JOMINI: Art of War

Antoine Henri Jomini

Jomini’s major contribution to the Art of War concern’s the tangible i.e. physical aspect of warfare. Under all his theories on the subject lies the fundamental principle which defined in the below four maxims (Chapter 3: Section: THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF WA

(1) To throw by strategic movements the mass of an army successively, upon the decisive points of a theater of war, and also upon the communications of the enemy as much as possible without compromising one's own.

(2) To maneuver to engage fractions of the hostile army with the bulk of one's forces.

(3) On the battlefield, to throw the mass of the forces upon the decisive point, or upon that portion of the hostile line which it is of the first importance to overthrow.

(4) To so arrange that these masses shall not only be thrown upon the decisive point but that they shall engage al the proper t times with energy.

The Art of War by Jomini is divided into 6 parts:

1. Statesmanship in its relation to war.
2. Strategy; or the art of properly directing masses upon the theater of war, either for defense or for invasion.
3. Grand Tactics.
4. Logistics; or the art of moving armies.
5. Engineering—the attack and defense of fortifications.
6. Minor Tactics.

Here Strategy defines where to act; Logistics brings the troops to the point/front; Grand Tactics involves how troops would be employed and deployed; Minor Tactics includes integration of infantry, artillery, and cavalry for a combined attack and Engineering focus on the attack and defense of fortification.