One might say that the physical seem little more than the wooden hilt, while the moral factors are the precious metal, the real weapon, the finely-honed blade. Consequently, though next to nothing can be said about these things in books, they can no more be omitted from the theory of the art of war than can any of the other components of war. Unfortunately, they will not yield to academic wisdom. They constitute the spirit that permeates war as a whole. The moral elements are among the most important in war. Boyd, friction, moral factors, command, mission command, military theory, Sun Tzu This analysis is used to further inform and enhance a model of command approaches, which seeks to form a linkage between the characteristics of friction and the methods by which commanders attempt to control and direct their forces, with different command approaches seen as methodologies to reduce the level of friction experienced by friendly forces and increase that affecting the enemy. It then explores the criticisms and extensions of Clausewitz’s thinking in these two areas by U.S. This article examines the writings of Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz to assess his understanding of the moral and psychological elements of warfare and what is arguably his most significant contribution to military theory: the recognition of the nature and central impact of friction. Yet, it is very rarely through the unadorned slaughter of an enemy’s troops that victory is secured, but rather by bringing the opponent to acknowledge that they are defeated. Abstract: Most military writing and doctrine focuses on the physical components of warfare rather than its moral or psychological elements.
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