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Making Strategy

Making Strategy. War: Carl Von Clausewitz. “War is an extension of politics by other means.” ~ Carl von Clausewitz. Overview. Definitions Doctrine National Objectives Grand Strategy Military Strategy Operational Strategy Battlefield Strategy Influences on the Strategy Process.

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Making Strategy

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  1. Making Strategy

  2. War: Carl Von Clausewitz “War is an extension of politics by other means.” ~ Carl von Clausewitz

  3. Overview • Definitions • Doctrine • National Objectives • Grand Strategy • Military Strategy • Operational Strategy • Battlefield Strategy • Influences on the Strategy Process

  4. Definitions • Policy—Guidance that is directive or instructive, stating what is to be accomplished • Objectives and rules of engagement • Mutable and often changes

  5. Definitions • Strategy—The art and science of coordinating the development, deployment, and employment of military forces to achieve national security objectives

  6. Definitions • Doctrine—A statement of officially sanctioned beliefs, war-fighting principles, and terminology that describes and guides the proper use of military forces in support of national objectives • How a job should be done • Evolves from experience and theory • Authoritative, but unlike policy, not directive

  7. Doctrine • Common frame of reference • Shapes how AF organizes, trains, equips, and sustains • Prepares us for future uncertainties • Used with judgment • Political, economic, or social situation may dictate departure from doctrine

  8. National Objectives • The fundamental aims, goals, or purposes of a nation toward which a policy is directed, and efforts & resources are applied • Three Levels of Interest • Vital • Major • Peripheral

  9. National Objectives • Vital Interests—Broad, overriding importance to the survival, safety, and vitality of our nation • State is not willing to compromise on • State is generally willing to go to war to protect

  10. National Objectives • Major interests—Affect our national well-being • May use force…not normally necessary • Peacekeeping operations • Reconnaissance missions

  11. National Objectives • Peripheral Interests—Our nation may act because our values demand it • Response to disasters • Human rights violations • Environmental protection

  12. National Objectives • Interests are often intertwined • Vietnam? • Kosovo? • Iraq? • Afghanistan?

  13. SSG pg. 97

  14. Grand Strategy • Development & use of ALL national power instruments and the coordination of these instruments • Diplomatic • Information • Military • Economic

  15. Grand Strategy Players • President • Congress • National Media • Interest groups/Public opinion

  16. Current Military Strategy • Strategic Objectives • Achieving Our Objectives • Managing Risk

  17. Current Military Strategy • To support the NSS and provide enduring security for the American people, the Department has five key objectives: • Defend the Homeland • Win the Long War • Promote Security • Deter Conflict • Win our Nation’s Wars

  18. Current Military Strategy • We will achieve our objectives by… • Shaping the choices of key states; • Preventing adversaries from acquiring or using WMD; • Strengthening and expanding alliances & partnerships; • Securing US strategic access and retaining freedom of action; and, • Integrating and unifying our efforts

  19. Current Military Strategy • Managing Risk • Operational • Future Challenges • Force Management • Institutional

  20. Operational Strategy • The art and science of planning, orchestrating, and directing military campaigns within a theater of operations to achieve national security objectives

  21. Operational Strategy • What does it do? • Links the national level concerns of military strategy with battlefield concerns of tactics • Levels of operational strategy • Combined campaigns • Joint campaigns • Component campaigns

  22. Operational Strategy • Orchestration of all military efforts in the theater • Goal is to win the theater war • Achieve the military objective • Military objective contributes to the achievement of a political objective

  23. Battlefield Stategy (Tactics) • The art and science of employing forces on the battlefield to achieve national security objectives

  24. Battlefield Strategy • Dynamic level of operations • Difficult to talk about in general terms • nuclear war • operations other than war • conventional war • space war • information war • urban warfare • desert war • the list goes on......

  25. Points to Remember… • National objectives drive the process • Protect/achieve vital national interests • Grand Strategy incorporates and/or coordinates all the instruments of national power…not just military • Military Strategy supports national objectives • Must support higher (grand) strategy • Operational and Battlefield Strategy must be flexible • Several influences on the strategy process

  26. Summary • Definitions • Doctrine • National Objectives • Grand Strategy • Military Strategy • Operational Strategy • Battlefield Strategy • Influences on the Strategy Process

  27. “If the world is to have ONE superpower, thank God it is the United States of America.” ~ Gen Khalid, Saudi Arabia

  28. QUESTIONS?

  29. Homework • Prepare for Lesson # 14 • Principles of War

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