MCDP 1-0: Principles of War

Principles of War
(excerpt from MCDP 1-0 Marine Corps Operations)

The Marine Corps’ warfighting philosophy of maneuver warfare is rooted in the principles of war. These nine principles apply across the range of military operations and at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. They are listed under the age-old acronym, “MOOSEMUSS.”

The principles of war are useful aids to a commander as he considers how to accomplish his mission. They assist the commander in organizing his thinking about his mission, the enemy, the battlespace, and his forces. They should not be considered as prescriptive steps or actions that must be accomplished, but as tools to plan, execute, and assess operations. Successful application of the principles requires a commander’s judgment, skill, and experience to adapt to constantly changing conditions and situations.

MASS

Concentrate the effects of combat power at the decisive place and time to achieve decisive results.

Commanders mass the effects of combat power to overwhelm the enemy and
gain control of the situation. Mass applies to fires, combat support, and combat
service support as well as numbers of forces. Proper use of the principle of mass, together with the other principles of war, may achieve decisive local superiority
by a numerically inferior force. The decision to concentrate requires strict economy and the acceptance of risk elsewhere, particularly in view of the lethality of modern weapons that mandate rapid assembly and speedy dispersal of forces.

OBJECTIVE

Direct every military operation toward a clearly defined, decisive, and attainable objective.

The ultimate military objective of war is to defeat the enemy’s forces or destroy
his will to fight. The objective of each operation must contribute to this ultimate
objective. Intermediate objectives must contribute quickly and economically to
the purpose of the operation. The selection of an objective is based on consideration of the ultimate goal, forces available, the threat, and the AO. Every
commander must clearly understand the overall mission of the higher command,
his own mission, the tasks he must perform, and the reasons therefore. He considers every contemplated action in light of its direct contribution to the objective. He must clearly communicate the overall objective of the operation to
his subordinates.

OFFENSIVE

Seize, retain, and exploit the initiative.

Offensive action is the decisive form of combat. Offensive action is necessary to
seize, retain, and exploit the initiative and to maintain freedom of action. It allows the commander to exploit enemy weaknesses, impose his will upon the
enemy, and determine the course of the battle. A defensive posture should only
be a temporary expedient until the means are available to resume the offensive.
Even in the conduct of a defense, the commander seeks every opportunity to seize the initiative by offensive action.

SECURITY

Never permit the enemy to acquire an unexpected advantage.

Security is those measures taken to prevent surprise, ensure freedom of action,
and deny the enemy information about friendly forces, capabilities, and plans.
Security is essential to the preservation of combat power across the range of military operations, even in benign environments. However, since risk is an inherent condition of war, security does not imply overcautiousness or the avoidance of calculated risk. In fact, security can often be enhanced by bold maneuver and offensive action, which deny the enemy the chance to interfere.
Adequate security requires an accurate appreciation of enemy capabilities,
sufficient security measures, effective reconnaissance, and continuous readiness
for action.

ECONOMY OF FORCE

Allocate minimum essential combat power to secondary efforts.

Economy of force is the reciprocal of the principle of mass. The commander
allocates the minimum essential combat power to secondary efforts. This requires the acceptance of prudent risks in selected areas to achieve superiority at the decisive time and location with the main effort. To devote means to unnecessary efforts or excessive means to necessary secondary efforts violates the principles of mass and objective. Economy of force measures are achieved through limited attacks, defense, deceptions or delaying actions.

MANEUVER

Place the enemy in a disadvantageous position through the flexible application of combat power.

Maneuver is the employment of forces on the battlefield through movement in
combination with fires, or fire potential, to achieve a position of advantage in
respect to the enemy to accomplish the mission. That advantage may be psychological, technological or temporal as well as spatial. Maneuver alone
cannot usually produce decisive results; however, maneuver provides favorable
conditions for closing with the enemy in decisive battle. Maneuver contributes
significantly to sustaining the initiative, exploiting success, preserving freedom
of action, and reducing vulnerability. Effective maneuver—in combination with
mass, surprise, and economy of force—allows an inferior force to achieve decisive superiority at the necessary time and place. At all echelons, successful
application of this principle requires not only fires and movement, but also
flexibility of thought, plans, organization, and command and control.

UNITY OF COMMAND

For every objective, ensure unity of effort under one responsible commander.

Unity of command is based on the designation of a single commander with the
authority to direct and coordinate the efforts of all assigned forces in pursuit of a
common objective. The goal of unity of command is unity of effort. In joint,
multinational, and interagency operations where the commander may not control
all elements in his AO, he seeks cooperation and builds consensus to achieve
unity of effort.

SURPRISE

Strike the enemy at a time or place or in a manner for which he is unprepared.

The commander seeks every possible means to achieve surprise by striking the
enemy at a time or place, or in a manner for which the enemy is unprepared. It is
not essential that the enemy be taken unaware, but only that he become aware too
late to react effectively. Factors contributing to surprise include speed, the use of
unexpected forces, operating at night, effective and timely intelligence, deception, security, variation in tactics and techniques, and the use of unfavorable terrain. Surprise can decisively affect the outcome of a battle and may compensate for numerical inferiority.

SIMPLICITY

Prepare clear, uncomplicated plans and clear, concise orders to ensure thorough understanding.

Plans should be as simple and direct as the situation and mission dictate. Direct,
simple plans, and clear, concise orders reduce the chance for misunderstanding and confusion, and promote effective execution. In combat, even the simplest plan is usually difficult to execute. Other factors being equal, the simplest plan is preferred.

Multinational operations place a premium on simplicity. Language, doctrine, and
cultural differences complicate military operations. Simple plans and orders minimize the confusion inherent in joint, multinational, and interagency operations.