As a Commander I was always considered my alternatives for when systems failed by focus on those with a high likelihood of failure. A compass will freeze.
When the brilliant ones design the endlessly complex schemes to win wars on the cheap with mind bending communications and intricate coordination to unleash precision weaponry they go blind to the obvious:
1. They ignore the principle of mass
2. They ignore the friction of war
3. Logistics is an after thought
4. They believe communications will not fail
The Keep it Simple Stupid admonition goes out the window. They are not in the units that must execute. “ You mean we actually have to do it?”
Well said, Douglas. The smartest people in the room always implicitly dismiss the wisdom of the past. Clausewitz is mildly useful but we have progressed into complexity that he wouldn’t understand. Hubris and arrogance mark the overeducated futurists that pat the old men on the head and tell them that we have the latest threat information. The futurists will only learn the hard lessons after the friction, uncertainty and violence become apparent after the shooting starts.
As a backup for when complex schemes come unraveled, boots on the ground leaders need to be ready to coordinate communications for a North Vietnamese style TET Offensive.
As a Commander I was always considered my alternatives for when systems failed by focus on those with a high likelihood of failure. A compass will freeze.
When the brilliant ones design the endlessly complex schemes to win wars on the cheap with mind bending communications and intricate coordination to unleash precision weaponry they go blind to the obvious:
1. They ignore the principle of mass
2. They ignore the friction of war
3. Logistics is an after thought
4. They believe communications will not fail
The Keep it Simple Stupid admonition goes out the window. They are not in the units that must execute. “ You mean we actually have to do it?”
Well said, Douglas. The smartest people in the room always implicitly dismiss the wisdom of the past. Clausewitz is mildly useful but we have progressed into complexity that he wouldn’t understand. Hubris and arrogance mark the overeducated futurists that pat the old men on the head and tell them that we have the latest threat information. The futurists will only learn the hard lessons after the friction, uncertainty and violence become apparent after the shooting starts.
As a backup for when complex schemes come unraveled, boots on the ground leaders need to be ready to coordinate communications for a North Vietnamese style TET Offensive.