The center of gravity (COG) is a crucial concept in both strategic studies and military planning, yet its ambiguous and incoherent nature has repeatedly led to abundant confusion. In particular, its relation to both Clausewitz and the German Schwerpunkt tradition remains poorly understood. This article addresses these shortcomings by tracing both Schwerpunkt and COG in German and US military doctrine, respectively. Comparing the two concepts across several dimensions, the article not only finds that both have evolved considerably over time, but also that while having a common origin, they are ultimately based on different approaches, assumptions, and traditions.
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Mantovani et al. (2024) studied this question.
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