Warfare of Position: When the Decisive Struggle Precedes the First Shot

This article argues that war of position constitutes a distinct philosophy of warfare in which information warfare and sociocultural struggle, rather than physical violence, form the decisive effort. Drawing on Gramsci, contemporary strategic theory and historical and modern cases, it demonstrates how actors shape legitimacy, identity and interpretation within civil society to determine whether violence will succeed, fail, or become unnecessary. By situating war of position within a broader meta-theory of war, the article shows how militaries oriented toward wars of maneuver risk strategic surprise when adversaries win the decisive struggle long before the first shot is fired.