Outflanking is a military strategy that involves maneuvering around the enemy's position to attack from the side or rear, rather than directly confronting them head-on. This tactic aims to exploit weaknesses in the enemy's formation and disrupt their lines of communication and supply. Historically, it has been used in various battles to gain a tactical advantage and can lead to encirclement or significant disarray among opposing forces. Effective outflanking requires careful planning and coordination to ensure that the maneuver is executed successfully.
No, his tactic was splitting his army into two and outflanking the Union Army under General Joseph Hooker. This was an offensive tactic as opposed to the defensive tactic of holding high ground.
Yes, it was necessary. During the Great War, the main strategy of both sides on the western front was to outflank each other. However, as both sides were equally strong, the outflanking led to the Race to the Sea. After the Race to the Sea, as they could no longer outflank each other and no strategic offensives could be launched, the only strategy they could adopt is to go on the defensive which led to trench warfare.
In an nutshell: 1)The outflanking of the Confederate positions' on the Rappahannock by the bulk of the Army of the Potomac crossing the Rapidan at Germanna Ford, followed by the crossing the Rappahannock of Union II Corps at Bank's Ford. 2) Deployment of the aforesaid bulk behind Lee's Army at Chancellorsville. 3) Crossing the Rappahannock by Union VI and I Corps south of Fredericksburg followed by a demonstrative attack on the Confederate right wing there. The plan aimed to an encirclement of Lee's Army, forcing them fighting on two fronts, outnumbered and doomed of being destroyed or scattered.
The Battle of Ezra Church July 28, 1864 whose favourable outcome, allowed the investment of Atlanta also from its western side by Union Army of the Ohio, forcing Hood to extend the entrenchments south of the city up to about 10 kilometers to cover the Atlanta-Montgomery railroad and stop the Federal advance. Hood, decided to fight back by sending half of his cavalry under General Wheeler to interrupt the railroad Atlanta-Chattanooga, vital for supplies of Sherman, thus depriving himself of his best cavalry units to monitor the movements of the enemy. Sherman took the opportunity to organize a great undetected outflanking movement of Confederate defensive line that led the armies of the Union to cut the railway Montgomery-Atlanta and at Jonesborough, the Atlanta-Macon, thereby isolating Hood's forces from the rest of the Confederacy. To avoid being besieged in the city and forced sooner or later to surrender Hood decided to evacuate Atlanta.
The Race to the Sea began after the German invasion of France was stopped at the Marne. The Race to the Sea aimed for each side to try to outflank each other ever closer to the English Channel then first expected. Outflanking is of course the term used to describe when a side tries to "outwit" its opponent or out manoeuvre them. The race left the entire Western Front divided by over 400 miles of trenches where the war had ceased in development. The battles in the Race to the Sea made little progress like the battle of Ypres (although big it did little damage). There was more movement on the Eastern front then Western, with few major victories however there was nothing majorly impacting and the war carried on with high causality rates. Attempts to find a route into the opponents territory led to the failed invasion of Gallipoli (were allied forces took a piece of land from the opposite and defended it until it was halted by the Turkish resistance). Other battles occurred too including a conflict on the Italian front, Balkans and Middle East. Overall the Race to the Sea was a series of small battles that took place in order for the oppositions to outflank each other however it was not a success because the battles that were fought within this scheme usually led to large amounts of casualties with little success therefore it was really a big failure.
They won Paris in about 6 weeks by outflanking and outnumbering the French
The Union strategy in the First Manassas was that of outflanking the enemy's left flank by means a night march of three divisions, while the remainder of the army would have diverted the Confederate's attention developing fake attacks on their front. Once carried out the manoeuvre, the outflanking task force would have assailed the Rebel Army from the rear.
Its function was to protect the flanks of the phalanx, to deny outflanking moves by enemy infantry and cavalry, and to launch attacks on the flanks of the opposing forces.
Longstreet suggested outflanking Meade and cutting off his line of retreat, threatening Washington so that it would force Mead to attack a defensive position instead.
No, his tactic was splitting his army into two and outflanking the Union Army under General Joseph Hooker. This was an offensive tactic as opposed to the defensive tactic of holding high ground.
The Union Army of Potomac. In the evening of 28th of April the Northerners crossed the Rappahannock by surprise, capturing the Confederate picket guarding the observation post of Elly's Ford, opening the way to the outflanking manoeuvre of Lee's positions at Fredericksburg.
The overall Greek strategy was to thwart the Persian advance at the narrow pass of Thermopylae using a Spartan/Thespian/Theban blocking force , while at sea the Athenian Admiral Themistocles was to prevent Persian naval forces from outflanking the Greek land contingent by making an amphibious landing behind the Spartan King Leonidas and the Greeks . Themistocles was able to defeat the Persians at the sea battle of Salamis and the Greeks were able to withstand the Persian infantry assaults only to be outflanked on the land because the traitor Ephialtes had shown the Persians a way of outflanking the Greeks by showing the Persians a way around the pass of Thermopylae .h
The Union victory at the Battle of Five Forks fought o n March 29,1865 was pivotal to the outflanking and breakthrough of the Confederate defensive system of Petersburg on April 2, 1865 and led to the fall of Richmond on the 3rd April.
Grant managed to seize Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, gaining the control over both the Rivers Tennessee and Cumberland. That allowed the Federal Army to deeply penetrate into the Tennessee, leading to the strategic "outflanking" of Nashville, which became no more tenable by the Confederates.
The Union Army could exploit the surprise effect succeeding in outflanking fast undetected the left wing of the Confederates and attacking them from the back. The Confederate Army had: - a better operational chain of command, - they could manoeuvre by internal lines to check, beat back and defeat the Union's attacking force.
The principle of maneuver in warfare emphasizes the strategic movement of forces to gain a positional advantage over the enemy. It involves outflanking, encircling, or otherwise dislocating the opponent to create opportunities for decisive engagement. Effective maneuver relies on speed, surprise, and the ability to exploit terrain, ultimately aiming to disrupt the enemy's cohesion and decision-making. This principle contrasts with static defense, focusing instead on flexibility and adaptability in operations.
Following the defeat of Union General John Pope and his Army of the Potomac, General Lee was confident that conditions were ripe for an assault on the Northern frontier. Outflanking Pope, Lee was able to cross the Potomac River. He was unable to lay siege to Washington DC in that he lacked the artillery and manpower necessary to place the Union's capitol in serious danger. This was not known by the Union military at the time however.