Strategic Defense Against a Larger Power

The great Prussian military theorist Carl von Clausewitz defines war as "An act of force to compel our enemy to do our will." Following Clausewitz's line of reasoning, war is a contest of wills between two adversaries, both trying to impose their will on the other. Since the beginning of the 20th century, technological achievements have changed conventional warfare in many ways. Not long ago, two adversarial countries needed years to fight conventional wars. New technological developments have shortened the time required to prevail in war, but also have made unconventional warfare the most problematic and challenging kind of armed struggle. Clausewitzian theory remains relevant in unconventional warfare. Unconventional warfare, and specifically guerrilla warfare, is not just the war of weak or small nations, but it can be the best way of fighting for small nations like Georgia. The focus of this study will be on strategic options for small nations seeking to defend themselves against a larger power. The study focuses on the case of Georgia, but it also examines lessons learned from the experiences of other countries, specifically, the Winter War between the USSR and Finland, the China-Japan War, and the Russia-Chechnya wars.USAWC Strategy Research Project