The Missing Link in War

War is not just a collection of battles or a distant strategic plan. The operational level acts as the vital bridge, turning individual tactical victories into the actual achievement of long-term goals.

Think of the operational level as the master conductor between the frontline soldiers and the government leaders. While tactics focus on winning a single firefight, the operational level organizes these events into a broader campaign. Without this middle layer, armies might win every battle but still lose the entire war. It is the art of sequencing moves to ensure that local success eventually delivers the desired political outcome.