Envelopment

Envelopment is a sophisticated military tactic used to seize objectives in an enemy's rear. The primary goal is to destroy specific enemy forces. It also aims to deny those forces the ability to withdraw from the area. Instead of using a frontal assault, which is a head-on attack, an envelopment targets the enemy's flanks. Flanks are the sides of a military formation. By attacking from multiple directions, the maneuver avoids the strongest parts of a defense. A successful envelopment can reduce casualties for the attacker. It also creates a psychological shock for the defender. This shock can improve the chances of a total victory.

To work correctly, an envelopment requires two distinct types of forces. The first is known as a fixing force. This group attacks the enemy's front to keep them in place. Their job is to "fix" the enemy so they cannot shift their focus. They also prevent the enemy from withdrawing. The second group is the enveloping force. This group moves around the sides to attack the flanks or the rear. These two forces must work together to be effective. If the fixing force fails, the enemy might move to face the enveloping force. If the enveloping force moves too far, it might become overextended. This could allow the enemy to cut them off from friendly troops.

There are four main types of envelopment used in combat. The first type is a flanking maneuver, also called a single envelopment. This involves one enveloping force attacking just one of the enemy's flanks. This is very effective if the holding forces are in a strong position. It also works if there is a hidden line behind a weak flank. The second type is a pincer movement, or a double envelopment. This occurs when two simultaneous flanking maneuvers happen at once. The third type is an encirclement. In this scenario, the enemy is surrounded in a pocket. The enemy becomes isolated from the rest of their army.

An encirclement creates a specific set of choices for the attacking side. They can choose to attack the enemy inside the pocket directly. Alternatively, they can choose to invest the pocket. To invest means to stop all resupplies from reaching the trapped troops. This prevents any breakouts from the area. The attackers can then wait for the beleaguered enemy to surrender. A fourth type is known as a vertical envelopment. This is a modern tactical maneuver involving aircraft. Troops are either air-dropped or air-landed to strike the rear and flanks. This method effectively cuts off or encircles the target force from above.

History provides many examples of these tactics in action. Alexander the Great used a hammer and anvil approach at the Battle of Issus. This was a single envelopment where his holding forces were in a defensible spot. The Battle of Breitenfeld in 1631 and the Battle of Rocroi also used this method. Hannibal famously used a pincer movement at the Battle of Cannae. Later, General Khalid ibn al-Walid used a double envelopment against the Sassanid Empire at the Battle of Walaja. During World War II, German forces used these tactics on a massive scale. They encircled hundreds of thousands of troops during the Battle of France. They also used them during Operation Barbarossa against the USSR.

There are even specialized versions of these maneuvers used in modern times. The Chinese Navy uses what are called cabbage tactics. This is used around disputed islands. The goal of cabbage tactics is to create a layered envelopment of the target. This adds layers of control around the area. These various methods show how military strategy has evolved. Whether through ancient cavalry or modern air-drops, the core idea remains the same. It is about using movement and positioning to overcome a stronger defense. Understanding these patterns helps explain how large-scale conflicts have been decided throughout history.