The Foundations of Strategy — H. M. Johnstons
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| The Foundations of Strategy by H. M. Johnstone |
"The proper aim of a commander is to destroy the enemy — not merely to have the better of him in a fight."
Published in 1914, just as World War I began, this is a clear, practical introduction to the core principles of military strategy.
Captain Johnstone argues that strategy is not a mysterious art — it rests on a small set of solid foundations. His central idea: concentrate your full strength at the decisive point. Everything else — movement, supply, intelligence, terrain, morale — exists to serve that one purpose.
He tests every principle against real history, not just theory, because as he says: "An ounce of well-examined fact is worth a pound of pure theory."
CONTENTS
- I. Offensive and Defensive
- II. Base of Operations and Line of Communications
- III. "Full Strength" — The master principle
- IV. Seizure and Retention of the Initiative
- V. Intelligence
- VI. Mobility
- VII. Importance of Organisation and Value of Numbers
- VIII. Training — Its Influence on Strategy
- IX. Discipline
- X. Physical Features of a Theatre of War
- XI. Selection of Objective
- XII. Moral Factors in War
- XIII. Politics
- XIV. The Influence of Fortresses
- XV. The Opening of a Campaign
Study notes :
- Concentration — Never divide your force without good reason. Victory comes when you bring your full strength to the decisive point
- Initiative — Strike first where possible. The side that dictates the terms of conflict usually wins
- Intelligence — Know the enemy. Know the ground. Know your own force. Strategy built on guesswork fails
- Communications — An army marches on its supplies. Protect your base and your lines — they are your lifeline
- Morale — Men fight more than machinery. Discipline, training, and spirit often decide battles that numbers alone could not
- Politics and War — Strategy is never purely military. Political aims set the objectives; strategy is merely the means to reach them