Operational Overreach and the Culmination Point
Abstract
Probably no concept of operational art is as complex as culmination. In an article entitled "Why Strategy Is Difficult" that appeared in these pages in Summer 1999, Colin Gray discounted the utility of the concept of culminating points. Yet despite its problematical nature this element of operational theory has demonstrated utility in explaining the conduct of campaigns and will remain an essential construct for understanding future wars. Application to Levels of War Culmination did not receive proper attention until operational art was revived during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Since then, the Army has given more attention than other services to the concept. Nevertheless, it is applicable to all functional, joint, and combined operations. The notion of a culmination point is identified with Carl von Clausewitz, who described it as the moment when "the remaining strength is just enough to maintain a defense and wait for peace." Once past, the chance of victory would be foreclosed unless an enemy yielded without engaging in decisive combat. An enemy would prevail if it choose to fight. Culmination could becharacterized as a point reached by attackers or defenders in terms of time and space after which stated objectives can't be accomplished, and continued efforts to reach them would significantly heighten the risk of failure or defeat. This point is reached when there is a decisive shift in relative combat power.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA519538
Entities
People
- Milan N. Vego
Organizations
- Naval War College