This monograph analyzes the use of bypassed forces in defensive operations to determine if they are a viable means for increasing tactical depth of the defense. Because of the fluid nature and rapid tempo of modern battle there will be situations where defending forces were become bypassed by an attacking enemy. Traditionally, such forces were considered to be in a desperate situation, necessitating actions to effect their withdrawal "back to friendly lines" to reestablish contiguous lines of defense. This study approaches bypassed forces from the perspective that they possess a potential relative positional advantage against an attacking enemy and investigates alternative employment concepts to determine if this potential can be translated into a benefit for the defense. Historical analysis of several situations from World War II and the Korean War provides examples of bypassed forces employed in a variety of ways. The selected case studies involve both light and heavy forces and are used to analyze the premise that such forces can be employed to increase the tactical depth of the defense. Based on lessons derived from these case studies, viable employment concepts and associated tactical considerations are developed for bypassed forces. These should then serve to underpin an employment doctrine for bypassed forces. This study concludes with a discussion of the linkage between tactically bypassed forces and the Operational level to access and postulate potential implications at the higher levels of war. This study includes postulated definitions for bypassed forces, stay behind forces, and encircled forces and a comparison of the object or purpose of operations by each of the three types of forces.
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