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

In light of his previous observation on the importance of the ability to adapt to change, it is anoteworthy slide for it lists effects, which show an increasing level of erosion of the state ofmental/moral coherence with the subsequent decreasing capability to cope and respondadequately. In addition, he returns to the theme of fast transients and the Darwinianperspective he started Patterns of Conflict with.In the following figure these terms have been arranged so as to depict the causalchain that is formed by the induced effects, according to Boyd’s slide. The dotted boxesindicate the desired ultimate effects, the ultimate aim.AmbiguityDeceptionNoveltyFast-transient man’s(maneuvers, events, states)Effort (threat)DisorientationSurprise shock DisruptioncollapseparalysisLoss ofcohesionFor Boyd, this still does not sufficiently capture the essence of maneuver conflict. Heincreases the emphasis on the theme of adaptability when he states next that ‘shock andsurprise can also be regarded as an overload caused by a welter of threatening events beyondone’s mental or physical ability to respond and adapt or endure’. This results in a slightlyamended version of the slide above. It contains two notable differences. It not only regardsdisorientation the only element affecting adaptability, but now also the element of overloaddue to ‘a welter of threatening events’. So adaptability is affected not only by ambiguousinformation and uncertainty, but is also compounded by fear due to threatening events.Moreover, Boyd modifies his aim. The employment of the various elements ofmaneuver conflict may not directly result in collapse, as one may have interpreted hisstatement on the “aim of maneuver conflict”. In stead, he considers it equally valuable to aimfor the creation of many isolated remnant of enemy forces that can later be mopped up. Inlight of the critique that Boyd, like Sun Tzu expects victory through merely going throughOODA cycles more rapidly, this is not a trivial transition.212