The Need for Organisational Resilience - Chapter 1

[Text Box starts] Von Clausewitz and De Jomini: The surprise

… there follows another endeavour which must consequently be just as general in its nature. This is

surprising the enemy and it lies more or less at the foundation of all undertakings, for without it,

gaining the decisive advantage is not conceivable. (Adapted from Von Clausewitz 2011, 86)

Now there is one observation that goes to the heart of the matter. A surprise can only be effected

successfully by the party which is in command of the situation; that is the party which dictates events.

If we surprise the adversary with an ill-conceived measure, then instead of reaping good results, we

may have to bear a heavy blow; in any case our adversary need not to trouble himself much about

our surprise, because our mistake enables him to avert any evil consequences. As the offensive, by

definition, entails much more positive action than the defensive, so the element of surprise is certainly

more likely to lie with the assailant, but this is by no means invariably the case, as we shall see

hereafter. Surprises delivered by the offensive may therefore be countered by defensive surprises,

and ultimately the advantage will lie with whoever has planned most effectively. (Adapted from Von

Clausewitz 2011, 88)

I will not speak here of the small-scale surprises which are the chief features in wars of partisan

or light troops, for which the light Russian and Turkish cavalry are so well adapted. I will confine

myself to an examination of surprise in the context of whole armies.

Before the invention of fire-arms, surprises were more easily effected than at present; for the

reports of artillery and musketry firing are heard at so great a distance that it is now next to impossible

to surprise an army, unless the first duties of field-service have been forgotten, there are no outposts

to give the alarm and the enemy is able to penetrate the midst of the army before his presence

becomes known. The Seven Years’ War offers a memorable example in the surprise at Hochkirch. 1

That shows that a surprise does not simply consist simply in falling upon troops that are sleeping or

keeping a poor look-out, but that it may result from the combination of a sudden attack upon, and

1 The battle of Hochkirch took place on 14 October 1758. Commandeered by Marshal Leopold Josef Graf Daun, an Austrian Army of 80.000 surprised their enemy of 36.000, led by Frederick the Great.

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