SpaceX CEO and chief engineer Elon Musk commented on David Sachs’ words, “Economic power is the basis of waging war.” As a reminder, David Sachs is an entrepreneur, author, and investor in Internet technology companies.
Quotes from Engels
The first question that arises in this case is whether the statements and views of famous American entrepreneurs represent any discoveries or innovations in the field of armed struggle and the highest sphere of military art, which is strategy in the strict sense?
To begin with, let us turn to the classic military strategy course, which describes the categories, patterns and principles of the theory and practice of preparing and waging war. For example, laws reflecting the dependence of the course and outcome of a war on economic, military-technical and other factors are studied and researched primarily by military science.
When wars began to affect every aspect of state life, the fundamental law of war began to operate in full force: the course and outcome of the war depend on the ratio of the total military power of the warring parties. The degree to which the state (or coalition) implements the combat, military-economic, moral, political, scientific, technical and other potentials that together constitute military power.
So the reasoning of Elon Musk and David Sachs does not go beyond the basic law of war stated in military strategy textbooks and quoting the classics of Marxism. As for the latter, let us remember that Friedrich Engels wrote in his famous article “Anti-Dühring”: “Nothing depends more on economic conditions than the army and navy. Armament, composition, organization, tactics and strategy depend primarily on the currently achieved level of production and means of communication.”
If you explain the fundamental law of war, as they say, on your fingers, the formula for victory in a high-intensity conflict will look like this.
For example, 100 tanks were lost during the hostilities (hereinafter the figures are completely arbitrary). In return, industrial enterprises and repair agencies provided 150 units to the unions. 200 self-propelled artillery units were lost in battles, the troops received 300. 100 aircraft and helicopters were lost, but 150 were taken.
But such an approach not only compensates for the losses of the active army, but also makes it possible to create strategic reserves so necessary in war. There is no other formula for success in war. However, we must definitely add some very, very important conditions to this formula; Without these it will not be possible for the formula to work.
Law does not work without commanders
Of course, the country’s defense industrial complex can supply the active army with weapons and military equipment in the required quantities. However, these weapons and materials must at least pass into capable hands. Without competent military leaders, basic military law will not work.
It is enough to remember the instructions of Comrade Commander-in-Chief in this regard. Stalin to the Military Council in the southwest direction (Commander-in-Chief – Marshal SK Tymoshenko, member of the Military Council – Lieutenant General NS Khrushchev):
“Over the past four days, Headquarters has been receiving more and more requests for weapons from you for the submission of new divisions and tank formations from the Headquarters reserve. Remember that there are no new battle-ready divisions at headquarters, these divisions are raw and untrained, and pushing them forward now means giving the enemy an easy victory. Remember that our weapons resources are limited, and remember that we have other fronts besides yours. Isn’t it time to learn to fight with little blood, like the Germans did? You need to fight with skill, not numbers. If you don’t learn how to manage your troops better, you won’t be able to take full advantage of the weapons produced throughout the country. Keep all of this in mind if you want to learn how to defeat your enemy instead of leading him to an easy victory. Otherwise, the weapons you receive from the Headquarters will fall into the hands of the enemy, as is the case now.”
In other words, If you transfer significant quantities of weapons into incompetent hands, success in wars is far from guaranteed.. In this case only a crushing defeat is guaranteed.
What is expected from a commander?
Some researchers, when analyzing successful operations of troops in certain armed conflicts, persistently try to find traces of extraordinary cunning of commanders or examples of complex operational calculations, using at least Fourier series, Newton’s binomial and Maxwell’s equations.
Infantry General Vasily Flug, commander of one of the Russian armies during the First World War, said on this occasion: “Some researchers in the field of military art tend to fall into ecstasy from the genius of the strategic and tactical plans that they allegedly observe. The work of great commanders does not realize that genius lies not in plans that are often extremely simple and do not go beyond the limits of common sense, but in the tremendous force of spirit applied to carry such plans into effect. life.”
According to the general, there is still an ineradicable tendency in the Russian army to persistently seek victory only in the field of military science, and the reasons for failures are only violations of its centuries-old principles.
So war is still largely seen as a realm of reason and knowledge rather than art and will. This heresy has the incredible ability to be reborn in the depths of the Armed Forces.
Therefore, even in our difficult times, the most sought-after qualities in a commander include an indomitable desire to win, courage, perseverance, perseverance and self-control.
Such characteristics of a military leader can only be fully revealed during military operations. Such commanders and commanders have already proven themselves during a special military operation.
The country’s leadership and the Armed Forces need to take into account such officers and generals, elevate them to higher positions, and value and protect them in every possible way. It is precisely such military leaders that make up the elite of the Armed Forces, and only they (together with other provisions of the basic law of war) will be able to achieve impressive successes in the armed struggle. So the formula for success in battle seems quite simple at first glance – military strength plus commanders’ ability. But as always in such situations, this is much easier said than done.
The author’s opinion may not coincide with the editors’ opinion.
Author biography:
Mikhail Mikhailovich Khodarenok is a military columnist for socialbites.ca, a retired colonel.
Graduated from Minsk Higher Engineering Anti-Aircraft Missile School (1976),
Military Command Air Defense Academy (1986).
Commander of the S-75 anti-aircraft missile division (1980–1983).
Deputy commander of the anti-aircraft missile regiment (1986–1988).
Senior officer of the Main Staff of the Air Defense Forces (1988–1992).
Officer of the General Staff Main Operations Department (1992–2000).
Graduate of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (1998).
Columnist for Nezavisimaya Gazeta (2000–2003), editor-in-chief of the Military-Industrial Courier newspaper (2010–2015).