...of the Armed Forces, troops (forces) and other documents,* in practice of operational and combat training of control bodies of troops (forces), in educational process of high schools and scientific work.

Thus, basic concept, in our opinion, is "the armed struggle." It as well as any complex phenomenon possesses the distinctive features. The most important among them are the following:

level (scale) of counteraction, organization, character, and the order of operations of troops (forces), etc. Each of the features characterizes one of the most essential sides of the armed struggle and is expressed by corresponding concept. The concept of military art represents a logically shaped idea of one of the most essential (distinctive) sides of the armed struggle.

On the basis of the whole set of concepts it is obviously possible to get a clear view of a character of counteraction of the parties with deployment of military force.

The analysis of the current manuals and last encyclopedic editions shows that some of them do not contain definitions of individual concepts, and at the same time classification of the armed struggle on the basis of an attribute which should underlie the given concept is presented. So, there is no definition of the concept "a type of military (combat) actions," but there is its classification--defense, offense (counter-offense). The same concerns the other basic concept of military art, such as "a form of military (combat) actions" too. This might have been explained that despite their great importance military science has not paid due attention to development of strict definitions and arrangement of basic concepts of military art that has led to terminological uncertainty, which has had a negative effect on the theory and practice of military art. Theoretically, it prevents deep penetration into an essence of the armed struggle, does not facilitate an investigation of new and effective forms and methods of counteraction to an adversary, and prevents concrete estimation of experience of wars and conflicts and overall analysis of operational and combat training of troops (forces). Practically, in our opinion, it complicates understanding of the major regulations of military art, complicates correct application of the current manuals, and negatively biases on organization and conduct of operational and combat training of troops (forces).

Strict definition of concepts, establishment of interrelations and interdependences between them is one of actual tasks of military science. Application of the methodological approach, which would allow to comprehensively estimate existing and to develop new concepts and to establish interrelations between them (Fig. 1), can facilitate its decision.

General scientific requirements are embedded in to a basis of the suggested methodological approach to definition of concepts of military art, where the most important is correct application of basic categories the contents and the form, in interrelation of which the contents being the crucial side of the whole represents the unity of all components of an object, its properties, internal processes, relations, contradictions and tendencies, and the form represents a way of existence and expression of the contents. (1)

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

In military science the armed struggle appears to be an object, phenomenon (process, event), and its contents is actions of troops (forces). Depending upon the purposes and scale of a military conflict the armed struggle can be conducted at various levels: strategic, operational and tactical. Each of them has there own distinctive features as the contents and the form of military (combat) actions.

In military art of foreign countries armed struggle is also viewed by levels. So, in the field manual of the US Army FM 100-5 "Operations" armed struggle is represented at strategic, operational and tactical levels. (2)

The philosophical understanding of essence of armed struggle allows on the basis of laws, principles and rules of formal logic to develop concepts of military art and to formulate their definitions.

While developing definitions of concepts of military art it is necessary...

NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.



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