http://www.bmlv.gv.at/omz/ausgaben/artikel.php?id=413

[English excerpt, full german article here: 
http://www.bmlv.gv.at/omz/ausgaben/artikel.php?id=408; dm+]

War Determination Planning
Milan Vego

Repeatedly experience has shown that an even decisive victory in the 
main fighting phase of a military campaign will not guarantee 
achievement of the political objectives of a war, if the strategic 
success is not consolidated du­ring the phase following the hostilities. 
Success or failure of the phase following the hostilities highly depends 
on the success of war determination, which in its turn requires a 
reasonable plan, prepared by operational command before the campaign and 
finally implemented expertly.

The success of war determination planning highly depends on suitable 
written regulations issued by political command in time. When the 
campaign is in progress it is the commander's task to watch the 
situation, assess it anew, and alter his plans, his war determination 
plan included.

War determination is difficult to achieve because each party endeavours 
to demand better conditions than those prevailing before the outbreak of 
hostilities. Another problem is the fact that the emotional and 
psychological effects of a war require additional compensation. The 
greater the efforts of a warring nation and its war costs, the more 
vehemently will it defend its terms of peace.

The results of the war determination process highly depend on whether 
the victorious party aims at unlimited or limited strategic objectives. 
In a war with unlimited objectives the whole determination process is 
much easier than in a war with limited objectives, because the 
victorious party does not need the loser's obligingness concerning its 
demands.

Choice of time and conditions for war determination, and the ensuing 
negotiations process, are the political decision-makers' exclusive 
domain. The commander's input to the process, however, his ability to 
create conditions beneficial to the success of negotiations, and the 
success of the phase following the end of hostilities, are critical 
factors in achieving political objectives and the desired end state. 
This also implies a sound relationship and steady communication between 
the political command and the commander on the theatre; otherwise, the 
failure to achieve the ultimate objectives of the war cannot be avoided.

+++


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