the physical body of an individual combatant. Within this range will
be included all manner of physical elements of enemy fighting
strength, singly and in combination, such as troops, ships,
geographical points, lines and areas, fortifications, bases, and
supplies.

The physical objective may take the form of a fixed geographical
position, the occupation of which, because of its inherent
advantages, may be, for example, an essential preliminary to further
progress. The position may, for instance, be merely a point in the
ocean (page 47), a rendezvous beyond which, although its occupation
may be uncontested, it has been deemed unwise to proceed without
further information or additional strength.

The physical objective, therefore, does not always take the form of
some element of the enemy fighting strength; not infrequently, the
occupation of a correct physical objective may be uncontested by the
enemy. However, intervening armed forces of the enemy may constitute
the physical objective for application of successful effort before a
further physical objective may be dealt with. The possibility of enemy
opposition may, therefore, place the selection of one or more physical
objectives on an indeterminable basis at the time of the original
solution of the problem. This may require a commander to defer his
choice until the situation has become more fully developed.

For example, his objective may be the occupation of a certain harbor,
preliminary to the establishment of a base. The harbor is then a
correct physical objective, perhaps the only physical objective which
need be dealt with, if there are no other obstacles to prevent or
interrupt the operation. Armed forces of the enemy may, however, stand
as an obstacle to the undisputed occupation of the harbor and,
therefore, to the attainment of the objective. In such case they
become, for the time being, the correct physical objective.

While the armed forces of the enemy may frequently present appropriate
physical objectives, this is not always the case (see above). It is
true that, in war, the armed forces of the enemy, until they can no
longer offer effective resistance, prevent the full attainment of the
objective of the State. Accordingly, from the broad viewpoint, they
may constitute the legitimate and proper physical objective of the
opposing armed forces. Armed forces of the enemy which are present in
opposition to any projected operations are likely to offer pro