PAGES ON TACTICS – Chronicles and Articles for Candidates to the École de Guerre

"These chronicles have their origin in notes written for the candidates to the École de Guerre whom I was tasked with preparing for this demanding examination. Their grounding in military culture had become somewhat eroded during their deployments on external operations or during their postings in metropolitan France, where their interests were far more prosaic. It was thus that, one thing leading to another, the subjects multiplied, moving from simple historical reminders to illustrations of tactical principles or strategic concepts. Beyond their didactic aim, these chronicles pursue another: to counter certain received ideas that have been flourishing for years without ever being called into question... " Claude Franc

Carrying important reminders of interest to the seasoned military professional as much as to the future officer, Pages de Tactique will also captivate readers curious to discover international relations from a different angle. Analysing recent developments in the light of past experience, it constitutes an eloquent plea in favour of French concepts in the field of tactical reasoning — in particular the notions of the decisive effect and the commander's intent, which integration into NATO tends to push aside. These reflections are of great contemporary relevance.