Developing a Theory for Dynamic Campaign Planning

This is a theoretical paper on campaign planning. The paper examines the processes and principles involved in campaign plan formulation and modification within the context of all three levels of war. A series of theoretical models are used to describe the nature of war, the development and role of doctrine, and the ends, ways and means of war at the strategic, operational and tactical levels. The paradigms postulated describe war and operational concepts based primarily on an analogy using the physical concepts of energy and power. The proposed analogy physical concepts of energy and power. The proposed analogy differs somewhat from the Clausewitzian-Newtonian model which was based upon force and mass. The postulated models discriminate between the three levels of war and portray the role and influence that commanders at each level have on battle outcome. The majority of the paper focuses on the operational level of war and related concepts. The concepts of center of gravity, decisive points, selection of objectives, battlefield geometry and offensive and defensive culminating points are all discussed and defined. The Normandy Operation is described in detail in an appendix and is used to further illustrate the concepts of centers of gravity and decisive points as they pertain to a phased operation covering air, land and sea. The monograph ends with a detailed analysis of the role of initiative as a focus for operational planning. The paper concludes with the finding that gaining and retaining the operational initiative is the quintessence of campaigning and the practice of operational art.