1986 · printed slide 47

Emil Schalk · Summary of The Art of War · 1862

“There are three great maxims common to the whole science of war; they are—

1. Concentrate your force, and act with the whole of it on one part only of the enemy’s force.
2. Act against the weakest part of your enemy—his center, if he is dispersed; his flank or rear, if concentrated. Act against his communications without endangering your own.
3. Whatever you do, as soon as you have made your plan, and taken the decision to act upon it, act with the utmost speed, so that you may obtain your object before the enemy suspects what you are about.”

Caution

While these maxims by Schalk portray, in a general way, physical maneuvers that can be used to realize one’s purpose in war at the strategic level, they do not address the non-adaptability and predictability (via the drill regulation mind-set) that permeated 19th century “maneuvers” at the tactical level.

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