the enemy remains spirited it is difficult to crush him... - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings, 1645.
Examine your environment. - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings, 1645.
It is said the warrior’s is the twofold way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both ways. - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings. 1645.
In strategy, fixing the eyes means gazing at the man's heart. - Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings, 1645.
When you have attained the way of strategy there will not be one thing that you cannot under Bp
High praise indeed... and from a Jar-Head no less. I Am Honored! I am humbled <;-]
Musashi's Book is not very long. And while there is more quoatable material in it, I was concentrating on the more military related ones.
I would suggest Clausewitz's On War. Be sure though that you are buying a book that is his complete text. There are several books out there there that are simply analysis of his works as opposed to his comlete text of On War. On the other hand, they also include writings from his many letters and military articles.
I would also include Machiavelli's Prince. It is a good compliment to Clausewitz's take on politics as war.
And then there is Patton. He did not publish any books while he lived, but there compilations of his many letters, published military orders, and diaries. One called War As I Knew It, was published by his wife a few years after the war. A much more complete work The Patton Papers (two vols.) is also available.
Thanks!
"If the enemy remains spirited it is difficult to crush him..." - Miyamoto Musashi.
I think you would find that we and the British are keeping most of these principles in mind with regard to these operations. Keep in mind though, that Musashi's principles are those of single combat for the most part. The Warrior as an individual with complete freedom of action.
In Afghanistan, it would be more appropriate to apply Clausewitz - War is nothing more than the continuation of politics by other means. Wherein politics decide strategy as much as military necessity. As distasteful as that fact often is, leading as it does to doing, or not doing, things that pure military strategy would dictate, politics and war are often insepparable.
Philosphies of military strategy can be roughly divided into two categories. The first would be those that apply to single combat or small unit actions, like Musashi. The second are those that apply to the conduct of wars in the larger sense, like Clausewitz. A big mistake I see made rather frequently is when someone criticizes our military strategy with valid, but mis-applied quotes and maxims, as if all could be applied universally in all cases.
There are two different view point on military strategy. One is that of a warrior, whose ultimate purpose is to win a glorious victory in a war. Certain warrior mores and mentality find their ways into their strategy. Its objective is to set up a one great victorious war.
On the other hand, the other is that of a ruler, who rules over his domain. In this case, it matters less on how glorious the win is as long as his army wins. He does not have to win a war if he can do it in other means. Or avoid it and still prevail. In this point of view, military strategy becomes combination of intelligence, sabotage, PsyOp, geopolitics, management of war materials, and actual fighting strategy itself. Sun-Tzu belongs to this group. His strategy is to deliver a (not necessarily military) victory in most efficient manner, which sometimes is not compatible to warrior ethos.
I am not sure where I should place Clausewicz. He is between the these two poles, leaning closer to warrior ethos according to my guess.
"Principles and opinions can seldom reduce the path of reason to a simple line. As in all practical matters, a certain latitude always remains." - Karl von Clausewitz, On War, 1832.
I would have to agree with all of what you said. I think that Clausewitz was trying to show both the military types who were all about the military ethos, and politicos, who wanted to achieve political victory by any means, that both had their part to play in the drama of national conflict. That both must be taken into account by both the military and political leadership, working together, to achieve national ends. And to achieve them with minimal military and political cost.
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