(1) That if you seek it out with a superior force you will probably
    find it in a place where you cannot destroy it except at heavy cost.

    (2) That seeing that the defensive is a stronger form of war than the
    offensive, it is prima facie better strategy to make the enemy come
    to you than to go to him and seek a decision on his own ground.

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WAR COURSE

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Notes on Strategy

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PART ONE

GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND DEFINITIONS

INTRODUCTORY

Naval strategy is a section of the Art of War.

The study for officers is the Art of War, which includes Naval Strategy.

War is the application of force to the attainment of political ends.

MAJOR AND MINOR STRATEGY

We seek our ends by directing force upon certain objects, which may be ulterior or primary.

Primary objects are the special objects of particular operations or movements which we undertake in order to gain the ulterior object of the campaign.  Consequently it must be remembered that every particular operation or movement must be regarded, not only from the point of view of its special object, but also as a step to the end of the campaign or war.

Strategy is the art of directing force to the ends in view.  There are two kinds—­Major Strategy, dealing with ulterior objects; Minor Strategy, with primary objects.

Every operation of an army or fleet must be planned and conducted in relation (1) to the general plan of the war; (2) to the object to which it is immediately directed.

Major Strategy, always regarding the ulterior object, has for its province the plan of the war and includes:  (1) Selection of the immediate or primary objects to be aimed at for attaining the ulterior object; (2) Selection of the force to be used, i.e., it determines the relative functions of the naval and military forces.  Major Strategy in its broadest sense deals with the whole resources of the nation for war.  It is a branch of statesmanship which regards the Army and Navy as parts of one force, to be handled together as the instrument of war.  But it also has to keep in constant touch with the political and diplomatic position of the country (on which depends the effective action of the instrument), and the commercial and financial position (by which the energy for working the instrument is maintained).  The friction due to these considerations is inherent in war, and is called the deflection of strategy by politics.  It is usually regarded as a disease.  It is really a vital factor in every strategical problem.