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

Maneuver conflict. Notwithstanding the fact that his summary of maneuver warfare isonly 4 slides long, this synthesis offers new insights. Boyd describes it in new terms allowinghim to make a leap to a characterization that transcends the historical connection to WW IIBlitzkrieg. He deliberately raises the level of abstraction and inserts his theme of adaptabilityto recast maneuver warfare in yet another mold giving new meaning to his previouslydiscussed key elements.He offers three observations regarding maneuver. First, ‘ambiguity, deception,novelty, and violence (or threat thereof) are used to generate surprise and shock. Second, fireand movement are used in combination, like Cheng/Chi’i or Nebenpunkte/Schwerpunkt, totie-up, divert or drain-away the adversary’s attention and strength in order to expose as wellas menace and exploit vulnerabilities or weaknesses elsewhere. A final point is thatindications of success tend to be qualitative and are related to the widespread onset ofconfusion and disorder, frequent envelopments, high prisoner counts or any otherphenomena that suggest inability to adapt to change’ 104 . Again in one slide he paints animpression of the essence of maneuver conflict 105 :Create, Exploit, and MagnifyEssence of Maneuver ConflictPayoffAmbiguityAlternative or competing impressions of events as theymay or may not be.DeceptionAn impression of events as they are not.NoveltyImpressions associated with events/ideas that areunfamiliar or have not been experienced before.Fast Transient ManeuversIrregular and rapid/abrupt shift from one maneuverevent/state to another.DisorientationMismatch between events one (seemingly)observes or anticipates and events (orefforts) he must react or adapt to.SurpriseDisorientation generated by perceivingextreme change (of events or efforts) overa short period of time.ShockParalyzing state of disorientation generatedby extreme or violent change (of events orefforts) over a short period of time.Effort (Cheng/Ch'I or Nebenpunkte/schwerpunkt)An expenditure of energy or an irruption of violence -focused into, or thru, features that permit an organicwhole to exist.DisruptionState of being split-apart, broken-up, ortorn asunder.AimGenerate many non-cooperative centers of gravity, as well as to disorient or disrupt those that theadversary depends upon, in order to magnify friction, shatter cohesion, produce paralysis and bringabout his collapse.104 Ibid, p.114.105 Ibid, p.115.211