THEORY OF WAR

AIM

TO PROVIDE AN INSIGHT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ART OF WAR FIGHTING AND AN OVERVIEW OF ITS APPLICATION ON THE CONDUCT OF MODERN WAFARE.

CONDUCT

CAPSULE CONDUCTED OVER TWO DAYS; IN FOUR PARTS:-

• PART I - HISTORY OF WARFARE : ITS EVOLUTION THROUGH AGES.

• PART II - SCHOOLS OF STRATEGIC THOUGHT:THEORIES EXPOUNDED BY MODERN STRATEGISTS.

• PART III - SPECTRUM OF CONFLICT:LEVELS OF WAR AND LINKAGES.

• PART IV - PRINCIPLES OF WAR .

THEORY OF WAR

PART - I

HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF WARFARE

* VARIOUS ERAS OF WARFARE.

* STYLES OF WAGING WAR

* REASONS WHY NATIONS HAVE RESORTED TO WAR

DIVISION OF DISCUSSION

• 500 BC TO 1500 AD

• 1600 AD TO 1900 AD

• THE WORLD WARS

• POST WORLD WAR II

500 BC TO 1500 AD

IMPORTANT EVENTS IN EVOLUTION OF WARFARE

* 7000 BC JERICHO STRONGLY FORTIFIED.

* 3500 BC CHARIOT APPEARED INMESOPOTAMIA.

* 3000-2000 BCCOMPOSITE BOW, APPEARANCE AND PERFECTION.

* 2950 BC EGYPTIAN NAVAL EXPEDITION RED SEA TO SINAI.

* 2500 BC PHALANX FORMATION, FIRSTSEEN.

* 1900 BC BATTERING RAM FLIMSY TYPE.

* 2000-1800 BCCHARIOT, REVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENT.

* 1700 BC MOUNTED TROOPS, FIRST REPORTED.

* 1400 BC SCALING LADDERS, CAME INTO

USE.

* 1000 BC USE OF CAVALRY BY ASSYRIANS.

* 900 BC HORSES CAPABLE OF CARRYING

LIGHTLY ARMED MEN

AVAILABLE (RIDE FROM

FORWARD SEAT).

* 700 BC MOBILE SIEGE TOWERS IN USE.

500 BC TO 1500 AD

• FIRST SEGMENT - 500 BC TO AD CALENDAR

• SECOND SEGMENT - 1 AD TO 1000 AD

• THIRD SEGMENT - 1001 AD TO 1500 AD

FIRST SEGMENT

500 BC TO AD CALENDAR

HIGHLIGHTS FIRST SEGMENT(500 BC TO AD CALENDAR)

LONG RG COMPOSITE

BOW

MED RG JAVELINS

CHARIOTS

SHORT RG SPEARS INF

HELMET PHALANX

SHIELD

CQB AXE/MACE

NOTE:- DEVP OF CHARIOTS

CAV DID NOT DEVP UNIVERSALLY

BATTLE OF THERMOPYLAE PASS484 BC

PERSIAN VS GREEKS

(XERXES) (LEONIDS)

7,000HOPLITES

INCL 300 SPARTANS

GREEKS HELD PASS FOR 3 DAYS .

CONQUER OR DIE.

VALOUR AND DEDICATION

- CONQUER OR DIE – SPARTAN LAW

- “GO, TELL THE SPARTANS,

THOU THAT PASSED BY,

THAT HERE, OBEDIENT TO THEIR

LAW, WE LIE”.

BETTER TO DIE

THAN BE A COWARD

- GURKHAS.

BATTLE OF GAUGAMELA330 BC

• PERSIANS VS MACEDONIANS

(DARIUS) (ALEXANDER)• MOBILITY VIS A VIS STABILITY• CHARIOTS ARROWS JAVELINS SPEARS• BATTLE UNCOVERED HEARTOF PERSIAN

EMPIRE - ALEXANDER MASTER OF ASIA.LESSONSPLG, PREP, REST, REFIT.

BATTLE OF CANNAE

216 BC• CARTHAGINIANS VS ROMANS

(HANIBAL) (CONSUL TARENTIUS

VERRO)• 20,000 VS 70,000• CONVEX FMN CONCAVE FMN.• LESSONS:- PLOY AND MOB.

BATTLE OF ZAMA- 202 BC

• HANNIBAL SCIPIOLARGER FORCE 40,0002000 CAV 4,000 CAV80 ELEPHANTS

LED TO EMERGENCE OF ROMAN EMPIRE AT END OF THIS PERIOD. PROMINENCE OF CEASER-59-44 BC; 55BC-BRITAIN, 49BC – SPAIN, 47BC-EGYPT

SIT IN INDIA

• 326 BC- ALEXANDER INVADES INDIA• 300 BC- KAUTILYA WROTE

ARTHSHASHTRA • FA HIEN & HIUEN TSANG VISIT INDIA • NO RECORD OF ANY SIGNIFICANT MIL

ACTIVITY AVAILABLE.

SECOND SEGMENT

1 AD TO 1000 AD

UPTO 350 AD(PERIOD OF INVENTION)

• INVENTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF SIEGE ENGINE AND CATAPULTS.

• HURL STONES OF 1 CWT - 400 YDS.• MAIN COMPONENTS OF ARMIES-

ARCHERS, INF AND CAV. • ENGINEERING SKILLS

– FORTS.– SIEGE VEHS/TOWERS.– XG EXPEDIENTS

• JERUSALEM THREE TIERS OF WALLS.

• BY 400 AD -HUNS, VANDALS, GOTHS AND SAXONS ADV UPTO GREECE, ITALY, NE AFRICA, SPAIN AND ENGLAND.

• 378 BATTLE OF ADRIANPOLES– ROMANS (VALENS) ATTACK GOTHS.

– INF LEGIONS IN CENTRE, CAV FLKS.

– GOTH CAV FORAGING, ON CALL ATTACK.

“LIKE A THUNDERBOLT WHICH STRIKES UPON A MOUNTAIN TOP AND DASHES AWAY ALL THAT STANDS IN ITS PATH”

-FIRST MAJ VICTORY OF CAV-SIGNALLED ITS ARRIVAL (TILL 14TH CENTURY AD).

BATTLE OF CARTHAGE 535 AD

• BELISARIUS - IN 520AD TRAINED ELITE CORPS OF HY CAV

WITH BOW AND LANCE.

• ACTED AS SKIRMISHERS & SHOCK TROOPS WITH SWORDS.

• DEVISED TACS TO TEMPT EN WITH LIVE BAIT, FEW TPS ON HORSES TO DRAW EN.

• CUT OUT RETREAT, ATTACK FLKS.

CONTINUOUS RISE OF CAV BETWEEN 7TH -11TH CENTURIES IN EUROPEAN WARFARE.

LAST QUARTER : 01-1000 AD• BY 622AD MOHD BEGAN EXPANSION OF ISLAM

AND ARABIANISM.• MUSLIMS AND BYZANTINES• MUSLIM THRUST-CRUSADING IDEA OF…

RELIGIOUS ENTHUSIASM– JIHAD MOBILITY (CAMELS) ENDURANCE (DESERT LIVING)

MORALE

– DREW OWN RESPONSE FROM CHRISTIANS– BYZANTINES – PROFESSIONAL PRIDE– SKILL RATED HIGHER THAN FORCE– CHIVALRY AND IMPETUS VALOUR – NO FORTE– RUSES/STRATAGEMS – NI ATTACKS– DECEPTION – FALSE INT, FOMENT TREASON– ADM/LGS - COMPATIBLE MOB/SPEED

SIT IN INDIA

• MONGOLS CAME TO LOOT & PLUNDER

• MD GAZNI CAME 17 TIMES (997-1030AD)

• NO RESISTANCE OFFERED AS NO SPECIFIC SCHOOL OF WARFARE

THIRD SEGMENT1001 AD TO 1500 AD

• MEDIEVAL SWORD - FULLY DEVP-REMAINED FOR NEXT 400 YRS.

• KNIGHTS – 8-9 FT LANCE, SWORD, AXE/ MACE.• ARMR FOR MEN AND HORSES – FINER CHAIN

MAIL & PLATE ARMR.• FORTFN – MOATS, CASTLES, CONCENTRIC

WALLS.• LT CAV FOR SKIRMISHING & RECCE• MINING, STARVATION AND TREACHERY.INVENTION OF GUN POWDER• FIRST GUN FIRED IN 1324 AT METZ IN FRANCE.• GUNS MTD ON CHARIOTS - PRIMITIVE RKT

BTY.• CONFLICT BETWEEN GUNS & CASTLES

BATTLE OF HASTINGS1066 AD

• WILLIAM THE NORMAN CROSSED CHANNEL TO ENGLAND.

• RAVAGED COUNTRYSIDE INVITING KING HAROLD TO ATTACK QUICKLY WITHOUT PLG (BOTH SIDES HAD 6-7000 TPS).

• HY LOSSES - MEN, HORSES AND MTRL.• CHANGE IN ENGLISH HISTORY -

WILLIAM CONQUERED ENGLAND – BATTLE OF `HOARY APPLE TREE’.

• LESSONS:- CONT, DISCP, RUSE.

THE CRUSADES1095 - 1204 AD

• IN CALL FOR HELP FROM GERMANS AGAINST BYZANTINES.

• HOLY WAR BY POPE URBAN- II AT CLERMONT.

“THOSE WHO LOSE THEIR LIVES IN SUCH AN ENTERPRISE WILL GAIN PARADISE AND REMISSION OF THEIR SINS”.

REASONS

• FAMINE OF 1094 AD.• RISING POPULATION IN W EUROPE.• YOUNGER SONS OF NOBILITY – TO FIND NEW

LANDS.• PEASANTS ENROLLED- FREEDOM FROM

SERFDOM.• INTEREST OF MERCHANTS – COMMERCIAL

PROFITS.• RELIGIOUS MOTIVE – INITIALLY OF 1ST

GENERATION.• CASTLES BUILT ON SITES FOR ADM, ECO,

SOCIAL PURPOSE THAN STRAT REASONS.

THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR1337 - 1453 AD

• ENGLAND VS FRANCE.• WAR OF ATTRITION – FEW BIG

CLASHES. NO DECISIVE BATTLES.• DEVASTATION OF FARMS AND

MONASTRIES.• BETTER TRG AND QUALITY OF

ENGLISH TPS.

BATTLE OF CRECY – 1346 AD

BATTLE OF CRECY - 1346 AD• EDWARD III VS KING PHILIP VI OF

FRANCE.• EDWARD III

– SECURED FLK BY RESTING ON STREAM.– VILLAGES AS PIVOTS.– GRND-THREE TERRACES - NEGATE EN

MOB.– WEDGES - USED ARCHERS.

FROM HERE ONWARDS ENHANCED DEVP OF ARTILLERY - IN 1453, 27 FT GUN CAPABLE OF THROWING 1000 LBS STONE BALLS UPTO ONE MILE.

OTHER EVENTS

– DISCOVERY OF AMERICA– FOREIGNERS LAND IN INDIA BY SEA– FOCUS SHIFTS TO EST OVERSEAS COLONIESIN INDIA– MD GAZNI FOLLOWED BY MD GAURI (1190-92)– EST OF SLAVE DYNASTY IN DELHI – RAIDS BY

TIMUR– WEAK LODHI DYNASTY EXPOSED INDIA TO

EXTERNAL AGGRESSION– BABUR ARR – 1526 AD.

MEDIEVAL PERIOD16TH TO 19TH CENTURY

• INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION - COLONISATION.• METALLURGY.• IMPROVED GUN POWDER, LIGHTER CANNONS & GUN

CARRIAGES, TRUNIONS BREECH LOADING, TRAVERSE/ELEVATION.

• INVENTION OF RIF AND MG – SPELT DOOM OF KNIGHTS.

• MARRIAGE OF RIF AND BAYONET.• DEF STRAT BECAME RELEVANT IN WAR DUE FUND

PAUCITY.• EUROPE SHIFTED SIGHTS TO OTHER CONTINENTS.• EAST INDIA COMPANY.• ECO, POL AND ADM IMPLICATIONS – DUE GROWTH

OF ARMIES.• ALL LED TO LARGE SCALE REVOLUTIONS – 1917 IN

RUSSIA.

THE THIRTY YEARS WAR1618 - 1648 AD

• ORIGINS IN RELIGIOUS DISPUTES BETWEEN CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS.

• POLITICS INTERWOVEN WITH RELIGION .• GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS OF SWEDEN KING

AT 17 YRS IN 1611 AD.• FOUNDER OF MODERN MIL ORG AND TRG.• OFFICER CADRE.• DEVP OF MODERN EUROPEAN ARMY IN

DIRECT DESCENT FROM GUSTAVUS’ SWEDISH ARMY.

IMP PERSONALITIES IN EUROPE IN 17-18TH AND BEGINNING OF 19TH CENTURY

• JOHN CHURCHILL (1650-1722 DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH) INTRODUCED CDRS POSN TO CONT BATTLE, MESSENGERS, As DC .

• KIND CHARLES II OF SWEDEN 1657 AD AT 15 YRS AGE.

• FREDRICK THE GREAT OF PRUSSIA – 18TH CENTURY.

• HORATIO NELSON.• SIR ARTHUR WELLESLEY LATER DUKE OF

WELLINGTON.• NAPOLEON.

BATTLE OF ABOUKIR BAY 01 AUG 1798

• REAR ADM HORATIO NELSON FOUGHTOFF THE COAST OF EGYPT AGAINST NAPOLEON’S NAVY.

• INTRO OF COMPREHENSIVE SIGNALLING SYS FOR ELABORATE FLEX & CONT NAVAL TACS.

• BETTER NAVAL TAC.• DETAILED PLG.• CONTINGENCIES.• 1805 – BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR – LEFT

BRITAIN IN COMD OF SEAS. NAPOLEON CONFINED TO LAND STRAT.

CRIMEAN WARAN IMP WAR DUE TO:-• BRITISH LT BDE CHARGE IN PARADE

GRND FMN DOWN A VALLEY.• PULVERISING EFFECT OF CAV,

DEVASTATION OF WPNS, FIRE, MOMENTUM.

• OF THE 4,05,000 TPS, 25,600 KILLED IN ACTION & 38,800 DUE TO DISEASE.

• NURSING SERVICE – FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE; LED TO EMANCIPATION OF WOMEN.

• INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS.• FIRST GENEVA CONVENTION AT

GENEVA IN 1864.

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

1861 - 1865 AD• NORTH (18 MI) VS SOUTH (9 MI).

• ISSUE OF SLAVERY - 3 MILLION SLAVES IN SOUTH.

• IN SOUTH, PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS - A GRADUATE OF WEST POINT, HIS GENERAL - LEE.

• IN NORTH LINCOLN - A LAWYER & POLITICIAN - NO KNOWLEDGE OF ARMY AFFAIRS.

IMP ASPECTS– WPN IMPROVEMENT REVOLUTIONISED TACS– SOLID INF FMNS DISAPPEARED– OLD CAV WARFARE, SHOCK ACTION AGAINST INF-OUT OF

BUSINESS– SPADE & AXE BECAME NECESSARY ARTICLES IN BATTLE– BREAST WKS & RIF PITS FOR PROTECTION & CONVER– DESTR POWER OF ARTY FELT– TRN, STRAT USE OF RLYS, TAC AND GENERALSHIP PLAYED

IMP ROLES.– ENGINEERING.– MORSE/TELEGRAPH, TAKEN UP BY RLYS & CABLE NET WK

DEVP.– CONT OF RIVERS – A STRAT OBJ

NOTE :- PROFESSIONALS IN EUROPE NOT SERIOUS OF DEVPS – FELT WAR FOUGHT BY AMATEURS.

INDIAN SCENE• 1526-BABUR EST MOGHUL DYNASTY –

INTRODUCED GUNS IN BATTLE OF SIKRI (VS RAJPUTS)

• 1707-AURANGAZEB DIES & NO WORTHWHILE LEADER LEFT

• 1739-INVASION BY NADIR SHAH• 1748-61- AHMED SHAH ABDALI IHVADES

INDIA – 3 TIMES.• 1757-BATTLE OF PLASSEY• 1803-BRITISH OCCUPY DELHI• 1857-QUEEN VICTORIA TAKES CONT FROM

EAST INDIA CO.

FIRST WORLD WAR

1914 - 1918• WAR COMMENCED IN EUROPE TERMED AS

`A WAR TO END WAR’.• GERMANY (COUNT VON SCHLIFFEN - COS)

LAUNCHED OFFENSIVE.• WINTER-TIRED SOLDIERS - TRENCH AND

BARBED WIRES AND MGs.• EXTENSIVE PRE OFFENSIVE BOMBARDMENT

- ASSAULTING WAVES OF TPS.• ATTRITION WARFARE AT ITS PEAK – MGs &

GAS LESS USEFUL IN ASLT .

CASUALTIES• 1915 - TWO OFFENSIVE IN ARTOIS

AND TWO IN CHAMPAIGNE. (1,90,000 FRENCH, 1,40,000 GERMANS)

• 1916 - VERDUN & SOMME. (4,20,000 DEAD, 8,00,000 WOUNDED, YET NO STRAT VICTORY)

• 1917 - BATTLE OF YPRES. (4,80,000 BRITISH & GERMANS DEAD)

• TOTAL - 20,000,00

HIGHLIGHTS• MINING BY BRITISH FORCES AGAINST GERMANY-

OCCUPATION OF MESSINES RIDGE BY BRITISH.• USE OF THE TANK - FIRST USED AT CAMBRAI ON 20

NOV 1917 – 300 TKS PENETRATED FIVE MILES W/O PRELIM BOMBARTMENT ACROSS HINDENBURG LINE.

• U-BOATS - BRITISH SHIPPING HY LOSSES.• AEROPLANES FOR OBSN & GAINING INFO.• IMPROVED COMNS- TELEPHONES, WIRELESS ,SR,

FLASH SPOTTING.• POISON GAS - EXTENSIVELY USED CAUSING HY

LOSSES .

• IN FINAL ANALYSIS- WAR COULD NOT BE WON – ONLY BE LOSSED WHEN HUMAN ENDURANCE FAILED.

SECOND WORLD WAR

1939 - 1945• SPANISH CIVIL WAR 1936-39, PREVIEW.• TOTAL WAR.• BOMBARDING CITIES AND INDUSTRIAL CENTRES.• GERMANS EMP TK AND AC – DOCTRINE OF

BLITZKRIEG.• BREAK THRU & DEEP PENE BY ARMR, SP BY AIR-

PRINCIPLES OF SURPRISE, CONC, SPEED & RUTHLESNESS.

• RUSSO-GERMAN WAR AND ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOUR.

• NUC BOMBS.• CHURCHILL – `NEVER IN THE FD OF HUMAN

CONFLICT WAS SO MUCH OWED BY SO MANY TO SO FEW’.

CASUALTIES

* TOTAL - 50,000,00 (17-18, 000,00 CIVILIAN)

(BBC - 65,000,00)

* GERMANS TOOK 5,000,00 RUSSIAN PRISONERS - 2,000,00 SURVIVED.

* HIROSHIMA, NAGASAKI - 120,000.

PERSONALITIES• HITLER - INSANE POL FIG, EVIL,

ENTERPRISING AND ASTUTE.

• CHURCHILL - GREAT LEADER OF BRITISH IN CRISES.

• ROOSEVELT - NOT CLEAR WHAT TO NEGOTIATE.

• STALIN - POL STRAT UPPERMOST IN HIS MIND, RUTHLESS, BEGINNING OF COLD WAR.

POST WORLD WAR II• COLD WAR.

• PROXY WAR.

• WARS MORE HORRIBLE.

• RULES OF CONDUCT SHAMLESSLY AND FLAGRANTLY VIOLATED.

• ECONOMIC SANCTIONS.

• NUC THRESHOLD.

WHY DO NATIONS GO TO WAR?• ECONOMIC REASONS –

– NOMADIC MAGYARS NEEDED GRAZING GRND– GERMAN POP EXPANSION– GULF WAR I

• EXPANSION OF EMPIRE.

• RELIGION.

• PLUNDER.

• PLEASURE - `JUNOON.’

• IDEOLOGY.

FACTOR OF AGE IN RESPECT OF WARRIORS

• ALEXANDER THE GREAT - 18 YRS.

• HANNIBAL - 29 YRS.• SCIPIO - 18 YRS.• GHENGIS KHAN - 13 YRS.• MEHMED II - 19 YRS.• GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS - 17 YRS.

• MAJ GEN JAMES WOLFE - 32 YRS.

• HOCHE - 29 YRS.

• NAPOLEON BONAPARTE - 26 YRS.

• JOMINI - 25 YRS.

• CAPT TE LAWRENCE - 29 YRS.

• FD MARSHAL REDETZKY - 82 YRS.

• SCOTT - 74 YRS.

• GEN HINDENBURG - 67 YRS.

EVOLUTION OF WARFAREATTRIBUTES ANCIENT ERA MEDIEVAL

ERA MODERN ERA POST

WW II

WW I WW II

STRAT TYPE OF WAR MOBILITY NATURE OF WPNS COMNS

DIRECT CONVENTIONAL LTD WAR FOOT, HORSE, ELEPHANTS, CHARIOT LANCE,SWORD, CANNON APPEARED TOWARDS THE END VISUAL, MESSENGERS

DIRECT COMMENC EMENT OF INDIRECT CONVENTIONAL LTD WAR FOOT, HORSE, ELEPHANTS MACHINE GUNS VISUAL, MESSENGERS

DIRECT TOTAL CONVENTIONAL, CHEM TANK ,INTRODUCTION OF AC PROFILE- RATION OF AUTO WPNS TELE, RADIO

INDIRECT CONVENTIONAL, CULMINATING IN NUC REFINEMENT OF AC AND MECH MEANS NUC WPNS TELE, RADIO REFINEMENT

COERCION, SANCTIONS, BRINKMAN-SHIP AND DETERRENCE PROXY,LTD CONVENTIONAL SPACE WARFARE HITECH WPNS (RMA) SATELLITE