Chapter I: Front Matter

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| Transcriber's Note: |
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| Inconsistent hyphenation in the original document has |
| been preserved. |
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SOUND MILITARY DECISION

U.S. Naval War College

Naval Institute Press Annapolis, Maryland

This book is the 1942 edition of a book originally published in 1936 by the U.S. Naval War College.

CONTENTS

_Sound Military Decision_ 1

Index 227

Sound Military Decision

U.S. NAVAL WAR COLLEGE Newport, Rhode Island

November 30, 1941

SOUND MILITARY DECISION was first published at the Naval War College in 1936. It included the essential features of THE ESTIMATE OF THE SITUATION which, since 1910, had been issued at intervals in a series of revised editions. The new material that was added in 1936 was intended to assist in enlarging the viewpoint and in broadening the basis of professional judgment.

Primarily intended for the purposes of the Naval War College, this work is the cumulative result of years of untiring and loyal effort on the part of the College staff and student body. Equally important have been the advice and assistance contributed by other officers of wide professional experience and attainment.

The objective has been a brief but inclusive treatment of the fundamentals of the military profession, i.e., the profession of arms. The emphasis, naturally, is on the exercise of mental effort in the solution of military problems, more especially in our Navy. An enormous literature has been consulted, and research has included all available and pertinent military writings. Care has also been taken to include, from civil sources, the findings of those authoritative works which deal with related matters and with the applicable underlying truths.

In a work of this type and scope, it is manifestly not possible to illustrate the abstract text by historical examples and analogies. These are complementary features of the War College resident and correspondence courses; provision for the necessary historical background is otherwise the concern of the individual student.

In this edition of SOUND MILITARY DECISION no radical changes have been made; the revision has been confined to rearrangement and amplification of the subject matter.

E.C. KALBFUS,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy,
President.

Through the studied employment of the Natural Mental Processes

(Foreword) The Scientific Approach to the Solution of Military
Problems

PART I

PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT
in its relation to the successful Conduct of War

(Chapter I) Command and its Problems

(Chapter II) Mental Processes and Human Tendencies

THE FUNDAMENTAL MILITARY PRINCIPLE

(Ch. III) leading to SOUND MILITARY DECISION

(Ch. IV) THE APPLICATION OF THE FUNDAMENTAL MILITARY PRINCIPLE
The Two Major Applications, i.e.,--
THE SELECTION OF OBJECTIVES
THE DETERMINATION OF OPERATIONS

(Ch. V) THE FOUR STEPS IN THE SOLUTION OF A MILITARY PROBLEM

Part II--PLANNING

(Ch. VI) THE FIRST STEP The Estimate of the Situation The Decision

(Ch. VII) THE SECOND STEP The Detailed Plan

Part III--EXECUTION

(Ch. VIII) THE THIRD STEP The Directives

(Ch. IX) THE FOURTH STEP The Supervision of the Planned Action]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(See Chart on page XXXX)

Page

FOREWORD 1

Science of War--Scientific Investigation--Fundamental
Considerations--Art of War--Scientific Method--Leadership
and Training--Sound Decision--Judgment--The Approach to
the Solution of Military Problems--Fundamental
Philosophy--Technique of Solution--Process of
Education--Outline of the Discussion.