Doctrine

Doctrine, from Latin doctrina, from doctor, means "A teaching", or "instructions"; taught principles or positions, or the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system. Often it means a religious dogma taught by a church. The word is also used to refer to a principle of law established through a history of past decisions, or a statement of policy, especially in international governmental relations.

The term also applies to the concept of an established procedure to a complex operation like in warfare. The typical example is tactical doctrine in which a standard set of manuevers, kinds of troops and weapons are employed as a default approach to a kind of attack.

Examples include:

• Blitzkrieg
• Hit-and-run tactics
• Shock and Awe