Operational Art in the Defense: The German "Abwehrschlachten" in 1918
- 54 pages
- 2 hours of reading
The book explores the German military's transition to a defensive strategy during World War I after five failed offensives in 1918. It examines the "Abwehrschlachten" defensive battles, utilizing primary sources to assess changes in German operational thinking and the application of operational art. The analysis confirms previous findings on German military strategies while highlighting limitations imposed by the evolving operational environment. It challenges modern interpretations of operational art in defensive scenarios and proposes an evolved framework for understanding defense in warfare.
