This is coolbert: In a previous post I have mentioned the principles of war as enunciated by J.F.C. Fuller. A British officer of infantry who in 1911 began his own self-study of the principles of war in his anticipation of the outbreak of a general world war in Europe. To his amazement, Fuller found out that no one prior to him had bothered or were able to compile a list of the principles of war [in the quote by Slim, he mentions the principles of war from the Field Regulations, but they were not listed]. As was stated in my previous post, these basic principles were probably always understood at the intuitive level by many military practitioners, but not put into a cogent written form. Fuller did compile his own list which became the accepted set of principles agreed upon by the British army. These principles are:

Objective

Mass

Offensive

Surprise

Security

Movement

Economy of Force

Cooperation

The U.S. Army adopted these principles as also the agreed upon principles of war, almost word for word. A couple of word changes were made by the U.S. Army, such as mobility was substituted for movement, and unity of command and simplicity substituted for cooperation. So the U.S. Army agrees almost verbatim with what Fuller had to say. De Puy is of the opinion that the word movement and mobility are both incorrect, although the principle is sound. De Puy says to substitute the word maneuver for movement and mobility and you got it right.

Fuller did serve with distinction in the First World War, and continued to write about military history, military doctrine, and such after the war. J.F.C. Fuller was of the age where he could have served in the Second World War also, and in the capacity as a general officer. But he did not. He was felt to have demonstrated in the years just prior to the war decided fascist tendencies and sympathy for fascist movements all over Europe. For this the British government incarcerated him for a time and then released him. Fuller was prohibited from serving in any capacity during the war and faded away. A very sad ending!

coolbert.