Maneuver

If you don't move your troops around, then you can, at best, achieve a stalemate. This may be sufficient, but victory is always preferable, and often necessary. To win, you must outmaneuver your opponent, or cause your opponent to try some fancy maneuver than turns into a disaster. Maneuvering is always dangerous, as the other guy may turn out to be better at it. For this reason many otherwise able commanders fail in battle because they do not have the proper mindset for maneuver warfare. They are not willing to take risks. Successfully moving troops around in battle is the pinnacle of military art and the usual precursor of victory.

Back to Principles of War
Back to Jane's Military History Nodes

Sources: See Principles of War main page

Ma*neu"ver, Ma*neu"vre (?), n. [F. maneuvre, OF. manuevre, LL. manopera, lit., hand work, manual labor; L.manus hand + opera, fr. opus work. See Manual, Operate, and cf. Mainor, Manure.]

1.

Management; dexterous movement; specif., a military or naval evolution, movement, or change of position.

2.

Management with address or artful design; adroit proceeding; stratagem.

© Webster 1913.

Ma*neu"ver, Ma*neu"vre, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Maneuvered (#) or Maneuvred; p. pr. & vb. n. Maneuvering (), or Maneuvring ().] [Cf. F. maneuvrer. See Maneuver, n.]

1.

To perform a movement or movements in military or naval tactics; to make changes in position with reference to getting advantage in attack or defense.

2.

To manage with address or art; to scheme.

© Webster 1913.

Ma*neu"ver, Ma*neu"vre, v. t.

To change the positions of, as of troops of ships.

© Webster 1913.