Which principle of offensive operations emphasizes speed and surprise?

The principle of offensive operations that emphasizes speed and surprise is indeed speed. In military tactics, generating momentum and executing rapid actions can lead to disorienting the enemy and preventing them from responding effectively. Speed enables forces to seize the initiative, apply pressure on the opponent, and exploit openings quickly before the enemy has a chance to recover or reposition.

Surprise is a critical element that can be achieved through swift movements, making it difficult for the enemy to anticipate or effectively counter an attack. By acting faster than the enemy can react, forces can disrupt their plans and command the battlefield. This principle is foundational in creating advantageous situations where the attacking force can maintain the upper hand and dictate the terms of engagement.

The other principles, such as concentration, focus, and maneuver, while important in their own right, do not specifically emphasize the dual concepts of speed and surprise in the same way that speed does. Concentration focuses on the effective use of forces at a decisive point, focus pertains to maintaining the purpose of operations, and maneuver relates to positioning for advantageous engagement with the enemy, but all these aspects can benefit from the underlying element of speed.