A Concise Theory of Combat

Abstract

A Concise Theory of Military Combat propounds a structure intended to relate comprehensively and consistently all elements and activities of every form of organized combat. Our goal is a unified description that is rigorous as to definitions, components, and the dynamics of all combat phenomena. This theory is explanatory, not prescriptive. Its aim is to describe what everyone knows is true about combat. Military professionals and others knowledgeable about military affairs will find no parts of the, theory that are new. Our objective is to integrate all parts into a unified whole. Our intention is to be scientific in the sense that art and practice must precede the codification of practice into an organized body of knowledge. The reader will find no attempt to say how to fight better and no recipes for victory. This (or any other) theory is practical only to the extent that knowledge of any subject has practical value. After all, one does not fight or even train with a book in hand.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1997
Accession Number
ADA331950

Entities

People

  • Edmund L. Dubois
  • Lawrence J. Low
  • Wayne P. Hughes Jr.

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Electronic Warfare
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cognition
  • Combat Areas
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Doctrine
  • Game Theory
  • Human Behavior
  • Land Warfare
  • Mathematical Models
  • Military History
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • Second World War
  • Self Organizing Systems
  • Students
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Warfare
  • Weapons Effects

Readers

  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Theoretical Analysis.