Clausewitz and the Modern War Games

Losing can be better than winning

Authors

  • Raymond B. Furlong Força Aérea Brasileira

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22480/revunifa.1985.1.562

Keywords:

Moral factors, Elements of the war, Commanders, battlefield

Abstract

In the absence of real war, war games help us learn about it and evaluate military concepts. The war game that develops and identifies the officer endowed with the desirable qualities to exercise command must reproduce the elements of war: danger, effort, uncertainty and chance. Real war doesn't obey ground rules, so I suggest the games are "unfair". We need to make our potential commanders understand that when it comes to war games, it's possible that when we win, we lose. Let us prepare to win where victory really matters. (Abstract prepared by the Editorship of the UNIFA Magazine)

References

Carl von Clausewitz, De Guerra, editado e traduzido por Michael Howard e Peter Paret (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1976). p. 184. Todas as outras citações com o número das páginas são dessa edição de Da Guerra.

Brigadeiro Curtis E. LeMay, Entrevista feita pelo Departamento de História Oral da Força Aérea dos Estados Unidos, Base Aérea Maxwell, Alabama: Centro de Pesquisa Histórica Albert F. Simpson, março de 1965, p. 24.

Published

1985-10-23

How to Cite

FURLONG, R. B. Clausewitz and the Modern War Games: Losing can be better than winning. The Journal of the University of the Air Force , Rio de Janeiro, v. 1, n. 1, 1985. DOI: 10.22480/revunifa.1985.1.562. Disponível em: https://revistaeletronica.fab.mil.br/index.php/reunifa/article/view/562. Acesso em: 17 may. 2024.