Retractable Safety Leash with Flashlight and Radio This rugged, 12 foot retractable leash features stepped-up security measures including lock-in positioning to control your dogs range, reflective safety patches to alert oncoming traffic and a wide beam flashlight to illuminate dark streets or paths. Plus, a full-function AM/FM radio so you can enjoy your favorite music as you walk.
Price: 19.99
Self-Cleaning Pet Brush Our grooming brush has hundreds of bristles to untangle fur and bring new luster to your pets coat, plus it pivots 90 degrees to reach all the hard-to-get-at places. But best of all, it cleans itself! Just push the button to instantly de-fur bristles and eject dog hairs for easy collection and disposal.
Price: 14.99
Pet Water Dispenser Be prepared to keep your canine hydrated and comfortable with our 28 oz doggie canteen. It features a nested, wide-body bowl that makes a perfect drinking dish. Plus, an easy-grip handle, adjustable shoulder strap and push-close nozzle so you dont waste a drop. Rugged, reusable plastic container.
Price: 9.99
Motion-Activated Flashing Safety Dog Tag Motion-activated dog tag features twin LED lights that flash in the dark with every move your pet makes. Alerts oncoming traffic to a roaming canine and his walking buddy. Works only at night...automatic sensor blocks daytime use. Durable, water-resistant plastic construction. Clips to virtually any dog collar. 1 Lithium button cell battery (included).
Price: 11.99
SPIKES? Dense, Transparent Needle Strips Block pest birds from their "landing strips" with Bird-X SPIKES The most effective "keep off" sign you can post. Birds instinctively fly to "landing strips" such as roof ledges, windowsills, building projections, signs, statues, trusses and beams. But now you can keep them from landing on your property... Easily, inexpensively...and permanently! All it takes is an application of SPIKES needle strips from Bird-X. Theres nothing like this new roost inhibitor from the worlds acknowledged leader in bird control products. Bird-X SPIKES Nothing Comes Close! TOUGH. Long-lasting polycarbonate provides decades of maintenance-free protection. TRANSPARENT. It does the job without marring the look of your property. Its practically invisible. DENSE. Top branches protrude from the vertical shafts to give impenetrable coverage. No need to double up. FLEXIBLE. Mounts easily on flat, curved or irregular surfaces - whether wood, metal or masonry. EASY TO INSTALL. Stackable 12" sections attach quickly with SPIKES Special Adhesive, nails, screws, wire ties, etc. ENVIRONMENT SAFE AND NON-LETHAL. Nothing to rust or deteriorate. ECONOMICAL. Sturdy plastic does the same job asstainless steel at a fraction of the cost. One-foot modules minimizewaste. GREAT WORKING PARTNER. Combinations have proved more effective than any single product. STANDARD SPIKES: For most applications: 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 1" Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100 NARROW SPIKES: For ledges 2 1/2" deep or less Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100
Price: 44.99
SPIKES? Dense, Transparent Needle Strips Block pest birds from their "landing strips" with Bird-X SPIKES The most effective "keep off" sign you can post. Birds instinctively fly to "landing strips" such as roof ledges, windowsills, building projections, signs, statues, trusses and beams. But now you can keep them from landing on your property... Easily, inexpensively...and permanently! All it takes is an application of SPIKES needle strips from Bird-X. Theres nothing like this new roost inhibitor from the worlds acknowledged leader in bird control products. Bird-X SPIKES Nothing Comes Close! TOUGH. Long-lasting polycarbonate provides decades of maintenance-free protection. TRANSPARENT. It does the job without marring the look of your property. Its practically invisible. DENSE. Top branches protrude from the vertical shafts to give impenetrable coverage. No need to double up. FLEXIBLE. Mounts easily on flat, curved or irregular surfaces - whether wood, metal or masonry. EASY TO INSTALL. Stackable 12" sections attach quickly with SPIKES Special Adhesive, nails, screws, wire ties, etc. ENVIRONMENT SAFE AND NON-LETHAL. Nothing to rust or deteriorate. ECONOMICAL. Sturdy plastic does the same job asstainless steel at a fraction of the cost. One-foot modules minimizewaste. GREAT WORKING PARTNER. Combinations have proved more effective than any single product. STANDARD SPIKES: For most applications: 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 1" Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100 NARROW SPIKES: For ledges 2 1/2" deep or less Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100
Price: 394.99
SPIKES? Dense, Transparent Needle Strips Block pest birds from their "landing strips" with Bird-X SPIKES The most effective "keep off" sign you can post. Birds instinctively fly to "landing strips" such as roof ledges, windowsills, building projections, signs, statues, trusses and beams. But now you can keep them from landing on your property... Easily, inexpensively...and permanently! All it takes is an application of SPIKES needle strips from Bird-X. Theres nothing like this new roost inhibitor from the worlds acknowledged leader in bird control products. Bird-X SPIKES Nothing Comes Close! TOUGH. Long-lasting polycarbonate provides decades of maintenance-free protection. TRANSPARENT. It does the job without marring the look of your property. Its practically invisible. DENSE. Top branches protrude from the vertical shafts to give impenetrable coverage. No need to double up. FLEXIBLE. Mounts easily on flat, curved or irregular surfaces - whether wood, metal or masonry. EASY TO INSTALL. Stackable 12" sections attach quickly with SPIKES Special Adhesive, nails, screws, wire ties, etc. ENVIRONMENT SAFE AND NON-LETHAL. Nothing to rust or deteriorate. ECONOMICAL. Sturdy plastic does the same job asstainless steel at a fraction of the cost. One-foot modules minimizewaste. GREAT WORKING PARTNER. Combinations have proved more effective than any single product. STANDARD SPIKES: For most applications: 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 1" Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100 NARROW SPIKES: For ledges 2 1/2" deep or less Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100
Price: 119.99
SPIKES? Dense, Transparent Needle Strips Block pest birds from their "landing strips" with Bird-X SPIKES The most effective "keep off" sign you can post. Birds instinctively fly to "landing strips" such as roof ledges, windowsills, building projections, signs, statues, trusses and beams. But now you can keep them from landing on your property... Easily, inexpensively...and permanently! All it takes is an application of SPIKES needle strips from Bird-X. Theres nothing like this new roost inhibitor from the worlds acknowledged leader in bird control products. Bird-X SPIKES Nothing Comes Close! TOUGH. Long-lasting polycarbonate provides decades of maintenance-free protection. TRANSPARENT. It does the job without marring the look of your property. Its practically invisible. DENSE. Top branches protrude from the vertical shafts to give impenetrable coverage. No need to double up. FLEXIBLE. Mounts easily on flat, curved or irregular surfaces - whether wood, metal or masonry. EASY TO INSTALL. Stackable 12" sections attach quickly with SPIKES Special Adhesive, nails, screws, wire ties, etc. ENVIRONMENT SAFE AND NON-LETHAL. Nothing to rust or deteriorate. ECONOMICAL. Sturdy plastic does the same job asstainless steel at a fraction of the cost. One-foot modules minimizewaste. GREAT WORKING PARTNER. Combinations have proved more effective than any single product. STANDARD SPIKES: For most applications: 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 1" Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100 NARROW SPIKES: For ledges 2 1/2" deep or less Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100
Price: 219.99
SPIKES? Dense, Transparent Needle Strips Block pest birds from their "landing strips" with Bird-X SPIKES The most effective "keep off" sign you can post. Birds instinctively fly to "landing strips" such as roof ledges, windowsills, building projections, signs, statues, trusses and beams. But now you can keep them from landing on your property... Easily, inexpensively...and permanently! All it takes is an application of SPIKES needle strips from Bird-X. Theres nothing like this new roost inhibitor from the worlds acknowledged leader in bird control products. Bird-X SPIKES Nothing Comes Close! TOUGH. Long-lasting polycarbonate provides decades of maintenance-free protection. TRANSPARENT. It does the job without marring the look of your property. Its practically invisible. DENSE. Top branches protrude from the vertical shafts to give impenetrable coverage. No need to double up. FLEXIBLE. Mounts easily on flat, curved or irregular surfaces - whether wood, metal or masonry. EASY TO INSTALL. Stackable 12" sections attach quickly with SPIKES Special Adhesive, nails, screws, wire ties, etc. ENVIRONMENT SAFE AND NON-LETHAL. Nothing to rust or deteriorate. ECONOMICAL. Sturdy plastic does the same job asstainless steel at a fraction of the cost. One-foot modules minimizewaste. GREAT WORKING PARTNER. Combinations have proved more effective than any single product. STANDARD SPIKES: For most applications: 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 1" Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100 NARROW SPIKES: For ledges 2 1/2" deep or less Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100
Price: 89.99
SPIKES? Dense, Transparent Needle Strips Block pest birds from their "landing strips" with Bird-X SPIKES The most effective "keep off" sign you can post. Birds instinctively fly to "landing strips" such as roof ledges, windowsills, building projections, signs, statues, trusses and beams. But now you can keep them from landing on your property... Easily, inexpensively...and permanently! All it takes is an application of SPIKES needle strips from Bird-X. Theres nothing like this new roost inhibitor from the worlds acknowledged leader in bird control products. Bird-X SPIKES Nothing Comes Close! TOUGH. Long-lasting polycarbonate provides decades of maintenance-free protection. TRANSPARENT. It does the job without marring the look of your property. Its practically invisible. DENSE. Top branches protrude from the vertical shafts to give impenetrable coverage. No need to double up. FLEXIBLE. Mounts easily on flat, curved or irregular surfaces - whether wood, metal or masonry. EASY TO INSTALL. Stackable 12" sections attach quickly with SPIKES Special Adhesive, nails, screws, wire ties, etc. ENVIRONMENT SAFE AND NON-LETHAL. Nothing to rust or deteriorate. ECONOMICAL. Sturdy plastic does the same job asstainless steel at a fraction of the cost. One-foot modules minimizewaste. GREAT WORKING PARTNER. Combinations have proved more effective than any single product. STANDARD SPIKES: For most applications: 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 1" Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100 NARROW SPIKES: For ledges 2 1/2" deep or less Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100
Price: 164.99
SPIKES? Dense, Transparent Needle Strips Block pest birds from their "landing strips" with Bird-X SPIKES The most effective "keep off" sign you can post. Birds instinctively fly to "landing strips" such as roof ledges, windowsills, building projections, signs, statues, trusses and beams. But now you can keep them from landing on your property... Easily, inexpensively...and permanently! All it takes is an application of SPIKES needle strips from Bird-X. Theres nothing like this new roost inhibitor from the worlds acknowledged leader in bird control products. Bird-X SPIKES Nothing Comes Close! TOUGH. Long-lasting polycarbonate provides decades of maintenance-free protection. TRANSPARENT. It does the job without marring the look of your property. Its practically invisible. DENSE. Top branches protrude from the vertical shafts to give impenetrable coverage. No need to double up. FLEXIBLE. Mounts easily on flat, curved or irregular surfaces - whether wood, metal or masonry. EASY TO INSTALL. Stackable 12" sections attach quickly with SPIKES Special Adhesive, nails, screws, wire ties, etc. ENVIRONMENT SAFE AND NON-LETHAL. Nothing to rust or deteriorate. ECONOMICAL. Sturdy plastic does the same job asstainless steel at a fraction of the cost. One-foot modules minimizewaste. GREAT WORKING PARTNER. Combinations have proved more effective than any single product. STANDARD SPIKES: For most applications: 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 1" Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100 NARROW SPIKES: For ledges 2 1/2" deep or less Available Lengths - 10, 25, 50, 100
Price: 39.99
Irri-Tape iridescent foil combines holography, wind and light to irritate pest birds senses and create an "off limits" zone against them. We started with a proven idea - the scarecrow. Then we applied Space Age technology and materials to produce a new wrinkle on that age-old concept. The result is a lightweight, durable, maintenance-free bird repelling product so versatile it keeps suggesting new and effective applications. How does it work...Its a Visual Deterrent Irri-Tape "flashes" as it moves with the wind. Reflecting sunlight, or any light, it produces constantly changing colors and patterns. This brilliant, flashing "ripple effect" is picked up by the birds as an unsettling danger signal. Whether seen as a predator (from a distance Irri-Tape has a reptilian sheen) or a rival for food or space, birds will not ignore this potential menace. Irri-Tapes properties keep unwanted birds away in several ways. Hostile Sound Environment... Pest birds are "rattled" by the fierce metallic noise the material gives off when caught by the slightest breeze. Physical Barrier...Applied along a ledge, fence or other narrow surface Irri-Tape prevents access to birds "landing strips." Possibilities and uses are virtually limitless. Irri-Tape will deal efficiently with the nastiest bird problems almost any way that you choose to use it without harming either the environmentor or the the birds. (In fact wed like to hear about new solutions from you.) Install wherever infestation exists. Wind and light will do the rest. For open outdoor areas "maypole" six to ten eight-foot lengths of Irri-Tape by tying them to the top of any upright post. For farms or gardens Irri-Tape has many applications for protecting crops from bird damage. Spiral it around free standing trees from top to bottom. Or suspend it over vines and around row plantings. Entire garden areas may be protected by hanging Irri-Tape from 6 to 8 poles to form high row deterrents. Other applications will keep ducks and geese off of lawns and ponds where they arent wanted, or keep predator birds away from fish farm ponds.
Price: 150.00
Irri-Tape iridescent foil combines holography, wind and light to irritate pest birds senses and create an "off limits" zone against them. We started with a proven idea - the scarecrow. Then we applied Space Age technology and materials to produce a new wrinkle on that age-old concept. The result is a lightweight, durable, maintenance-free bird repelling product so versatile it keeps suggesting new and effective applications. How does it work...Its a Visual Deterrent Irri-Tape "flashes" as it moves with the wind. Reflecting sunlight, or any light, it produces constantly changing colors and patterns. This brilliant, flashing "ripple effect" is picked up by the birds as an unsettling danger signal. Whether seen as a predator (from a distance Irri-Tape has a reptilian sheen) or a rival for food or space, birds will not ignore this potential menace. Irri-Tapes properties keep unwanted birds away in several ways. Hostile Sound Environment... Pest birds are "rattled" by the fierce metallic noise the material gives off when caught by the slightest breeze. Physical Barrier...Applied along a ledge, fence or other narrow surface Irri-Tape prevents access to birds "landing strips." Possibilities and uses are virtually limitless. Irri-Tape will deal efficiently with the nastiest bird problems almost any way that you choose to use it without harming either the environmentor or the the birds. (In fact wed like to hear about new solutions from you.) Install wherever infestation exists. Wind and light will do the rest. For open outdoor areas "maypole" six to ten eight-foot lengths of Irri-Tape by tying them to the top of any upright post. For farms or gardens Irri-Tape has many applications for protecting crops from bird damage. Spiral it around free standing trees from top to bottom. Or suspend it over vines and around row plantings. Entire garden areas may be protected by hanging Irri-Tape from 6 to 8 poles to form high row deterrents. Other applications will keep ducks and geese off of lawns and ponds where they arent wanted, or keep predator birds away from fish farm ponds.
Price: 39.00
Terror-Eyes A "Moving Eye" vinyl inflatable predator frightens bird gangs away! Huge 2-foot hanging ball has menacing, moving eyes on front and back that strike fear in birds! MILLIONS SOLD...TERROR-EYES WORKS! Lenticular eyes produce holographic effects, constantly moving and changing as if they are "following" infesting birds. Made of brilliantly colored heavy duty vinyl; scientifically designed from extensive experience and research on predator and bird behavior. Used in such places as: Parking lots Airports Granaries Highway & Bridge Underpasses Building Roofs Marinas Gardens Homes Feed Lots & Farm Fields Orchards & Vineyards 3-D EYES MOVE FORWARD AND SIDEWAYS FOLLOWING BIRDS AS THEY FLY AWAY Hanging spring and air currents do the rest... a totally realistic and scary predator!
Price: 44.99
Bronze Finish & Enameled Finish Gun and Sword Holder. Fleur de Lis Pattern. Spring-loaded to fit various widths. Sold as a pair. KEY FEATURES: Bronze and red finish Holds guns and swords securely Adjusts to 1 1/2? MEASUREMENTS: PRODUCT HEIGHT: 4? PRODUCT LENGTH: 2? PRODUCT WIDTH: 2? WEIGHT: 3oz
Price: 12.49
This simple yet elegant design will grace the desk or table of any gun collector. The base is 8.5 cm wide. The top is 14.5 cm from end to end.
Price: 10.29
Beautifully crafted spring-loaded wall mount, great for swords or gun replicas. KEY FEATURES: Brass/Pewter finish Holds gun or sword securely Adjusts to 1 1/2? MEASUREMENTS: PRODUCT HEIGHT: 2 1/4? PRODUCT LENGTH: 5/8? PRODUCT WIDTH: 1 3/8? WEIGHT: 3oz SOLD AS A PAIR Also an excellent display hanger for Civil War swords.
Price: 10.99
The White Knight sword combines a high quality finish with fuly-tempered high carbon spring steel blades. The ring pommels and cruciform hilts make these pieces perfect for the Crusading knight persona. Our bronze-hilted counterpart to the Black Knight (SA4502 or 4502AM), is the White Knight (SA3502 or 3502AM). Both combine a high quality finish with fully-tempered high carbon spring steel blades. The ring pommels and cruciform hilts make these pieces perfect for the Crusading knight persona. A leather scabbard is included. Functional Sword KEY FEATURES: High-carbon steel blade Solid brass fittings Fully functional
Price: 145.99
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.
