Strategy & Conflict

A critical vulnerability in an otherwise strong position, named after the mythological Greek warrior who was invincible everywhere except his heel.

A diplomatic policy of making political or material concessions to an enemy power in order to avoid conflict.

A military strategy in which a belligerent party attempts to win a war by wearing down the enemy to the point of collapse through continuous losses in personnel and material.

The belief that military success can only be achieved through the direct physical presence of troops in a conflict area.

The damage inflicted on an unintended target or targets — often used in a military context to refer to injuries and deaths of innocent civilians.

A geopolitical strategy of preventing an adversary from expanding its influence, most famously applied during the Cold War to limit Soviet power.

Using reverse psychology (and luck) to deceive the enemy into thinking that an empty location is full of traps and ambushes, and therefore induce the enemy to retreat.

A disinformation strategy used in sales, marketing, public relations, politics and propaganda, where one is trying to influence perception by disseminating negative and dubious or false information and a manifestation of the appeal to fear.

Using strategies and tactics that worked successfully in the past — but are no longer as useful.

The notion that it is desirable to draw enemies to a single area, where it is easier to defeat them.

The uncertainty in situational awareness experienced, most commonly used as a reference to military operations.

Military term that describes a capability or technology that significantly enhances the effectiveness and output of a military force, allowing them to achieve greater results with less resources.

A form of irregular warfare in which a small group of combatants such as paramilitary personnel use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tactics, and mobility to fight a larger and less-mobile traditional military.

The dominance of one group or state over others — not just through force, but through cultural, economic, or political influence that becomes accepted as normal.

A military doctrine holding that when two adversaries each possess enough destructive power to annihilate the other, neither side will strike first — because doing so guarantees their own destruction in retaliation.

A conflict between two parties (typically used for nations) where neither party directly engages the other, and instead finds themselves battling in a third location, such as another nation, platform, or market.

A victory that inflicts such a devastating toll on the victor that it is tantamount to defeat.

The pragmatic principle that "you go to war with the army you have, not the army you wish you had." Act with what's available rather than waiting for ideal conditions.

A parable from the Greek Classical era of man who is offered to sit in on the King's throne for a, with a sword above him held only by a single hair, an allusion to the imminent and ever-present peril faced by those in positions of power.

A metaphor for an issue that is controversial to the point of being "untouchable" that to broach the subject will cause damage. The metaphor comes from the high-voltage third rail in some electric railway systems.

The theory that when an established power is threatened by an emerging power, there is a significant likelihood of war between the two powers.

A military situation where forces must fight on two geographically separate fronts simultaneously, splitting resources and attention — a strategist's nightmare.

A strategy that wins a lesser objective but overlooks and loses the true intended objective.