Sound Military Decision. Naval War College
rel="nofollow" href="#ulink_3187a9f9-b652-5536-a404-b282a2807f73">page 24) be stated, though not necessarily all the details involved.
In addition to the principles of general application (Chapter III), the later discussion herein includes numerous other principles, with reference to matters of detail (pages 22–23). To some of these principles the treatment invites special attention. All principles included have been phrased with due care, to ensure conformity with the requirements above stated. The preferred form, herein, for the usual statement of cause and effect is through the use of phraseology such as that certain effects "depend on" or are "dependent on" certain causes, or that certain causes "determine" certain effects, or that the latter "are determined by" certain causes.
From the standpoint of the exercise of judgment, it is a principle that the due determination of effects to be produced depends on the proper consideration of pertinent factors. Once the principles applicable to any subject have been formulated in necessary detail, the evaluation of the cited factors with respect to a particular situation becomes the vital procedure as to any problem where that subject is involved. In the course of this evaluation, corollary or subordinate principles may be of assistance (page 22). In military problems, however, the evaluation usually involves many factors not susceptible of reasonably exact determination by the use of formulae (see page 23). In such cases, experience, education, and training afford the only secure basis for judgment which will produce reliable conclusions. The principles, therefore, provide reliable guides by citing the factors to be evaluated in order to arrive at desired results, but the principles cannot replace logical thought in the evaluation of the factors.
In formulating principles (see also page 23) as practical guides for action, as well as in using them when formulated, failure to give consideration to all pertinent factors may result in vitiating the effort based on their application. Danger also lies in the fact that any particular factor will infrequently have the same value—the same influence on the situation—in any two problems (page 25). Therefore, in each situation, each factor requires to be weighed in connection with the others. The soundness of the resulting conclusion will depend on the extent of the knowledge available (page 2) and on its useful employment.
Summary of Fundamental Considerations. The factors (page 25) involved in determining the nature of an effect and of the action to attain it become fundamental considerations (page 25) when it is desired to arrive at such a result under a particular set of circumstances.
The relationships obtaining between the desired effect and the action to attain it, on the one hand, and the factors involved, on the other, are best expressed in the form of principles. The next chapter is therefore devoted to the development of basic principles applicable to military problems.
CHAPTER IIIToC
BASIC PRINCIPLES APPLICABLE TO MILITARY PROBLEMS
(The Fundamental Military Principle)
On the basis of the previous discussion as to the natural mental processes and as to principles useful in their employment, Chapter III discusses the requirements for the attainment of an end in human affairs.
The fundamental principle thus derived is then applied to the needs of the military profession, so as to develop the Fundamental Military Principle. This Principle indicates the requirements of a correct military objective and of the action for its attainment.
Review of Conclusions as to Principles. On the premise that all human activities and their environment are governed by natural laws (page 22), the preceding chapter has been devoted to an analysis of the natural mental processes employed in meeting the problems of human life. This analysis has stressed four fundamental truths:
(1) That a valid rule, or principle, when complete, embraces all known phenomena pertinent to the relationship established.
(2) That the logical application of principles to particular incidents will take account of all the factors of the principles, and of all known conditions of the incidents.
(3) That such principles afford great assistance in arriving at sound conclusions, and that the human mind, if without access to such valid guides, tends to adopt faulty rules in the effort to serve the same purpose.
(4) That rules of action, however, even though they be valid, cannot be depended upon to replace the employment of logical thought.
Procedure for Developing Military Principles. Logically, the next stage in the treatment of this subject is to develop certain basic principles applicable, more especially, to the solution of military problems.
The development of such principles starts, on the basis already established in this discussion, with a reference to the natural mental processes used by the normal mature human being before taking deliberate action (page 19). Under such circumstances, the person who is to solve the problem has first to establish a basis for his solution.
To arrive at this basis, which involves an understanding of the appropriate effect desired, the person concerned requires a grasp of the salient features of the situation, a recognition of the incentive, and an appreciation of the effect which he has been directed to produce or has adopted on his own initiative. To complete the basis for his solution, he also requires an understanding of comparative resources as influenced by the conditions obtaining at the time.
During the actual solution of the problem, the person concerned takes cognizance first, of the existing situation, picturing it in his mind. Then, unless satisfied that he desires no change, he creates for himself mental images of future situations. The pictured condition decided upon after consideration of the pertinent factors involved, be it the situation to be maintained or a new situation to be created, constitutes an effect he may produce for the further attainment of the appropriate effect desired, already established as an essential part of the basis of his problem. (See page 25.)
With the existing situation and a new situation now clear, what action is he to take to change the one into the other? Or, if no change is desired, what action is he to take to maintain the existing situation? What acts or series of acts should he decide upon, plan in detail, inaugurate, and supervise (page 3), to attain the effect which he has envisaged for the further attainment of the appropriate effect desired?
The correct solution of problems therefore hinges on the requirements involved in the effects to be produced and in the action to produce them. If these requirements are ascertained, a principle can be formulated as a valid guide for the solution of human problems.
Requirements for the Attainment of an End. The discussion to this point has established the fact that an end in view, a result to be produced, an effect desired, is very closely connected with a further effect which the attainment of the former is intended to produce. Human motives spring from deep-seated incentives often derived from distant