What differentiates an attack from movement to contact?

The correct answer is based on the understanding that an attack generally entails a planned and purposeful effort to engage and defeat an enemy force, which requires knowledge of enemy disposition. Knowing at least some of the enemy’s positions, capabilities, and strength significantly influences how the attacking force will plan and conduct its operation. This knowledge allows commanders to make informed decisions about how to allocate their resources and plan the engagement.

Movement to contact, on the other hand, is characterized by a more exploratory approach where forces advance toward an enemy without specific knowledge of their location or strength, intending to find and eventually engage them. The nature of movement to contact is often more about establishing contact, understanding the enemy situation, and then adapting to what is found.

Although the type of forces used, the objectives of the operation, and the timing are all important factors in military operations, they do not specifically differentiate these two tactics as clearly as understanding enemy disposition does. By focusing on enemy knowledge, it becomes easier to see why this is the critical distinction in operational planning and execution between an attack and a movement to contact.