Editing Encirclement (section)

== Types of encirclement ==
The main form of encircling, the "[[pincer movement|double pincer]]", is executed by attacks on the [[Flanking maneuver|flanks]] of a [[battle]] whose mobile forces of the era, such as [[light infantry]], [[cavalry]], [[Tank|tanks]], or [[Armoured personnel carrier|armoured personnel carriers]] attempt to force a breakthrough to utilize their speed to join behind the back of the enemy force and complete the "ring" while the main enemy force is stalled by probing attacks. The encirclement of the [[6th Army (Wehrmacht)|German Sixth Army]] in the [[Battle of Stalingrad]] in 1942 is a typical example. During the [[Winter War]], [[Finland]] used "pocket tactics" against the [[Soviet Union]], called ''[[Pocket (military)#Motti|motti]]''; in the context of war, ''motti'' describes a tactic that the Finns used to immobilise, segment, surround and destroy the Soviet troops that were many times as large as them.<ref>[https://www.foreigner.fi/articulo/lifestyle/how-finns-used-motti-tactic-to-entrap-soviets-in-winter-war/20191215211904003769.html How Finns used the 'motti' tactic to entrap Soviets in Winter War]</ref>

If there is a natural obstacle, such as ocean or mountains on one side of the battlefield, only one pincer is needed ("single pincer"), because the function of the second arm is taken over by the natural obstacle.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}} [[Battle of France|The German attack into the lowlands of France in 1940]] is a typical example of this.

A third and rare type of encirclement can ensue from a [[Breakthrough (military)|breakthrough]] in an area of the enemy front, and exploiting that with mobile forces, diverging in two or more directions behind the enemy line. Full encirclement rarely follows, but the threat of it severely hampers the defender's options. This type of attack pattern is centerpiece to [[blitzkrieg]] operations. Because of the extreme difficulty of this operation, it cannot be executed unless the offensive force has a vast superiority, either in technology, organization, or sheer numbers. The [[Operation Barbarossa|Barbarossa campaign]] of 1941 saw some examples.

The danger to the encircling force is that it is, itself, cut off from its logistical base; if the encircled force is able to stand firm, or maintain a [[Line of communication|supply route]], the encircling force can be thrown into confusion (for example, Rommel's [[Operation Crusader#Dash to the wire|"Dash to the Wire"]] in 1941 and the [[Demyansk Pocket]] in 1942) or be comprehensively destroyed (as [[Battle of the Admin Box|during the Burma campaign]], in 1944).