Gegenoperationen

Gegenoperationen, or counter-operations, refer to military actions undertaken to counter an adversary’s offensive or operational initiative. Their primary purpose is to halt the enemy’s advance, disrupt its plans, and, if possible, regain the initiative for one’s own forces. Gegenoperationen can be reactive—launched in response to an attack or a breakthrough—or proactive, aimed at exploiting a perceived weakness in the enemy’s plan or at preventing a critical objective from being achieved.

In practice they are planned at the operational level and rely on timely intelligence, sufficient reserves, mobility, and the ability to synchronize actions across branches and domains. They typically employ a mix of land, air, and, where relevant, naval and cyber assets, and may include counterattacks, raids, blocking actions, or enveloping maneuvers designed to disrupt the enemy’s tempo, fix its forces, and retake lost ground.

Key characteristics include the need for clear objectives, appropriate force levels, and rapid decision cycles. The risk of Gegenoperationen lies in overextension, inadequate preparation, or exposing flanks to countermeasures. In contemporary doctrine, Gegenoperationen are integrated into joint or combined operations and may be conducted as part of overall defensive, stabilizing, or offensive campaigns.

German military literature often situates Gegenoperationen alongside defensive and offensive actions as a means to preserve strategic initiative when a front or operation is threatened.