defence of a place may be of
two kinds, either absolute, if as a general question the point is not to
be given up, or relative if it is only required for a certain time. The
latter happens perpetually in the combats of advanced posts and rear
guards.

That the nature of these different intentions of a combat must have an
essential influence on the dispositions which are its preliminaries, is
a thing clear in itself. We act differently if our object is merely to
drive an enemy's post out of its place from what we should if our object
was to beat him completely; differently, if we mean to defend a place
to the last extremity from what we should do if our design is only
to detain the enemy for a certain time. In the first case we trouble
ourselves little about the line of retreat, in the latter it is the
principal point, &c.

But these reflections belong properly to tactics, and are only
introduced here by way of example for the sake of greater clearness.
What Strategy has to say on the different objects of the combat will
appear in the chapters which touch upon these objects. Here we have only
a few general observations to make, first, that the importance of the
object decreases nearly in the order as they stand above, therefore,
that the first of these objects must always predominate in the great
battle; lastly, that the two last in a defensive battle are in reality
such as yield no fruit, they are, that is to say, purely negative,
and can, therefore, only be serviceable, indirectly, by facilitating
something else which is positive. IT IS, THEREFORE, A BAD SIGN OF THE
STRATEGIC SITUATION IF BATTLES OF THIS KIND BECOME TOO FREQUENT.

CHAPTER VI. DURATION OF THE COMBAT

IF we consider the combat no longer in itself but in relation to the
other forces of War, then its duration acquires a special importance.

This duration is to be regarded to a certain extent as a second
subordinate success. For the conqueror the combat can never be finished
too quickly, for the vanquished it can never last too long. A speedy
victory indicates a higher power of victory, a tardy decision is, on the
side of the defeated, some compensation for the loss.

This is in general true, but it acquires a practical importance in its
application to those combats, the object of which is a relative defence.

Here the whole success often lies in the mere duration. This is the
reason why we have included it amongst the strategic elements.

The