Editing Pincer movement (section)

{{short description|Military tactic: simultaneously attacking both sides of an enemy formation}}

[[File:Pincer.png|thumb|A pincer movement whereby the red force surrounds the advancing blue force.]]
[[File:Battle cannae destruction.png|thumb|Destruction of the Roman army at [[Battle of Cannae|Cannae]].]]
[[File:16May-21May Battle of Belgium.PNG|thumb|Envelopment of the Allied armies in [[Flanders]] during the [[Battle of France]].]]
[[File:Map Battle of Stalingrad-en.svg|thumb|The envelopment of the German Sixth Army during [[Operation Uranus]].]]{{One source
| date = October 2021
}}
The '''pincer movement''', or '''double envelopment''', is a [[maneuver warfare|military maneuver]] in which forces simultaneously attack both [[flanking maneuver|flanks]] (sides) of an enemy [[Military organization|formation]]. This classic maneuver has been important throughout the [[history of warfare]].

The pincer movement typically occurs when opposing forces advance towards the center of an army that responds by moving its outside forces to the enemy's flanks to surround it. At the same time, a second layer of pincers may attack the more distant flanks to keep reinforcements from the target units.