English

DTIC ADA240405: Defensive Culmination: A Useful Piece of Theory?

This monograph examines the usefulness of defensive culmination to the operational level planner. A working definition of the theoretical concept is advanced and then examined against the backdrops of historical campaigns, current doctrine, and futuristic concepts. The theoretical concept of defensive culmination is not as well explained by the great theoreticians as the concept of offensive culmination. The works of Clausewitz, Jomini, Sun Tzu, and Mao are analyzed for evidence of the theory. Once defined, the theory is further illustrated by the introduction of paradigms depicting an attacker's and a defender's combat power over time. A criteria is introduced which is used to examine the usefulness of defensive culmination to operational level commanders and planners. Two historical campaigns, the 1940 campaign for France and Slim's 1944 Burma campaign, are studied for evidence of defensive culmination being used. Current U.S. Army thinking, AirLand Battle doctrine, is examined for the appearance of the theoretical concept at the operational level. Finally, the emerging U.S. Army operational concept, AirLand Battle Future, is evaluated for indications of defensive culmination.

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