The Miaodao (Corn Leaf Saber) is another design by Sifu Adam Hsu. This graceful sword is very quick at well under 2 lbs. and the grooved high-carbon blade hisses beautifully in the cutting stroke. The grip is bound in rattan to avoid slipping. For students qualified to use a live blade, the sword is well suited to both Miaodao form and martial applications. Key Features: * High-Carbon Blade * Rattan Handle * Exceptional Balance Specifications: Blade length: 30 �� Handle length: 12 3/4� Overall length: 43 1/2� Weight: 1lb 13oz Point of Balance: 4" Width at Guard: 1.23" Width at Tip: .78" Thickness at Guard: .22" Thickness at Tip: .19" Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.
Price: 199.99
Designed by world-renowned Chinese martial arts master Sifu Adam Hsu, these Chinese straight swords (Jian) are becoming the weapon of choice in the Tai Chi community. Functionality, weight and balance are paramount considerations in Sifu Hsu�s designs, while Hanwei�s quality and workmanship give the swords a graceful and pleasing appearance. The blades are crafted in high-carbon spring steel and have a pronounced center ridge and distal taper, producing exactly the right degree of stiffness and a very audible hiss in the cutting stroke. The Ming-style steel guards have an embossed Dragon symbol, while the open-ended pommels facilitate the fitting of a tassel. The Jians are available with the grips and scabbards made from either fiberglass (Single-hand SH2269A,B,C and D, Double-hand SH2278) for extreme durability or exotic wood (SH2313A,B,C and D) for the traditionalist. A unique feature is the �duck-bill lock� in the bottom of the scabbard that securely holds the sword in place. The single-hand sword is available in four blade sizes SH2269A, SH2313A � 28�, SH2269B, SH2313B � 30�, SH2269C, SH2313C � 32� and SH2269D, SH2313D � 34�. The two-hand Jian (SH2278) features a 36� blade and an 11� grip. With a weight of slightly less than 2 lbs. this long sword handles beautifully. Key Features: * High-carbon spring steel * Ming-style guard * Fiberglass Handle Specifications: Blade length: 35 3/4 Handle length: 12 3/4 Overall length: 49 Weight: 2lb Point of Balance: 4" Width at Guard: 1.08" Width at Tip: .67" Thickness at Guard: .325" Thickness at Tip: .08" Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.
Price: 199.99
The Practical Side Sword (SH2279) uses the same hilt as the sharp version, but carries a sparring blade designed for safety. Side sword sparring, in both sword & buckler and sword & dagger modes is becoming increasingly popular with many proponents among the ranks of the various Renaissance societies. KEY FEATURES: * Authentic Styling * Safe Sparring * Excellent Balance MEASUREMENTS: OVERALL LENGTH: 42 1/2" WEIGHT: 2lbs 11oz
Price: 169.99
Butterfly Swords (or Eight-Cutting Swords) are believed to have been developed by Shaolin monks as a concealable defensive weapon, used to disable rather than kill, which was prohibited by the monk�s code of conduct. The use of butterfly swords has since been honed to a fine art by martial artists, particularly the Wing Chun & Hung Gar styles of Southern China, where precision and two-sword coordination are emphasized. The CAS Hanwei Butterfly Swords Sets feature high-carbon tempered steel blades with traditional dragon engraving. The SH2067 set features leather wrapped grips and steel guards, decorated in a dragon motif. This same motif is repeated on the fittings of the double scabbard. This set includes a wall plaque for display of the swords. Our SH2293 set features rattan wrapped grips and solid brass guards decorated in a Lotus Flower scroll pattern, repeated on the fittings of the double scabbard, which is encased in exquisitely woven rattan.
Key Features:
Authentic Design
Genuine Rattan Wrapping
High-Carbon Blade
Specifications:
Blade length: 10
Handle length: 4 1/2
Overall length: 14 3/4
Weight: 1lb
Thickness at Guard: .235 Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.
Our Paper Crane Daisho (SH2294-Katana / SH2328-Wakizashi) is without doubt the greatest achievement in sword making artistry yet available from Hanwei. The blade is crafted from Hanwei�s own Tamahagane steel (see below) while the fittings reflect the atmosphere of the Japanese theater. The Daisho�s name stems from the origami (the art of paper folding) cranes that decorate the striking Tsuba and Fuchi/Kashira, all of which feature highly-prized �Nanako� or stippled backgrounds. The Menuki feature thespian masks, a symbol shared by the Japanese theater and its western counterpart. The Saya of the katana houses a Kozuka (small knife) while that of the Wakizashi carries a Kogai (hair pick) The Kozuka and Kogai are decorated with musical instruments of the theater. The Paper Crane theme is carried to the outstanding hand woven silk Sageo, the result of many hours of skilled work on a hand loom.
Tamahagane steel is made by building and firing a Tatara, the traditional Japanese sword-steel smelter. This charcoal- fired furnace produces a very pure steel from iron sand, and this steel �Kera� or bloom can be broken and separated into high- and low-carbon pieces, which respectively form the skin steel and core steel of the blade. The skin steel is forged and folded repeatedly, to remove slag inclusions and voids and is then wrapped around the core steel before the resulting billet is forged into a blade. Careful heat treating, shaping and polishing reveals the tight �Hada� or layer pattern of the blade and the white particles of the �Hamon� or temper line. While this process results in the aesthetic qualities much admired by collectors it also produces a very functional blade, as the high carbon content of the skin steel makes a very hard edge possible while the softer core steel gives the blade its resilience and ability to absorb shock.
From the master swordsmiths of the Hanwei forge comes the Qi Jian, a re-creation of an ancient design that utilized one-piece forging. The entire sword, from pommel to tip, has been forged from a single billet of steel. This forging technique provides unparalleled strength and balance while exhibiting a clear, bell-like tone when lightly struck. The sword�s name originates with the Qi nation, one of the many warring states that eventually formed modern China. Legend has it that Feng-Xuan, one of the Qi people and a central character in a well known folk tale, possessed such a one piece sword and would use its ringing quality to accompany his singing. The sword�s grip is rayskin wrapped, a feature matched by the wrap on the throat of the scabbard, making for a stunningly beautiful presentation.
Qi Jian Forging Process -
Above you can see two of the many steps required in creating this exceptional one-piece sword. The first shows the basic sword shape after rough forging. While it�s size and weight are considerably more than the finished Qi Jian the forging already exhibits the exceptional balance this design allows. From the rough forging the blade and hilt are further shaped into the finished pattern. After an antique patina is formed on the guard and pommel, the blade is polished and the Qi Jian is fitted with the only piece not made from one steel billet - the genuine ray skin handle wrap. Truly a unique piece.
Hanwei continues to push the envelope with its forging capability in the Trondheim sword, produced as a one-piece forging in pattern-welded high-carbon steel. Patterned after swords that have been discovered in the area around Trodheim, Norway, the sword exhibits early ninth-century styling, a time when the Norwegian Vikings were pillaging Britain and Ireland. The beauty of the blade is matched by the grip and scabbard, both of which are wrapped in top-grain leather, engraved in a classic Viking motif.
The Practical Scramasax has been produced in response to many requests from Viking re-enactors. Its 12 �� blade, with a rounded tip and 1/16� wide edge, make it an ideal secondary weapon. A horizontal-carry scabbard is provided.
CAS Hanwei now has four exciting versions of the stick sword of Zatoichi, the legendary blind Samurai. The ever-popular black SH1014, with its fully tempered carbon steel blade is now joined by the SH2298, featuring the same blade but with the red lacquered scabbard seen in many of Zatoichi�s screen adventures. The SH2267 features a fully-forged straight Katana blade, housed in a natural hardwood scabbard and handle combination, while the superbly folded blade of the SH2114 makes a welcome return housed in exquisite rosewood. Thickness at Guard: .25" Thickness at Tip: .19"
Price: 199.99
The Yari was an essential battlefield weapon of the Samurai and took great skill to use and maneuver due to its length and size. We now have two Yari designs, both based on originals dating to feudal Japan. Both blades are forged in T-10 high-carbon steel and are triangulated and double-edged with a deep fuller on the flat side of the blade. Differential tempering results in a clear hamon on each edge. The tangs are long to absorb the shock of a blow and the one-piece staff construction reinforces the durability of the spear.
Both of our yari are modeled after the su-yari or �straight-spear� design. The shafts (ebu) are finished in a deep black lacquer and have a flattened side at the bottom section for blade orientation. The fittings (koshirae) follow distinctive traditional designs. The popular SH2152 Yari features a long (16-3/4�) blade while that of the new SH2312 is more compact at 11� long, making for a faster weapon. The SH2312 Yari also features a rattan wrapped section at the upper grip, making this a visually stunning piece. Both Yaris are provided with black lacquered sheaths (saya).
Designed by world-renowned Chinese martial arts master Sifu Adam Hsu, these Chinese straight swords (Jian) are becoming the weapon of choice in the Tai Chi community. Functionality, weight and balance are paramount considerations in Sifu Hsu�s designs, while Hanwei�s quality and workmanship give the swords a graceful and pleasing appearance. The blades are crafted in high-carbon spring steel and have a pronounced center ridge and distal taper, producing exactly the right degree of stiffness and a very audible hiss in the cutting stroke. The Ming-style steel guards have an embossed Dragon symbol, while the open-ended pommels facilitate the fitting of a tassel. The Jians are available with the grips and scabbards made from either fiberglass (Single-hand SH2269A,B,C and D, Double-hand SH2278) for extreme durability or exotic wood (SH2313A,B,C and D) for the traditionalist. A unique feature is the �duck-bill lock� in the bottom of the scabbard that securely holds the sword in place. The single-hand sword is available in four blade sizes SH2269A, SH2313A � 28�, SH2269B, SH2313B � 30�, SH2269C, SH2313C � 32� and SH2269D, SH2313D � 34�. The two-hand Jian (SH2278) features a 36� blade and an 11� grip. With a weight of slightly less than 2 lbs. this long sword handles beautifully. Key Features: * High-carbon spring steel * Ming-style guard * Wood Handle Specifications: Blade length: 28" Handle length: 7" Overall length: 35" Weight: 1lb 4oz Point of Balance: 4" Width at Guard: 1.03" Width at Tip: .70" Thickness at Guard: .32" Thickness at Tip: .15" Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.
Price: 169.99
Designed by world-renowned Chinese martial arts master Sifu Adam Hsu, these Chinese straight swords (Jian) are becoming the weapon of choice in the Tai Chi community. Functionality, weight and balance are paramount considerations in Sifu Hsu�s designs, while Hanwei�s quality and workmanship give the swords a graceful and pleasing appearance. The blades are crafted in high-carbon spring steel and have a pronounced center ridge and distal taper, producing exactly the right degree of stiffness and a very audible hiss in the cutting stroke. The Ming-style steel guards have an embossed Dragon symbol, while the open-ended pommels facilitate the fitting of a tassel. The Jians are available with the grips and scabbards made from either fiberglass (Single-hand SH2269A,B,C and D, Double-hand SH2278) for extreme durability or exotic wood (SH2313A,B,C and D) for the traditionalist. A unique feature is the �duck-bill lock� in the bottom of the scabbard that securely holds the sword in place. The single-hand sword is available in four blade sizes SH2269A, SH2313A � 28�, SH2269B, SH2313B � 30�, SH2269C, SH2313C � 32� and SH2269D, SH2313D � 34�. The two-hand Jian (SH2278) features a 36� blade and an 11� grip. With a weight of slightly less than 2 lbs. this long sword handles beautifully. Key Features: * High-carbon spring steel High-carbon spring steel * Ming-style guard * Wood Handle Specifications: Blade length: 32" Handle length: 7" Overall length: 39" Weight: 1lb 8oz Point of Balance: 4" Width at Guard: 1.03" Width at Tip: .70" Thickness at Guard: .32" Thickness at Tip: .15" Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.
Price: 169.99
Designed by world-renowned Chinese martial arts master Sifu Adam Hsu, these Chinese straight swords (Jian) are becoming the weapon of choice in the Tai Chi community. Functionality, weight and balance are paramount considerations in Sifu Hsu�s designs, while Hanwei�s quality and workmanship give the swords a graceful and pleasing appearance. The blades are crafted in high-carbon spring steel and have a pronounced center ridge and distal taper, producing exactly the right degree of stiffness and a very audible hiss in the cutting stroke. The Ming-style steel guards have an embossed Dragon symbol, while the open-ended pommels facilitate the fitting of a tassel. The Jians are available with the grips and scabbards made from either fiberglass (Single-hand SH2269A,B,C and D, Double-hand SH2278) for extreme durability or exotic wood (SH2313A,B,C and D) for the traditionalist. A unique feature is the �duck-bill lock� in the bottom of the scabbard that securely holds the sword in place. The single-hand sword is available in four blade sizes SH2269A, SH2313A � 28�, SH2269B, SH2313B � 30�, SH2269C, SH2313C � 32� and SH2269D, SH2313D � 34�. The two-hand Jian (SH2278) features a 36� blade and an 11� grip. With a weight of slightly less than 2 lbs. this long sword handles beautifully. Key Features: * High-carbon spring steel * Ming-style guard * Wood Handle Specifications: Blade length: 34" Handle length: 7" Overall length: 41" Weight: 1lb 10oz Point of Balance: 4" Width at Guard: 1.03" Width at Tip: .70" Thickness at Guard: .32" Thickness at Tip: .15" Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.
Price: 169.99
Our Court and Washington Fencing swords are built to withstand the rigors of stage or fencing combat while maintaining historical accuracy in their highly decorated hilts. The Court Sword features a wire wrapped grip with intricate carving detail in the guard and pommel. The ribbed leather handle ends in well executed turks head knots on the Washington Sword for an excellent grip on this handsome sword. Specifications: Blade length: 34 �� Handle length: 4� Overall length: 44� Weight: 1lb 15oz Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.
Price: 224.99
Our Court and Washington Fencing swords are built to withstand the rigors of stage or fencing combat while maintaining historical accuracy in their highly decorated hilts. The Court Sword features a wire wrapped grip with intricate carving detail in the guard and pommel. The ribbed leather handle ends in well executed turks head knots on the Washington Sword for an excellent grip on this handsome sword. Specifications: Blade length: 34 �� Handle length: 4� Overall length: 44 �� Weight: 1lb 13oz Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.
Price: 224.99
An important addition to our European practical line is the Practical Norman sword, based on a classic 11th century pattern popular during the Norman Invasion of Britain. The high-carbon deeply-fullered blade is light and well-balanced, with the wide edges required by the re-enactment community. The guard is wider than that of the earlier Viking designs that preceded this pattern and the pommel is of the �tea-cosy� type The grip is grooved and leather-wrapped and the scabbard is left plain for owner decoration. Specifications: Blade length: 30� Overall length: 36� Weight: 2lb 5oz Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.
Price: 119.99
Our Paper Crane Daisho (SH2294-Katana / SH2328-Wakizashi) is without doubt the greatest achievement in sword making artistry yet available from Hanwei. The blade is crafted from Hanwei�s own Tamahagane steel (see below) while the fittings reflect the atmosphere of the Japanese theater. The Daisho�s name stems from the origami (the art of paper folding) cranes that decorate the striking Tsuba and Fuchi/Kashira, all of which feature highly-prized �Nanako� or stippled backgrounds. The Menuki feature thespian masks, a symbol shared by the Japanese theater and its western counterpart. The Saya of the katana houses a Kozuka (small knife) while that of the Wakizashi carries a Kogai (hair pick) The Kozuka and Kogai are decorated with musical instruments of the theater. The Paper Crane theme is carried to the outstanding hand woven silk Sageo, the result of many hours of skilled work on a hand loom.
Tamahagane steel is made by building and firing a Tatara, the traditional Japanese sword-steel smelter. This charcoal- fired furnace produces a very pure steel from iron sand, and this steel �Kera� or bloom can be broken and separated into high- and low-carbon pieces, which respectively form the �skin� steel and �core� steel of the blade. The skin steel is forged and folded repeatedly, to remove slag inclusions and voids and is then wrapped around the core steel before the resulting billet is forged into a blade. Careful heat treating, shaping and polishing reveals the tight �Hada� or layer pattern of the blade and the white particles of the �Hamon� or temper line. While this process results in the aesthetic qualities much admired by collectors it also produces a very functional blade, as the high carbon content of the skin steel makes a very hard edge possible while the softer core steel gives the blade its resilience and ability to absorb shock.
The Three Wise Monkeys is a popular symbol of the See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil proverb popular in many cultures around the world. The proverb itself is thought to have originated in China and was brought to Japan by a Buddhist monk, while the association with three monkeys appears to be a Japanese play on words. Our Three Monkey Katana (SH2329) and Wakizashi (SH2330) are built on traditional Shinogi Zukuri style blades with Bo-Hi to reduce weight and improve balance. The high-carbon blade is hand forged and differentially hardened. The blackened iron Tsuba features the �Three Wise Monkeys� in relief.
War is the reciprocal and violent application
of force between hostile political entities aimed at
bringing about a desired political end-state via armed
conflict. In his seminal work,
On War,
Carl Von Clausewitz calls war the "continuation of
political intercourse, carried on with other means."[1]
War is an interaction in which two or more militaries
have a “struggle of wills”.[2]
When qualified as a
civil war, it is a dispute inherent to a given
society, and its nature is in the conflict over modes of
governance rather than
sovereignty. War is not considered to be the same as
mere
occupation,
murder or
genocide because of the reciprocal nature of the
violent struggle, and the
organized nature of the units involved.
War is also a cultural entity, and its practice is
not linked to any single type of political organisation
or society. Rather, as discussed by
John Keegan in his “History Of Warfare”, war is a
universal phenomenon whose form and scope is defined by
the society that wages it.
[3]
The conduct of war extends along a continuum, from the
almost universal
tribal warfare that began well before recorded human
history, to wars between
city states,
nations, or
empires. A group of combatants and their support is
called an
army on land, a
navy at sea, and
air force in the air. Wars may be prosecuted
simultaneously in one or more different
theatres. Within each theatre, there may be one or
more consecutive
military campaigns. A military campaign includes not
only fighting but also intelligence, troop movements,
supplies,
propaganda, and other components. Continuous
conflict is traditionally called a
battle, although this terminology is not always fed
to conflicts involving aircraft, missiles or bombs
alone, in the absence of ground troops or naval forces.
War is not limited to the
human species, as
ants engage in massive intra-species conflicts which
might be termed warfare. It is theorized that other
species also engage in similar behavior, although this
is not well documented.
[4][5][6]
Some believe war has always been with us; others
stress the lack of clear evidence that war is not in our
prehistoric past, and the fact that many peaceful,
non-military societies have and still do exist.
Originally, war likely consisted of small-scale raiding.
Since the rise of the state some 5000 years ago,
military activity has occurred over much of the globe.
The advent of gunpowder and the acceleration of
technological advances led to modern warfare.
Since the close of the
Vietnam War, the ideas expounded by the Prussian
military theorist Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) have
come to thoroughly permeate American military writing,
doctrinal, theoretical, and historical. His book
On War, first published (as
Vom Kriege) in 1832, was adopted as a key
text at the Naval War College in 1976, the Air War
College in 1978, the Army War College in 1981. It has
always been central at the U.S. Army's School for
Advanced Military Studies at Leavenworth (founded in
1983). The U.S. Marine Corps's brilliant little
philosophical field manual
FMFM 1: Warfighting (1989) is essentially a
distillation of On War, and the newer Marine
Corps Doctrinal Publications (MCDPs,
c.1997) are equally reflective of Clausewitz's basic
concepts.*1
This is not the first time Clausewitz has been in
fashion. Indeed, On War has been the bible of
many thoughtful soldiers ever since Field Marshal
Helmuth von Moltke attributed to its guidance his
stunning victories in the wars of German unification
(1864, 1866, 1870-71). Nor is it the first time that
individual American soldiers and military
thinkers have been attracted by his ideas: George
Patton, Albert Wedemeyer, and—especially—Dwight
Eisenhower were intensely interested in what he had to
say.
It is, however, the first time that the American
armed forces as institutions have turned to
Clausewitz. While the philosopher had insisted that war
was "simply the expression of politics by other means,"
the traditional attitude of American soldiers had been
that "politics and strategy are radically and
fundamentally things apart. Strategy begins where
politics end. All that soldiers ask is that once the
policy is settled, strategy and command shall be
regarded as being in a sphere apart from politics."*2
The sudden acceptability of Clausewitz in the wake of
Vietnam is not difficult to account for, for among the
major military theorists only Clausewitz seriously
struggled with the sort of dilemma that American
military leaders faced in the aftermath of their defeat.
Clearly, in what had come to be called in scathing terms
a "political war," the political and military components
of the American war effort had come unstuck. It ran
against the grain of America's military men to criticize
elected civilian leaders, but it was just as difficult
to take the blame upon themselves. Clausewitz's analysis
could not have been more relevant:
The more powerful and inspiring the motives for
war,... the more closely will the military aims and
the political objects of war coincide, and the more
military and less political will war appear to be.
On the other hand, the less intense the motives, the
less will the military element's natural tendency to
violence coincide with political directives. As a
result, war will be driven further from its natural
course, the political object will be more and more
at variance with the aim of ideal war, and the
conflict will seem increasingly political in
character.*3
When people talk, as they often do, about
harmful political influence on the management of
war, they are not really saying what they mean.
Their quarrel should be with the policy itself, not
with its influence.
Vom Kriege (IPA: [fɔm
ˈkʁiːgə]) is a book on
war and
military strategy by
Prussian general
Carl von Clausewitz, written mostly after the
Napoleonic wars, between 1816 and 1830, and
published posthumously by his wife in 1832. It has been
translated into
English several times as On War. On
War is actually an unfinished work; Clausewitz had
set about revising his accumulated manuscripts in 1827,
but did not live to finish the task. His wife eventually
compiled all the work and the final two chapters
Clausewitz never finished.
On War is one of the first books on modern
military strategy. This is mainly due to Clausewitz'
integration of politics and social and economic issues
as some of the most important factors in deciding the
outcomes of a war. It is one of the most important
treatises on strategy ever written, and is prescribed at
various
military academies to this day.
Carl von Clausewitz was a
Prussian officer among those baffled by how the
armies of the
French Revolution and
Napoleon had changed the nature of war through their
ability to motivate the populace and thus unleash war on
a greater scale than had previously been the case in
Europe. Clausewitz was well educated and had a strong
interest in art, science, and education, but he was a
professional soldier who spent a considerable part of
his life fighting against Napoleon. There is no doubt
that the insights he gained from his experiences,
combined with a solid grasp of European history,
provided much of the raw material for the book. On
War represents the compilation of his most cogent
observations.
Note: Clausewitz states that Napoleon's tactics were
not revolutionary at all and that Napoleonic Warfare did
not change anything greatly in military history. The
technology of weaponry for the most part remained
static, and new strategies weren't developed, but rather
Napoleon refurbished old ones, mixing them into one
grand strategy.
The book contains a wealth of historical examples
used to illustrate its various concepts.
Frederick II of Prussia (the Great) figures
prominently for having made very efficient use of the
limited forces at his disposal.
Napoleon also is a central figure.
Among many strands of thought, three stand out as
essential to Clausewitz' concept:
War must never be seen as a purpose to itself,
but as a means of physically forcing one's will on
an opponent ("War is not merely a political act, but
also a real political instrument, a continuation of
political commerce, a carrying out of the same by
other means."[1]).
The military objectives in war that support
one's political objectives fall into two broad
types: "war to achieve limited aims" and war to
"disarm” the enemy: “to render [him] politically
helpless or militarily impotent."
The course of war will tend to favor the party
employing more force and resources (a notion
extended by Germany's leaders in World War One into
"total war"—the pursuit of complete military victory
regardless of the political consequences).
Military strategy is a
national defence policy implemented by
military organisations to pursue desired
strategic goals.[1]
Derived from the
Greek
strategos, strategy when it appeared in use
during the 18th century[2],
was seen in its narrow sense as the "art of the
general"[3],
'the art of arrangement' of troops.[4]
Military strategy deals with the planning and conduct of
campaigns, the movement and disposition of forces, and
the
deception of the
enemy. The father of modern strategic study,
Carl von Clausewitz, defined military strategy as
"the employment of battles to gain the end of war."
Liddell Hart's definition put less emphasis on
battles, defining strategy as "the art of distributing
and applying military means to fulfil the ends of
policy" Hence, both gave the pre-eminence to political
aims over military goals, ensuring
civilian control of the military.
"You must not fight too often with one enemy,
or you will teach him all your art of war." –
Napoleon Bonaparte
Military strategy is the plan and execution of
the contest between very large groups of armed
adversaries. It involves each opponent's diplomatic,
informational, military, and economic resources wielded
against the other's resources to gain supremacy or
reduce the opponent's will to fight. It is a principle
tool to secure the
national interest. A contemporary military strategy
is developed via
military science.
[5]
It is as old as
society itself. It is a subdiscipline of
warfare and of
foreign policy. In comparison,
grand strategy is that strategy of the largest of
organizations which are currently the
nation state,
confederation, or international
alliances. Military strategy has its origins before
the
Battle of the Ten Kings and will endure through the
space age. It is larger in perspective than
military tactics which is the disposition and
maneuver of units on a particular sea or battlefield.[6]
Military strategy in the 19th century was still
viewed as one of a trivium of "arts" or "sciences" that
govern the conduct of warfare; the others being
tactics, the execution of plans and manœuvering of
forces in battle, and
logistics, the maintenance of an army. The view had
prevailed since the Roman times, and the borderline
between strategy and tactics at this time was blurred,
and sometimes categorization of a decision is a matter
of almost personal opinion.
Carnot, during the
French Revolutionary Wars thought it simply involved
concentration of troops.[7]
The Battle of Siffin, illustration from a
19th century manuscript by
Muhammad Rafi Bazil.
Strategy and
tactics are closely related and exist on the same
continuum.
