On centre and periphery: A brief survey of grand strategies and military strategies focused on peripheral theatres of operations (PTOs)

Abstract

First of all, the study explores three different meanings of centre (centrality) and periphery (peripheral status) on the international arena. Then, the author presents four case studies (that of Athens in the context of the Peloponnesian War in the 5th century B.C., that of the campaigns of Alexander the Great, that of some of the campaigns of Napoleon and that of naval operations in World War I) which are significant for better understanding what fighting wars on peripheral theatres of operations (PTOs) means. The study offers compact definitions of central theatres of operations (CTOs) and peripheral theatres of operations (PTOs). Constraints, limits, costs, consequences, synergetic effects of all sorts, relatively stable correlations of resources, goals and results (all these significant both for the level of military strategy and for that of grand strategy) are taken into account. Major positive results (strategic successes) and negative results (together with the strategic mistakes generating them) in campaigns fought on PTOs are evaluated with a lot of details.