Ruse of war

A ruse of war (from the French, "ruse de guerre") is an action taken by a belligerent in warfare to fool the enemy in order to gain intelligence or a military advantage against an enemy.

Examples

American Civil War General George Meade's General Order No. 13 of 1865 was retracted after it was determined that his criticism of Brigadier-General McLaughlin was based on "nothing more than the obvious result of those "ruses de guerre", by which the very best officers may, at times, be victimized", after the Confederate Army falsely claimed that it had gained a foothold in the Union Army lines. [Staff. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9406E3DC123EEE34BC4950DFB566838E679FDE "FROM CITY POINT.; Gen. Meade's Order Correction A Ruse de Guerre Coming Events Ominous Clouds Gathering."] , "The New York Times", March 31, 1865. Accessed October 3, 2008.]

An effort by the Japanese Navy to lure the Russian fleet out of its harbor during the Russo-Japanese War in 1904 was described by The Times as "a clever ruse of war to entice the Russian ships out of Port Arthur". [Staff. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D00E6DA1230EE32A25757C2A9629C946597D6CF "JAPANESE RUSE THAT FAILED.; Togo Tried to Make Believe He Was Chasing Vladivostok Squadron."] , "The New York Times", April 24, 1904. Accessed October 3, 2008.]

The use of the American flag flown on the RMS "Lusitania" during a crossing of the Irish Sea to avoid attack by German submarines was criticized in debate in the United States House of Representatives by Republican Eben Martin of South Dakota, who stated that "the United States cannot be made a party to a ruse of war where the national colors are involved". [Staff. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C07E1DF1E3FE633A2575AC0A9649C946496D6CF "WASHINGTON OFFICIALS SILENT; Lusitania Use of Flag Denounced in the House"] , "The New York Times", February 9, 1915. Accessed October 3, 2008.]

Wehrmacht Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's withdrawal of his Afrika Korps at the Second Battle of El Alamein in November 1942 was described was described to the German people as a "ruse de guerre" and not as a retreat. [Staff. [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00611F83D5B167B93C5A9178AD95F468485F9 "Rommel 'Masterpiece' Hailed"] , "The New York Times", November 7, 1942. Accessed October 3, 2008.]

German commando Otto Skorzeny led troops wearing American uniforms behind the American lines during the Battle of the Bulge. Skorzeny later reported that he was told by experts in military law that wearing the American uniforms was a defensible ruse de guerre, provided his troops took off their American uniforms, and put on German uniforms, prior to firing their weapons. Skorzeny was acquitted by a United States military court in Dachau in 1947, after his defense counsel argued that the "wearing of American uniforms was a legitimate ruse of war for espionage and sabotage" as described by "The New York Times". [Staff. [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0E16F83E5E17738DDDA90994D1405B8788F1D3 "Court Holds Former SS Officer and Seven Aides Did Not Violate the Rules of War During Battle of Bulge"] , "The New York Times", September 10, 1947. Accessed October 3, 2008.]

Good faith

Good faith in dealing with an enemy must be observed as a rule of conduct; but this does not prevent measures such as using spies and secret agents, encouraging defection or insurrection among the enemy civilian population, corrupting enemy civilians or soldiers by bribes, or inducing the enemy’s soldiers to desert, surrender, or rebel. In general, a belligerent may resort to those measures for mystifying or misleading the enemy against which the enemy ought to take measures to protect itself.

Legitimate ruses

Legitimate ruses include:
* surprises, ambushes, feigning attacks, retreats, or flights
* simulating quiet and inactivity (to lull the enemy into complacency)
* use of small forces to simulate large units (for example, it is a perfectly proper ruse to induce an enemy unit to surrender on the ground that it is surrounded and thereby induce such surrender with a small force)
* transmitting false or misleading radio or telephone messages
* deception of the enemy by bogus orders purporting to have been issued by the enemy commander
* making use of the enemy’s signals and passwords
* pretending to communicate with troops or reinforcements which have no existence
* deceptive supply movements (which might make the enemy think you are preparing an action you're not)
* deliberate planting of false information
* use of spies and secret agents
* moving landmarks (to confuse an enemy operating in unfamiliar territory)
* putting up dummy guns and vehicles or laying dummy mines
* erection of dummy installations and airfields (to intimidate or encourage useless attack)
* removing unit identifications (but not those that identify the belligerent while in combat) from uniforms
* psychological warfare activities
* disguising a warship to appear to be a neutral merchant vessel, or a merchant vessel on your opponent's side, has traditionally been considered a legitimate ruse de guerre, provided the belligerent raises their own flag, to break the deception, prior to firing their guns. This was called "sailing under false colors". The Germans routinely disguised their armed merchant cruisers during World War I and World War II
* disguising a warship to appear to be one of your opponent's warships has traditionally been considered to be a legitimate ruse de guerre, provided the belligerent raises their flag to drop the disguise, prior to firing their guns. The Germans took steps to disguise their pocket battleships as allied cruisers during World War II. This tactic was also used by the Royal Navy to great effect during the Napoleonic Wars, since the boarding and capture of enemy vessels was quite common during that time, and information about the current ownership of vessels was not easy to disseminate rapidly.

No treachery or perfidy

Ruses of war are legitimate so long as they do not involve treachery or perfidy on the part of the belligerent resorting to them. They are, however, forbidden if they contravene any generally accepted rule.

When landmines were not marked or reported, or when they are disquised, they are perfideous per the Geneva Conventions, annex 10 October, 1980: [http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/FULL/510?OpenDocument]
* traps that are apparantly harmless portable objects, that contain an explosive charge, and are specifically designed to produce an detonation when you move or approach it;
* traps that are attached or associated in any way with:
** emblems, signs, or signals internationally recognized;
** sick, wounded, or dead;
** burial, cremation, or graves;
** facilities, equipment, supplies, or medical transportation;
** toys for children or other portable objects;
** food or drink;
** kitchen utensils or appliances;
** objects of a religious nature;
** historic monuments, works of art, or places of worship which constitute a cultural or spiritual heritage of people.

Prohibited ruses

The line of demarcation between legitimate ruses and forbidden acts of perfidy is sometimes indistinct. In general, it would be an improper practice to secure an advantage over the enemy by deliberate lying or misleadingconduct which involves a breach of faith, or when there is a moral obligation to speak the truth. For example, it is improper to pretend to surrender to secure an advantage over the opposing belligerent.

To broadcast to the enemy that an armistice had been agreed upon when such is not the case would be treacherous. Abuse of the protections afforded to medical personnel (by disguising combat soldiers as medics, or by putting a red cross on a combat vehicle) is also considered unacceptable.

It is especially forbidden to make improper use of a flag of truce, of the national flag, or of the military insignia and military uniform of the enemy, as well as the distinctive badges of the Geneva Convention in a "ruse of war". ["Annex to Hague Convention No. IV, 18 October 1907, embodying the Regulations Respecting Customs of War on Land.", art. 23, par. (f).]

References