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From: tedrick@triangle.Berkeley.EDU (Tom Tedrick)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Gulf Lessons re length of preliminary bombardment
Message-ID: <1991May20.052128.21457@amd.com>
Date: 18 May 91 09:40:09 GMT
Sender: military@amd.com
Organization: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
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From: tedrick@triangle.Berkeley.EDU (Tom Tedrick)


There was some debate during WW1 and WW2, about the optimal length of
time for pre-attack bombardments. Lengthy bombardments were criticized,
for sacrificing the element of surprise, among other things.

But it may be that the optimal length of time, in certain cases, is a
month or more. This is because, such lengthy bombardments can cause
near universal psychological casualties, amongst the target population,
and after a long enough time of waiting for a ground attack to come,
inertia may set in amongst the defenders. Thus the element of surprise,
for the ground attack, may be regained to a certain extent.

Thus, it may be the case, that air supremacy can guarantee victory on
the ground, in future battles.