Time in War

Abstract

The use of time, or timing, in war has always been of crucial importance—great commanders have understood the critical nature of time on the battlefield. It fits here by reflecting a major factor in war that has long been recognized but seldom achieved. The notion of how to telescope time was a quest for greater speed and of achieving physical and psychological surprise and shock. In modern terms, these were force multipliers. It also appears that conquering time is best suited to the rapidity, flexibility, and omniscience of air and space power, and therefore leads to the future of war. Given are several battles throughout history, both on land and in the air, that illustrate the critical nature of time.