Maneuver warfare theory has been used to explain success in numerous modern conflicts and is extensively incorporated into contemporary military doctrine. However, during 2022-2023, the war in Ukraine resembled World War I attritional warfare, leading theorists to question the relevance of maneuver warfare in today’s conflicts. This thesis examines the applicability of maneuver warfare theory in contemporary conflicts by analyzing success in land operations in eastern Ukraine, testing Stephen Biddle’s theory, The Modern System, in a comparative case study. The result indicates that asymmetry in force employment, referring to one side using military means more efficiently than the opponent, leads to success, and conversely that symmetry creates an attritional character of battle. The thesis contributes with insight into the dynamics between maneuver and attrition in high-intensity interstate wars, highlighting the importance of flexibility and adaptability. The conclusions emphasize the need of further research on maneuver warfare in contemporary conflicts.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:fhs-12568 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Bratt, Johan |
| Publisher | Försvarshögskolan |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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