Maneuver Warfare Handbook: Amazon.ca: William S Lind: Books

Product Description

Maneuver warfare, often controversial and requiring operational and tactical innovation, poses perhaps the most important doctrinal questions currently facing the conventional military forces of the U.S. Its purpose is to defeat the enemy by disrupting the opponent’s ability to react, rather than by physical destruction of forces. This book develops and explains the theory of maneuver warfare and offers specific tactical, operational, and organizational recommendations for improving ground combat forces. The authors translate concepts—too often vaguely stated by manuever warfare advocates—into concrete doctrine. Although the book uses the Marine Corps as a model, the concepts, tactics, and doctrine discussed apply to any ground combat force.

About the Author

William S. Lind was assistant for military affairs to U.S. Senator Gary Hart.

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6 Reviews

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5.0 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Still lean, still Marine, Dec 20 2003

By

LostBoyinNC (NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Maneuver Warfare Handbook (Paperback)

When this book came out in the mid-eighties it was basically blasphemy to the U.S. Marine Corp and the other services. Because it discussed in detail the very kind of warstyle and chain of command that had recently defeated the U.S. in Vietnam. That is, it detailed a maneuver style of warfare utilizing an extremely decentralized chain of command. The Marines at that time were still primarily focused on the cold war, with attrition warfare strategies and a corresponding rigid, centralized chain of command type command and control structure. As were the other services.

This book along with other books gradually led to the Marine Corp formally adopting maneuver warfare as its warfighting doctrine. And the formal writing of Marine Corp Doctrinal Publiclication-1..."Warfighting." This occurred under the tenure of General Al Gray in the late eighties. General Gray was a huge fan of William Lind and his maneuver warfare ideas.

You want to understand how the US got its butt kicked in Vietnam? You want to understand how the US steamrolled thru Iraq recently? You want to understand how the German Army had such extreme success with its blitzkrieg operations in the early stages of WW2? Then read this book.

This book goes well with several other books. Principle among them would include Marine Corp Doctrinal Publication-1 "Warfighting. Which has been published commercially on a large scale. Another book Lind's publication goes well with is Sun Tzu, "The Art of War." H. Liddel Hart's "Strategy" goes extremely well with this book. Mao Tse Tung's works on guerilla warfare also goes well with this book.

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5.0 out of 5 stars maneuver war bible, Mar 12 2002

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Morgan H. Norval "germanicus" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Maneuver Warfare Handbook (Paperback)

Bill Lind has written the bible of manuever war. This consise little book is used as a text by the US Marine Corps. They must know something and you would be well-advised to follow their example. Get this book, otherwise manuever war will be just another phrased you will hear from talking heads.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Superb military theory, Dec 3 2001

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John S. Cunningham (Las Vegas, nv United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Maneuver Warfare Handbook (Paperback)

This is a truly influential book. It explains the concept of "Maneuver Warfare" and contrasts it with the US Army's attrition based "AirLand Battle Doctrine". It covers topics such as mission orders, recon pull, decision cycles and tempo, use of the reserve, commander's intent, and other key concepts that teach a junior military leader HOW (vs what) to think.

Based on Boyd's revolutionary OODA cycle theories, it shows how a quick acting, agile force can constantly beat larger, heavier equipped foes. After reading this book you will understand exactly why the German Army of 1940-1941 was so effective against the larger and better equipped French-British, and Soviet Armies.

The book is divided into two halves. The critical part is the first half which explains in clear, understandable terms how maneuver warfare works. The second half is a series of tactical decision games that offer practical examples to teach junior leaders these concepts.

This ideas in this small book were adopted almost verbatim by the USMC for their land war doctrine. This doctrine was so effective in combat against the Iraqi's in 1990 that the US VII Corps had to move up its attack by approx 48 hours to prevent the Iraqi's from completely escaping before the marines pushed them completely out of Kuwait.

This book has served for years as an underground "bible" by maneuver warfare officers looking for a resource to help train junior leaders critical maneuver warfare concepts. While many look to technological answers to 4th Generation Warfare, this book give ideas that apply instead to people and tactics. It leaves the reader with a solid understanding on how men make decisions in combat, as well as how to translate that knowledge to a military advantage. It is a MUST HAVE book for Combat Arms officers and junior leaders.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb military theory
This is a truly influential book. It explains the concept of "Maneuver Warfare" and contrasts it with the US Army's attrition based "AirLand Battle Doctrine"... Read more

Published on Dec 3 2001 by John S. Cunningham

5.0 out of 5 stars Maneuver warfare made clear
This book clearly explains the basic concepts of maneuver warfare, and does much to clear away the numerous misconceptions that surround the subject. Read more

Published on Oct 16 2000 by Daniel Wade