Dr. Milan Vego is Professor of Operations, Joint Military Operations (JMO) Department, U.S. Naval War College, Newport, RI, USA.

• List of Figures; Preface; Abbreviations; Headnote; Chapter One The Operational Commander; Chapter Two On Decisions; Chapter Three Psychosocial Factors; Chapter Four Information and Reports; Chapter Five The Commander’s Estimate; Chapter Six Analytical Method; Chapter Seven Intuitive Method; Chapter Eight The Commander’s Intent; Chapter Nine The Decision; Select Bibliography; Appendix 1: Samples of the German Instructions (Weisungen); Appendix 2: German Deployment Instruction “Gelb” (Yellow) (for Invasion of the Benelux Countries and France, May 1940); Appendix 3: On Assumptions; Appendix 4: Land Theater; Appendix 5: The Littorals; Index.

“Dr. Milan Vego has produced a must read for students, academics, and those who will be called upon to plan and wage war. It has been said that ‘Tactics without Strategy is simply noise before defeat’. It is the operational art that is the connecting file between these two critical elements which comprise the framework of war. Our professional military colleges are flush with discussions and readings of singular tactical actions and deep dives into grand strategy. This is a book that belongs on every military planners bookshelf.”—Lawrence D. Nicholson, retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General.“Milan Vego is America’s greatest expert on Operational Art, both theory and practice. This book is a significant contribution in understanding both, which should be of keen interest to military professionals and anyone interested in operational decision making, how it actually works, more importantly, how to get it right.” —Michael R. Matheny, Professor Emeritus, U.S. Army War College, and author of Carrying the War to the Enemy, American Operational Art to 1945.“This book attempts to correct this situation and fills a much-needed void in the theory of military decision-making. Therefore Dr. Vego’s book would be a valuable contribution to military curriculum of military senior level service colleges.”—COL Dale C. Eikmeier, USA (Ret.), Assistant Professor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, USA.“An excellent resource for aspiring commanders, this book deepens understanding of command and decision-making beyond doctrine. Vego combines clear context with historical examples to illuminate decisions in complex operations, filling a notable gap in the literature on military command and decision-making.” —James Gannon, Professor in the Joint Military Operations Department at the U.S. Naval War College, USA.“This is a must-read work for those who perform or support decision-making at the operational level of war. Dr. Vego offers detailed insights into the requirements for successful intuitive and analytical decision-making, as well as the common pitfalls encountered by commanders and their planning staffs.” —Dr. Patrick Sweeney, Adjunct Professor at The Citadel-The Military College of South Carolina, USA.

Dr. Milan Vego is Professor of Operations, Joint Military Operations (JMO) Department, U.S. Naval War College, Newport, RI, USA.

• List of Figures; Preface; Abbreviations; Headnote; Chapter One The Operational Commander; Chapter Two On Decisions; Chapter Three Psychosocial Factors; Chapter Four Information and Reports; Chapter Five The Commander’s Estimate; Chapter Six Analytical Method; Chapter Seven Intuitive Method; Chapter Eight The Commander’s Intent; Chapter Nine The Decision; Select Bibliography; Appendix 1: Samples of the German Instructions (Weisungen); Appendix 2: German Deployment Instruction “Gelb” (Yellow) (for Invasion of the Benelux Countries and France, May 1940); Appendix 3: On Assumptions; Appendix 4: Land Theater; Appendix 5: The Littorals; Index.

“Dr. Milan Vego has produced a must read for students, academics, and those who will be called upon to plan and wage war. It has been said that ‘Tactics without Strategy is simply noise before defeat’. It is the operational art that is the connecting file between these two critical elements which comprise the framework of war. Our professional military colleges are flush with discussions and readings of singular tactical actions and deep dives into grand strategy. This is a book that belongs on every military planners bookshelf.”—Lawrence D. Nicholson, retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General.“Milan Vego is America’s greatest expert on Operational Art, both theory and practice. This book is a significant contribution in understanding both, which should be of keen interest to military professionals and anyone interested in operational decision making, how it actually works, more importantly, how to get it right.” —Michael R. Matheny, Professor Emeritus, U.S. Army War College, and author of Carrying the War to the Enemy, American Operational Art to 1945.“This book attempts to correct this situation and fills a much-needed void in the theory of military decision-making. Therefore Dr. Vego’s book would be a valuable contribution to military curriculum of military senior level service colleges.”—COL Dale C. Eikmeier, USA (Ret.), Assistant Professor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, USA.“An excellent resource for aspiring commanders, this book deepens understanding of command and decision-making beyond doctrine. Vego combines clear context with historical examples to illuminate decisions in complex operations, filling a notable gap in the literature on military command and decision-making.” —James Gannon, Professor in the Joint Military Operations Department at the U.S. Naval War College, USA.“This is a must-read work for those who perform or support decision-making at the operational level of war. Dr. Vego offers detailed insights into the requirements for successful intuitive and analytical decision-making, as well as the common pitfalls encountered by commanders and their planning staffs.” —Dr. Patrick Sweeney, Adjunct Professor at The Citadel-The Military College of South Carolina, USA.

Dr. Milan Vego is Professor of Operations, Joint Military Operations (JMO) Department, U.S. Naval War College, Newport, RI, USA.

• List of Figures; Preface; Abbreviations; Headnote; Chapter One The Operational Commander; Chapter Two On Decisions; Chapter Three Psychosocial Factors; Chapter Four Information and Reports; Chapter Five The Commander’s Estimate; Chapter Six Analytical Method; Chapter Seven Intuitive Method; Chapter Eight The Commander’s Intent; Chapter Nine The Decision; Select Bibliography; Appendix 1: Samples of the German Instructions (Weisungen); Appendix 2: German Deployment Instruction “Gelb” (Yellow) (for Invasion of the Benelux Countries and France, May 1940); Appendix 3: On Assumptions; Appendix 4: Land Theater; Appendix 5: The Littorals; Index.

“Dr. Milan Vego has produced a must read for students, academics, and those who will be called upon to plan and wage war. It has been said that ‘Tactics without Strategy is simply noise before defeat’. It is the operational art that is the connecting file between these two critical elements which comprise the framework of war. Our professional military colleges are flush with discussions and readings of singular tactical actions and deep dives into grand strategy. This is a book that belongs on every military planners bookshelf.”—Lawrence D. Nicholson, retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General.“Milan Vego is America’s greatest expert on Operational Art, both theory and practice. This book is a significant contribution in understanding both, which should be of keen interest to military professionals and anyone interested in operational decision making, how it actually works, more importantly, how to get it right.” —Michael R. Matheny, Professor Emeritus, U.S. Army War College, and author of Carrying the War to the Enemy, American Operational Art to 1945.“This book attempts to correct this situation and fills a much-needed void in the theory of military decision-making. Therefore Dr. Vego’s book would be a valuable contribution to military curriculum of military senior level service colleges.”—COL Dale C. Eikmeier, USA (Ret.), Assistant Professor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, USA.“An excellent resource for aspiring commanders, this book deepens understanding of command and decision-making beyond doctrine. Vego combines clear context with historical examples to illuminate decisions in complex operations, filling a notable gap in the literature on military command and decision-making.” —James Gannon, Professor in the Joint Military Operations Department at the U.S. Naval War College, USA.“This is a must-read work for those who perform or support decision-making at the operational level of war. Dr. Vego offers detailed insights into the requirements for successful intuitive and analytical decision-making, as well as the common pitfalls encountered by commanders and their planning staffs.” —Dr. Patrick Sweeney, Adjunct Professor at The Citadel-The Military College of South Carolina, USA.