Maneuver Warfare Collection – Page 15 – Marine Corps Association

Information Enhancement on Today’s Battlefield

Success on future battlefields will be dependent upon information technology; the prize will go to the side that develops the clearest picture and then exploits it most effectively.

Information technology will be the key to success on the battlefields of the future. Victory will go to the side that develops the clearest picture and exploits it most effectively.

Is Mission Control the Weakness of Maneuver Warfare?

Fighting successfully with mission-type orders is not easy. It takes practice-development of a degree of mutual understanding not easily acquired. But as long as the battlefield remains confusing and unpredictable, this command philosophy must be the goal for which we strive.

The "mission control" warfighting philosophy is not easy to implement, particularly in modern maneuver warfare like the ground battle in the Persian Gulf War. The debate over mission control is examined.

Warfighting: A leap of faith

This author believes that by adopting maneuver theory Marines have rejected not only combined arms warfare but also the lessons of the past.

In adopting the maneuver theory of warfare, the USMC is turning its back on combined arms warfare and the lessons of its own history. Current Marine warfighting strategy is discussed.

Aviation’s Role, Properly Understood

Book Review

reviewed by William S. Lind AIR POWER AND MANEUVER WARFARE. By Martin van Creveld, with Steven L. Canby and Kenneth S. Brower. Air University Press, Maxwell AFB, AL, 1994, 268

Less SigInt, More EW

Several significant changes are necessary if the Corps' signals intelligence/electronic warfare community is to provide the kind of electronic warfare support expected and give Marines a more effective command and control warfare capability.

The USMC's radio battalions should have the latest electronic warfare technology available, but this isn't always the case. Ways to improve the command and control capability of radio battalions are discussed.

Lessons on Maneuver Warfare and Fighting Smart

Imperial Germany's East Prussia campaign in WWI, often called Tannenberg after the decisive battle, offers a clear example of the successes of both maneuver warfare and fighting smart. The campaign's tactical lessons are examined.

Synchronization and the Corps

Are synchronization and maneuver warfare mutually exclusive? This author argues that synchronization can be an aid to maneuver if Marines understand the purpose and process by which it is employed.

In the ongoing debate between the USMC and US Army over force "synchronization," some have argued that synchronization and maneuver warfare are mutually exclusive. The USMC believes that synchronization can be an aid to maneuver warfare if its methods and objectives are clearly understood.

Leadership Principles for Warfighters

The relationship that an officer establishes with his subordinates is an important factor in determining command success or failure.

The USMC knows from experience that the relationship that a military officer establishes with his or her subordinates can be decisive in determining command success or failure. The quality of leadership becomes critical in a warfighting situation.

Misunderstanding Synchronization

An Army perspective

The misunderstanding between the USMC and the US Army over force "synchronization" may have more to do with semantics than substance. The US Army's perspective on synchronization is offered.

The Missing Link: Company Fire Support Coordinator

It's time for the Marine Corps to acknowledge that combat efficiency improves when company commanders have some help with fire support coordination.

The USMC must move to recognize that combat efficiency improves when company commanders receive assistance in fire support coordination. A company fire support coordinator is needed.

Out of Sync with Maneuver Warfare

The concept of synchronization runs counter to the fundamental tenets of maneuver warfare and is incompatible with Marine Corps warfighting doctrine.

Synchronization on the battlefield involves arranging activities in time, space and purpose to bring maximum combat power to bear at the decisive point. From the USMC's point of view, synchronization runs counter to the fundamental tenets of maneuver warfare and is thus incompatible with USMC