FM 100-5 Operations - Survival Ebooks Military Manuals Survival ...

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMFM 100-5WillWill is the disposition to act toward achievementof a desired end state. It is an expression of determination,the articulation of choice and desire. A platoontakes the hill because it wants to take the hill.The squad defends its position because it wants to holdthe position.War is a contest of wills. Combat power is theproduct of military forces and their will to fight. Whenwill is lacking, so is combat power; when will is strong,it multiplies the effectiveness of military forces.Ultimately, the focus of all combat operations mustbe the enemy’s will. Break his will and he is defeated.When he no longer wants to fight, he cannot fight.Conversely, if his will remains strong, even thoughphysically weakened and materially depleted, he remainsa formidable opponent.Leaders are the main source of will. They inspiretheir soldiers with the desire to win, to accomplish themission, and to persevere in the face of all difficulties.When the will of the enemy commander is broken, hisforce quickly disintegrates. Analyzing and attackingthe underpinnings of his will therefore is key to victory.Concepts of Theater and Operational DesignSeveral key concepts of campaign design guidetheater- and operational-level planners in their efforts.These include how to address the center of gravity,lines of operation, decisive points, and the culminatingpoint.Center of Gravity. The center of gravity is thehub of all power and movement upon which everythingdepends. It is that characteristic, capability, orlocation from which enemy and friendly forces derivetheir freedom of action, physical strength, or will tofight. Several traditional examples of a potential centerof gravity include the mass of the enemy army, theenemy’s battle command structure, public opinion,national will, and an alliance or coalition structure.The concept of a center of gravity is useful as an analyticaltool to cause the joint commander and his staffto think about their own and the enemy’s sources ofstrength as they design the campaign and determineits objectives.The essence of operational art lies in being able tomass effects against the enemy’s main source ofpower—his center of gravity, which he seeks to protect.At any given time, however, a center of gravitymay not be immediately discernible. For example,the center of gravity might concern the mass of enemyunits, but that mass might not yet be formed. Additionally,the center of gravity may be abstract, suchas the enemy’s national will or an alliance structure,or concrete, such as strategic reserves, C2, or industrialbases and LOCs.The Iraqi Republican Guard is a good example.Although not located in Kuwait, it was the real sourceof power necessary for Iraq to hold that country. Thedestruction of the Republican Guard was seen as thecenter of gravity for achieving the strategic goal ofremoving the Iraqi forces from Kuwait. The eventualdestruction of elements of the Republican Guard inthe Kuwaiti theater of operations led to the withdrawalof Iraqi forces and limited their capability to return.The initial analysis of the enemy’s center of gravityrequires constant reappraisal during both planning andexecution. It may develop or change during the courseof the campaign.Lines of Operation. Lines of operation representa second concept for operational design. Theydefine the directional orientation of the force in timeand space in relation to the enemy. They connect theforce with its base of operations and its objectives.A force operates on interior lines when its operationsdiverge from a central point and when it is thereforecloser to separate enemy forces than the latter areto one another. Interior lines benefit a weaker forceby allowing it to shift the main effort laterally morerapidly than the enemy. A force operates on exteriorlines when its operations converge on the enemy. Successfuloperations on exterior lines require a strongerforce but offer the opportunity to encircle and annihilatea weaker opponent.In modern war, lines of operation attain a threedimensionalaspect and pertain to more than just maneuver.Commanders use them to focus combat powertoward a desired end. They apply combat powerthroughout the three dimensions of space and over timein a logical design that integrates firepower, PSYOP,deception, special operations, and maneuver forces toconverge upon and defeat the enemy center of gravity.Decisive Points. Decisive points provide commanderswith a marked advantage over the enemy andgreatly influence the outcome of an action. Decisivepoints are often geographical in nature, such as a hill,a town, or a base of operations. They could alsoinclude6-7