Command has the responsibility to create combat forces, to support combat forces, and to employ combat forces. Strategy is the comprehensive directions of all elements of power to control situations and areas in order to attain objectives. Tactics is the immediate employment of specific forces and weapons to attain the specific objectives determined by strategy. Logistics is the creation and sustained support of weapons and combat forces to be tactically employed to attain strategic objectives.
Strategy is aimed at establishing control. Strategy and destruction are not synonymous. Startegy uses destruction only when there is no better way to attain control.
No single weapon can properly be called a strategic weapon, The immediate employment of any force or weapon is tactical regardless of its name. The ultimate effect, considered in conjunction with the employment of other weapons and elements of power, is strategic.
Deterrence of itself is not a valid strategy. It is, however, an important aspect of strategy. A strategy concept consists of a verbal specifying :
What to control,
Why to control,
What degree of control is necessary,
When to establish control,
How long to maintain control,
What is the general scheme of control.
The concept of strategy's being the art of control applies to all types and phases of human conflict and is especially pertinent to the conduct of revolutionary or guerrilla warfare.
The practical application of a strategic concept consists of a group of specific tactical operations that must be preceded and supported by logistical actions and operations.
In other words, practical operational planning starts with the following statements:
The Mission,
The Characteristics of the Theater,
The Forces Involved,
The Scheme of Maneuver or Action,
The Intensity of Action,
The Timing and Duration of Action.
By applying logistic planning factors to these elements of the problem, one calculates the time-phased logistic requirements to create and to support, during this tactical employment, the necessary combat forces. That is: What? How Much? Where? When?
Thus operational planning consists of an intimate blend of tactical and logistic thinking to carry out strategic concepts. This conceptual unity and coherence is essential to swift, decisive military action in any type of human conflict.
Restating the relationship in slightly different terms leads to further important ideas:
Operations consist of a blend of tactical action and logistical action to attain the objectives of strategy.
Strategic considerations govern the comprehensive employment of combat forces.
Tactical considerations govern the specific employment of combat forces.
Since logistics is the bridge between the basic economy of a nation and the operations of the combat forces, economic factors limit the combat forces that can be created while logistic factors limits the combat forces that can be employed.
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