Flexibility: An Essential Principle of War

摘要

The Principles of War in current joint doctrine have remained virtually unchangedsince the Army first published them in 1921. History demonstrates that the great combat leaders have intuitively applied the unwritten principle of flexibility. Commanders that maintained flexibility were successful and those that were inflexible, or rigid, tended to fail. As we enter the 21st centurywith its attendant information age, and a Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA), it is imperative that we incorporate the principle of flexibility into the existing Principles of War. The danger of using technological advantages gained through this RMA as a panacea or 'silver bullet' to warfighting. With the addition of flexibility as a Principle of War we can better meet the myriad of changes in doctrine and operational taskings that are likely to result from the RMA. This paper establishes a 'litmus test' for inclusion as a Principle of War. It demonstrates that flexibility is a universally accepted, relevant aspect of warfare that applies across the entire range of military operations. This argument demonstrates that flexibility is an essential Principle of War.