Maroc - EURASIAREVIEW.COM - A la une - 24/Aug 11:56

The Pinnacle Of Blitzkrieg And The Pincer Movement – OpEd

By Kung Chan The basic military strategies of Blitzkrieg and the pincer movement are widely known through films. The Germans were the most successful practitioners of Blitzkrieg, and the pincer movement was the masterpiece of Nazi German Field Marshal Erich von Manstein. Under the command of Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Ukrainian force has successfully launched offensives twice, but these cannot be considered true pincer movements. While they have managed to break through and advance, their strategic objectives and plans remain unclear. As a result, there is a significant risk of reverting to entrenched positions and trench warfare, which plays to Russia's strengths. This is the greatest danger, and the reason for this lies in strategic theory. Modern offensive operations involve more than just breakthroughs; they are fundamentally about destroying the defensive system and eliminating or capturing enemy forces, as the Germans did during World War II. Both the pincer movement and Blitzkrieg are forms of offensive operations. The biggest challenge in offensive operations is not the breakthrough or initiation but how to bring it to a successful conclusion. The fundamental goal of a breakthrough is to dismantle the enemy's defensive structure and create chaos, then to eliminate as many enemy forces as possible during the maneuver, and finally to withdraw, regroup, and seek the next opportunity. The most difficult part is achieving these goals when the climax of the battle arrives. Otherwise, it may lead to confusion and disorder. This was a problem faced by the Germans during the war. Despite repeatedly breaking through, Friedrich Paulus's army even reaching near Moscow, Hitler's orders made it difficult to withdraw, and the Soviets used the vast space to defend and eventually turn the tide. There are concerns that the Ukrainian army might face similar issues. To avoid such problems, the Ukrainian army must, when Russian forces establish their defensive lines, conduct defensive operations by withdrawing its elite main forces from the battlefield and leaving only a few troops to resist and tie down the enemy. This approach would create space and opportunities for the next offensive. Russia's vast territory makes comprehensive defense impractical, thus providing ample opportunities for breakthroughs. Therefore, the primary concern is not whether breakthroughs are achievable. The real challenge for Ukraine is how to develop their advances after breaking through, which will truly test their capabilities. From the perspective of world military history, large-scale offensive operations are extremely difficult. Even during World War II, only a few could master it inGermany, as most were highly skilled in defensive combat. Unfortunately, the future challenge for the Ukrainian army is likely to be about withdrawal and maneuvering rather than continuing the offensive.