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I'm really interested in this concept touched on briefly by Mark this week.

Anyone know where I can find out more...?

Thanks!

tlhausmann's picture
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The book, _33 Strategies of War_, has several mentions of Napoleonic strategy in offensive campaigns. Others with formal military science training may have a better suggestions.

Mark's picture
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They both relied greatly on the idea that no matter how the total armies numbered, it was, all things equal (which they never are), the numbers at the salient point of the battle that mattered.  If you won everywhere else but at the key point, you'd probably lose... You could be outnumbered 2-1 overall, but if you concentrate your forces at a key point and AT THAT POINT have your OWN 2-1 advantage, you're likely to win (assuming your tactics there take advantage of the 2-1 numerical advantage).

The posit is that not all points are equal, which of course they are not.  Napoleon did many things brilliantly (as did Lee), and this was but one... but it was a very very clever one.

Of course, there's also that other one, "never get involved in a land war in Asia."  ;-) 

Too many managers spread their forces across all activities, making them weak everywhere against someone who concentrates.

Dude was a rockstar.

Mark

Mark's picture
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This from a website about Napoleonic tactics:

When badly outnumbered he managed, by swift marching and maneuvering, to throw the mass of his army against portion of the enemy's, thus being stronger at the decisive point.  

Napoleon could use a mere part of his force to tie down and occupy the attention of one enemy, then rapidly move his remaining forces to build up a local superiority against the other. This brilliant strategy brought him fantastic victories against stronger enemies.

 

I am also going to look at my military history texts, because I cannot imagine that I have created the phrase "Mass at the Point of Decision" all by myself. I loved military history, and I'm sure I have a text in it with that very phrase.

Excited to go look.

Mark