★★★ 18 minutes Modern varieties of geopolitical theory are abundant and often conflicting. Anglo-American and German approaches tend toward a geographically oriented outlook that tends to see politics at work within a geographical setting that is, if not strictly deterministic, at least very influential (the classic theories of Halford Mackinder certainly fit this characterization), whereas... Continua a leggere →
The Israeli Experience: The Apogee of Blitzkrieg
★★★ 33 minutes "Commanders seize the initiative by acting . Without action, seizing the initiative is impossible. Faced with an uncertain situation, there is a natural tendency to hesitate and gather more information to reduce uncertainty. Waiting and gathering information might reduce uncertainty, but does not eliminate it. Waiting may even increase uncertainty while providing... Continua a leggere →
Strategy, Tactics, Logistics and Invention [ed.1917]
9 minutes Perhaps no four words are more vaguely understood than the four words that head this page. Strategy comes from two Greek words: stratos, an army, and agein, to lead. These two words were combined in the Greek language to form the word strategos, which we translate by the word "general." Among the many... Continua a leggere →
La potenza di fuoco come rivoluzione della “battle effectiveness” settecentesca
13 minuti In un articolo precedente [1] ho trattato – sommariamente e senza la pretesa di essere esaustivo – quella rottura di faglia che furono le Small Wars ed il loro impatto sugli esercizi e sulle loro dottrine di impiego. Circa un secolo prima di questa lenta e diluita “rivoluzione”, dai risvolti non subito evidenti,... Continua a leggere →
La guerra russo-giapponese (1904-1905)
★★ La guerra del 1904-1905 tra Russia e Giappone fu uno dei conflitti più importanti degli inizi del XX secolo. Ciò ebbe notevoli conseguenze politiche (ad esempio la rivoluzione in Russia dopo la sconfitta), ma cosa ancora più importante, la natura degli scontri prefigurava, in un dettaglio, quella degli scontri della guerra del 1914-1918, un... Continua a leggere →
Mongols and Maneuver Warfare (II)
30 minutes The Mongol Invasion of Europe "The greatest happiness is to vanquish your enemies, to chase them before you, to rob them of their wealth, to see those dear to them bathed in tears, to clasp to your bosom their wives and daughters." Genghis Khan In 1227, Genghis Khan died at the age of... Continua a leggere →
Mongols and Maneuver Warfare (I)
21 minutes Introduction Genghis Khan was born sometime between 1155 and 1167 (some sources place 1162 as the date, but there is no confirmation) into the Borjigin clan on the bank of the Onon River, east of Lake Baikal. He was born with the name Temujin (or Temuchin, based on which source you use), which... Continua a leggere →
Replacing Battleships with Aircraft Carriers in the Pacific in World War II (II)
★★★★ 29 minutes Lundstrom quotes Captain Duckworth as saying that the essential tactical lessons for using multiple carriers had been demonstrated in 1942 and that “all we did was apply them in the summer & fall of 1943.” [55] But two other oftenunmentioned developments were essential if multicarrier U.S. task forces were to raid far... Continua a leggere →
Replacing Battleships with Aircraft Carriers in the Pacific in World War II (I)
★★★★ This is a case study of operational and tactical innovation in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Its purpose is to erase a myth—the myth that Navy tactical and operational doctrine existing at the time of Pearl Harbor facilitated a straightforward substitution of carriers for the battleship force that had been severely damaged... Continua a leggere →
La Sicile dans la stratégie carthaginoise durant la guerre d’Hannibal
40 minutes Concernant les guerres puniques, les études ne manquent pas qui décrivent les mouvements de troupes, les innovations tactiques, les implications politiques et économiques ou les motivations des deux cités pour entrer en guerre[1]. Cependant, rares sont les analyses concernant la stratégie à long terme de Carthage, en tenant compte de son double statut... Continua a leggere →
