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Naval War College *
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Dec 6, 2023
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Uploaded by edwinvalentin2011
1. Drawing from both Clausewitz and Sun Tzu, what are the most important challenges inherent
to War?
Clausewitz and Sun Tzu both identify two important challenges inherent to war. The first,
is that wars tend to be costly and affects the “people, commander and his army, and the
government” (Clausewitz, 89). According to Sun Tzu, when “the army engages in protracted
campaigns the resources of the state will not suffice” (Sun Tzu, 73). Not only do both men agree
that their own nation’s resources will suffer due to long, drawn out conflict, but they also both
agree on the fact that war will ultimately destroy a state they are fighting against when an overall
goal would be to take a nation intact to indulge in the fruits of their labor.
The second challenge inherent to war, is the uncertainty that arises throughout the course
of a conflict; the uncertainty created from intelligence. As stated by Clausewitz, “Many
intelligence reports in war are contradictory; even more are false, and most are uncertain”
(Clausewitz, 117). To further expand on this inherent challenge, Michael Handel’s
Masters of
War
outlines the views of both Clausewitz and Sun Tzu on the uncertainty of intelligence.
Clausewitz views intelligence in a negative and pessimistic light and believes that most
intelligence is unreliable, often times obsolete, and makes a limited contribution to success in
war (Handel, 252). On the contrary, Sun Tzu views the uncertainty of intelligence in a
positive/optimistic manner, and if reliable intelligence is received, success in war can be
achieved (Handel, 252). As pointed out by Clausewitz, “when plans are drafted in an office, far
from the sphere of action; the task becomes infinitely harder in the think of fighting itself, with
reports streaming in” (Clausewitz, 117). Ultimately, the inherent challenge of uncertainty on
what to do next, will rest in the hands of the one leading troops on the ground.
2. Explain the differences in Mahan’s and Corbett’s approaches to sea control.
While both Mahan and Corbett may offer similar tactics to gain sea control, there are
differences between their approaches. The main differences being that Mahan preferred a more
offensive (destructive) strategy, and Corbett preferred less barbarous methods that would lead an
enemy to succumb in war.
Beginning with Mahan, his strategic script concluded that offensive tactics and the idea
that a Navy would ultimately be the main reason a war is won. His six elements of sea power
outline the process he uses to create an ideal strategic guide to operations. Mahan’s “Strategy to
Guide Operations and Battle Tactics” included the following; undertaking
offensive
operations
into enemy home waters, destroying enemy naval forces by battle or keeping them out of action
by blockade, and gaining a decision by attacking and annihilating enemy forces (Prof. Maurer
Lecture, 53:17). Conversely to Mahan and completely destroying enemy forces, Corbett believed
that “wars are not always decided by the destruction of armies” (Corbett, 70).
Analyzing Corbett’s approach to sea control, he believed that “Command of the sea,
therefore, means nothing but the control of maritime communications, whether for commercial
or military purposes” (Corbett, p. 94). Contrary to Mahan, Corbett believes that wars are
ultimately won by troops ashore who utilize sufficient force to occupy an enemies “inland
communications and principle points of distribution” (Corbett, 94). Only then will victory be
achieved. Further contrasting Mahan’s offensive/annihilating enemy forces strategy, Corbett
states that by “occupying her maritime communications and closing the points of distribution in
which they terminate we destroy the national life afloat, and thereby check the vitality of that life
ashore so far as the on is dependent on the other” (Corbett, 94-95).
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