Ruse de guerre

RUSE DE GUERRE (ruse of war or stratagem) is a deception permitted by the charter, elevated to the
rank of a high art. If a regular soldier lies, he will be punished, and if the general bluffs so that the enemy
himself brings him the keys to his fortress, he will be rewarded. The point is to force the enemy
to do exactly what is beneficial to you, sincerely believing that this is his brilliant idea. For instance, the
Zaporozhian Cossacks once, complaining about their hungry life, lured a whole wagon train with
provisions from the Turkish pasha «out of pity.» And in 1942, Soviet sappers near Stalingrad imitated the
noise of construction at night — in an open field. The Germans spent the morning bombing defunct
fortifications, and in the evening they came under attack from a completely different direction.
... Show more
We use cookies to improve the operation of the website and to enhance its usability. More detailed information on the use of cookies can be fo...
Show more