Theory of War Capsule: Part II
Schools of Strategic Thought
Schools of Strategic Thought
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Continental School.
Maritime School.
Aerospace School.
Revolutionary School.
– Guerrilla war.
– Rural Insurgency.
– Urban Insurgency.
– Terrorism.
Continental School
 Chanakya/Kautilya - 325 BC
 Sun-tzu - 300 BC
 Clausewitz - 1780 - 1831 AD
 Jomini - 1779 - 1869 AD
 Liddle Hart - 1895 - 1970 AD
KAUTILYA
 Arthashastra
 Balance of Power (Mandala Concept)
 Theory of Expanding Empires
 Concept of Territorial Defence
 On Principles of Statecraft
– Sama
– Dana
– Bheda
– Danda
– Maya
– Upeksha
– Indrajal
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Negotiations
Reward
Divide
Punishment
Deceit, Treachery
Ignore
Psy war, Deception
 On Philosophy of War
– Last resort
– Continuation of State Policy
– Use High Strategy to Sap the Enemy’s
Morale (Psy War)
– Emphasis on Trg of Armed Forces
– Stress on Selection of Ground for diff Mil Ops
– Thoughts on Org & Conduct of Covert Wars
– Imp of Int and Espionage
Sun Tzu
 War is nothing but a continuation of Political
intercourse with an admixture of other means.
 War is a matter of vital imp to the State - hence
importance of proper study of the subject.
 Destroy the enemy’s army without engaging it.
 Take his cities without laying siege.
 If war is inevitable :– Win in shortest possible time.
– At least cost in terms of lives, resources & effort.
– With infliction of least casualties on the en.
 Effect of war on economy
 Shape the enemy.
 On Deception.
– When capable, feign incapacity.
– When near, make it appear as if you are far.
– Move as a ghost in starlight.
 Know the mind of the en Cdr.
 Avoid prolonged campaign.
 Withdraw offensively.
 Weather & Terrain.
 Flexible tactics.
 National unity.
Clausewitz
 War is a continuation of State policy.
 Viewed war as an art.
 Strategic triad of Govt, military & people.
 Synergy between political & military leaders.
 Theories on conduct of war – Theory as a
Guide.
Jomini
 Views similar to Clausewitz.
 Both were influenced by the exploits of
Napoleon.
 While Clausewitz was philosophical, Jomini
was more doctrinaire.
 Tried to derive a framework of rules for the
conduct of war.
Liddel Hart
 Indirect approach.
 Formulated principles on which modern
mobile warfare would be fought.
 Concepts studied by German General
Staff=> Blitzkrieg.
 Foresaw implications of nuclear wpns.
Continental School
 Oldest school – most applicable presently in
our context.
 Theories shaped by the way wars were
fought – to capture & retain territory. Req
defeat & annihilation of en mil forces.
Continental School
 Main Charactersitics:
– Wars revolved around clash of massed armies.
– Modern interpretation:
 AF & Navy essentially exist to sp the land battle.
 Also the crux of existing “turf battles”.
Continental School
 Applicability to modern Wars:
– Continues to be applicable with modifications.
– AF & Navy have roles besides sp of land battle.
Req is for jt application of avl mil force for max
synergy.
Maritime School
 Alfred T Mahan - 1890
 Sir Julian Corbett - 1910
Maritime School
 Alfred Mahan
– Influenced by Jomini.
– Big navies with overseas bases for power
projection => Command of the sea through
decisive encounters.
– Impact of maritime power on economics.
– Factors affecting dev of maritime power, incl
geographical position, extent of territory etc.
– Failed to appreciate effect of sub-surface
warfare, and airpower.
Maritime School
 Sir Julian Corbett
– Theater specific sea control (“Control of
passage & Communication”).
– Weaker fleet to remain in existence by avoiding
encounters.
– Impact of sub-surface warfare and airpower not
factored.
Maritime School
 Covers exploitation of the sea medium in peace &
war.
 Historically concepts understood even before
formal theories put up.
– Ancient Roman fleet.
– Maritime capabilities of colonial powers:
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Spain
Portugal
France
Britain
 Only school of strategic thought that operates
under geographical constraints (Mahan).
Applicability to modern war (by syndicate)
Aerospace School
 Douhet - 1873 - 1930 AD
 Mitchell - 1878 - 1936 AD
 Trenchard - 1873 - 1956 AD
 Col John Warden USAF
Aerospace School
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Wars can be won by air power alone (D)
Air power could make protracted wars obsolete (D)
Command of the air (D)
Emp of air power (T & M) :- Primary : centers of pop & industry
- Secondary : in sp of army
Creation of air force as an independent service
(D, T & M)
 Five ring theory of Col Warden.
Applicability to modern war (by syndicate)
Revolutionary School
 Guerrilla warfare.
 Rural Insurgency.
 Urban Insurgency.
 Terrorism.
Revolutionary School
 Revolutionary War. Process that involves
the forcible overthrow of a Govt, or an
attempt to do so with the purpose of
destroying an existing society and its
institutions, and replacing them with a
completely new structure.
 Revolutionary war occurs within the state,
whereas, a conventional war is essentially
an external phenomenon.
Revolutionary School
 Necessary ingredients:
– Popular sp.
– Organisation.
– Cohesion.
– External sp.
– Environment.
– Effectiveness of the victim Govt.
Revolutionary School
 Marx :
– Urban centric communist revolutionary warfare.
 Polarisation of society due economic disparity =>
violent overthrow of the elite.
 Applicable to Industralised nations.
 Lenin:
– Modified framework to fit conditions prevailing in
Russia. Urban centric.
Focus on political aspects.
Revolutionary School
 Mao Tse Tung:
– Combined both pol & mil aspects.
– Modified to rural base to suit China.
 Small core of ‘believers’.
 Pol indoctrination of expanding cadre.
 Expand ambit to guerrilla warfare against Govt
forces, encompassing pol, social & economic fields.
 End state: Total takeover of the Govt. Control of
the country.
Revolutionary School
 Vo Nguen Giap:
– Modified Mao’s theories to suit conditions
peculiar to Vietnam to overthrow the French
sponsored Vietnamese Govt.
– Emphasized transition from guerrilla warfare
to conventional warfare in final stages.
– Greater focus on international sit, & outside sp.
Revolutionary School
 Che Guevara:
– Modification of Mao’s theories:
 Revolutionary sit can be created.
 Pol aspects take precedence over mil
aspects.
 Advocated use of suburban guerrilla activity.
Revolutionary School
 Applicability to modern warfare:
– Insurgency & terrorism applicable:
 International System. Greater voice,
reduction in sovereignty of individual states.
Can pass moral judgment, and even
intervene (Kosovo).
 Involvement by neighbouring States.
 Terrain / Geography. Shift towards urban
areas.
Indian Philosophy of War
 No expansionist thought – self sufficiency.
 Non-aggressive attitude – tolerant.
 Defensive in nature – reactive.
 Non-alignment (?)
 Peaceful co-existence – Panchsheel.
 Defensive strategy.
Indian Philosophy of War
External Perceptions
 1994 Rand Corpn study – India potential future
threat:
– Ancient civilization & stable democracy.
– Only country to have created another country by use of
force since WW II.
– Agro Industry – overtaken USA in milk production.
– Will dominate computer field with 30% share.
– Ability to act – Maldives.
– INDIANS HAVE FAITH IN EVERYBODY EXCEPT
THEMSELVES.
Col Warden’s Five Ring Theory
En Command
Essential Production
Tpt network
Popular Sp
Fielded Mil Forces