arried out, is visualized in order to determine
the future effect on the creation or maintenance of an
ultimately favorable military situation.

In testing each course of action for acceptability as to its
consequences (page 31), the commander considers the cost of
success, the cost of failure, and the possible gain and loss
in perspective with the united effort as a whole. Questions
which he may pose include: If the course of action is
successful, will the costs be so prohibitive as to adversely
affect the successful accomplishment of the further effort? If
a tactical situation is under consideration, will the costs
prevent the accomplishment of the strategical aim? If the
course of action fails, what will be its effect? Will it cause
the entire plan to fail? Will its failure affect, for example,
the national morale?

If the command--and ultimately the State--can afford the
losses and other disadvantages which will be incurred as a
result of either the success or the failure of the
contemplated effort, a course of action may be considered as
acceptable from the standpoint of consequences as to costs.

As previously noted with respect to suitability, it may be
desirable to consider, with regard to consequences, the
detailed operations which may be involved in each course of
action.

Courses of action involving excessive consequences as to costs
are rejected. Notation is made of the relative degree of
acceptability, with respect to consequences as to costs, of
those courses of action which are retained.

(2) Details. (a) The Results of Success and of Failure. Each
course of action is examined to visualize the situation which
would be brought about for the commander and for the enemy in
case of success or of failure. The relative possibilities of
recovery toward a more favorable situation are weighed. This
consideration involves relative risks, for it may be that a
certain course, otherwise satisfactory, might entail
intolerable conditions should failure ensue.

The costs are measured in terms of fighting strength. It has
to be considered whether the sacrifices involved are worth the
gains which will follow; whether the objectives if attained
will be sufficiently valuable when the need of fighting
strength to accomplish further aims is considered.

(