be established, which will protect the rear and also the depots by temporary fortifications. When the army crosses large streams, it will construct têtes de pont; and, if the bridges are within walled cities, earth-works will be thrown up to increase the means of defense and to secure the safety of the eventual base or the strategic reserve which may occupy these posts.
Should the battle be lost, the army will retreat toward its base, in order to be reinforced therefrom by detachments of troops, or, what is equivalent, to strengthen itself by the occupation of fortified posts and camps, thus compelling the enemy to halt or to divide his forces.
When winter approaches, the armies will either go into quarters, or the field will be kept by the army which has obtained decisive success and is desirous of profiting to the utmost by its superiority. These winter campaigns are very trying to both armies, but in other respects do not differ from ordinary campaigns, unless it be in demanding increased activity and energy to attain prompt success.
Such is the ordinary course of a war, and as such we will consider it, while discussing combinations which result from these operations.
Strategy embraces the following points, viz.:—
- The selection of the theater of war, and the discussion of the different combinations of which it admits.
- The determination of the decisive points in these combinations, and the most favorable direction for operations.
- The selection and establishment of the fixed base and of the zone of operations.
- The selection of the objective point, whether offensive or defensive.