Science, Strategy and War The Strategic Theory of ... - Boekje Pienter

gauged all the conditions indicated above…and if we have chosen the moment rightly,our victory is assured”.When the revolution has already become ripe, perseverance is in order. And again Boydquotes Lenin at length: “Never play with insurrection, but, when beginning it, firmly realizethat you must go to the end”. The decisive condition of success then is ‘concentration of themain forces of the revolution at the enemy’s most vulnerable spot at the decisive moment,when the offensive is going full-steam ahead, when insurrection is knocking at the door, andwhen bringing the reserves up to the vanguard’. Considering the limited resources you musttry to ‘take the enemy by surprise and seize the moment when his forces are scattered’. Suchconcentration and maintenance of the offensive is crucial, for the enemy ‘has the advantageof better preparation and organization. The defensive is the death of an armed rising’. ‘Youmust strive for daily successes even if small and at all costs retain the moral ascendancy’.The Blitzkrieg ConceptDiscovering similarities. Boyd next makes the conceptual connection between guerrillastrategy and Blitzkrieg, which at first sight is not an obvious one. For Boyd however the linkis obvious and lies in the mutual conceptual foundation in the ideas of Sun Tzu. Accordingto Boyd, both Blitzers and guerrillas ‘infiltrate a nation or regime at all levels to soften andshatter the moral fiber of the political, economic and social structure. Simultaneously, viadiplomatic, psychological, and various sub-rosa or other activities, they strip-away potentialallies thereby isolate intended victim(s) for forthcoming blows’. To carry out this program, ala Sun Tzu, Blitz and Guerrillas:- Probe and test adversary, and any allies that may rally to his side, in order tounmask strength, weaknesses, maneuvers, and intentions.- Exploit critical differences of opinion, internal contradictions, frictions, obsessions,etc., in order to foment mistrust, sow discord and shape both adversary’s and allies’perception of the world thereby:- Create atmosphere of ‘mental confusion, contradiction of feeling,indecisiveness, panic,”…- Manipulate or undermine adversary’s plans and actions.- Make it difficult, if not impossible, for allies to aid adversary during his time oftrial.The purpose of this is either to ‘force capitulation when combined with external political,economic, and military pressures, or to weaken the adversary to minimize his resistanceagainst military blows that will follow’ 69 .Then Boyd enters a long discussion on Blitzkrieg. For Boyd the Blitzkrieg conceptwas a rich source of ideas 70 . Boyd distilled the elements that produce shock and confusion69 Ibid, p.69.70 Boyd focusses here on the internal workings of Blitzkrieg in particular to discover, and argue for,the patterns of success of this method. In later presentations he develops the more encompassingnotion that organizational learning and evolution are important tools for continued success. Otherauthors have discussed Blitzkrieg as an example of organizational innovation and evolution,comparing the German case with the British and French solution to the same question facing planersand theorists during the Interbellum; what to do with tanks and aircraft. See for instance: WilliamsonMurray and Allan R. Millett, Military Innovation in the Interwar Period (Cambridge, 1996), in particularChapters 1 and 4.198