The meaning of manoeuvre

Abstract

The concept of manoeuvre, now a central aspect of British’ Defence Doctrine, has attracted and continues to attract much controversy. In this article Major General Kiszely analyses the reasons for this, examining what exactly is meant by the term manoeuvre, and explaining why the concept is not well understood. He discusses the relationship between manoeuvre and attrition, traces the origins of the terms ‘manoeuvre warfare’ and ‘the manoeuvrist approach’, and gives an account of the debate—articularly lively in the US—which has surrounded the subject. Major General Kiszely then turns to assess the validity of the manoeuvrist approach across the whole spectrum of military operations from warfighting to peacekeeping and, lastly, asks whether such an approach is universally applicable.