The Evolution of Operational Art: from Napoleon to the Present

Operational art – the ‘grey area between strategy and tactics’ – has always existed, encompassing the theory and practice of planning and conducting campaigns and major operations to accomplish strategic and operational objectives in a theatre of operations. Yet, as a distinct concept that encapsulates a systemic deliberate plan of campaign for major operations, the idea of operational art is only roughly two centuries old. The Evolution of Operational Art explores this developmental trajectory through individual chapters dedicated to country-specific case studies, including the Soviet Union / Russia, the United States, Israel, and China.