PART 2 – CHAPTER NINE

TACTICS

“Tactics are concerned with fighting the battle, and, therefore, the employment, grouping and manoeuvre of units in action [Combat]. The tactics to be used in a given situation are determined by applying the principles of war and the appropriate tactical doctrine, related to the enemy, ground, the characteristics and capabilities of weapons and the particular, precise military objective of the moment.” (1)

“Above all it [tactical battle] must be characterised by unexpected offensive action and violence developed from surprise. An important part of the tactical level is minor tactics. This is the application of troops and weapons to ground within sub-units.” (2)

Tactics are the “bread and butter” of regimental soldiering for corps such as infantry and armour. Tactics concern the corporal and the brigadier and all ranks in between.

The serving soldier has access to tactics via current published doctrine, for example training pamphlets, and attendance at courses. Civilians with an interest in tactics can usually purchase used and non-current tactical pamphlets in second hand bookstores. Another option is to obtain United States Marine Corps tactical field manuals via the internet. Yet another is to purchase from the United States of America the Marine Corps Gazette published book, Mastering Tactics: A Tactical Decision Games Workbook, by Major John F. Schmitt, USMCR. The workbook includes a number of appendixes explaining tactical terms used, a glossary of map symbols, explanation of combat orders, and a USMC infantry battalion organisation with weapon characteristics, all of which are required knowledge to complete the games.

The workbook alone might suffice for the interested tactical novice. It would also be of interest to the serving soldier.

Finally, some closing comments on tactics:

First, from an experienced Australian infantry soldier, John Essex-Clark, who has expressed very strong views on realism in training and the requirement for tactical competence of a high order.

“We seem [1 RAR just prior to deployment to South Vietnam in 1965] to confuse tactical techniques – the drills for setting up a battle – with tactics the art of fighting … I believe the problem is a legacy from the immediate action drills of the Malayan Emergency. These drills cause reactive rather creative tactics and the attitude of waiting for something to happen rather than starting it. (3)

Second, from a recent translation and reprint of a pre World War II German Army training manual:

“The first criterion in war remains decisive action. Everyone, from the highest commander down to the youngest soldier; must constantly be aware that inaction

FOOTNOTES: (1) Australian Army, Land Warfare Centre, Précis No 1 The Study of Tactics (T68 002 AAR) (2) Australian Army, Manual of Land Warfare, Part One, Volume 1, Pamphlet No 4 Formation Tactics, 1987. (3) Maverick Soldier: An Infantryman’s Story, by John Essex-Clark. Melbourne University Press, Melbourne,

1991.

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and neglect incriminate him more severely than any error in the choice of means.” (4)

“Better a faulty plan or decision permeated with boldness, daring and decisiveness, than a perfect plan enmeshed in uncertainty.” (5)

ANNEX A: Rommel’s Maxims.

BOOKS

The Military Institutions of the Romans by Flavius Vegetius Renatus, translated from the Latin by Lieutenant J. Clark, edited by Brigadier General T. R. Phillips, The Stackpole Company, Pennsylvania, 1944.

The Art of War in the Middle Ages: A.D. 378-1515 by CWC Oman, revised and edited by JH Beeler, Cornell University Press, New York, 1953.

Notes on the Evolution of Infantry Tactics by Colonel FN Maude, William Clowes and Sons Ltd, London, 1905.

From Flintlock to Rifle: Infantry Tactics, 1740-1866 by ST Ross, Frank Cass, London, 1977 (1996 edition). ISBN 0 714 4193 6.

An Introduction to the History of Tactics 1740-1905 by Captain AF Becke, RFA, Hugh Rees Ltd, London, 1909.

The British Light Infantry Arm c1790-1815: its creation, training and operational role by D Gates, BT Batsford Ltd, London, 1987. ISBN 0 7134 5599 3.

Crossing the Deadly Ground: United States Army Tactics 1865-1899 by PD Jameson, The University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa and London, 1994. ISBN 0 8173 0720 6.

The Transformation of War by Commandant J Colin of the French War School, translated by Brevet-Major L. H. R. Pope-Hennessey, Hugh Rees Ltd, London. 1912.

A History of Tactics by Captain HM Johnstone, The Naval and Military Press, East Sussex, 2004.

Battle Tactics of the Western Front: the British Army’s Art of Attack, 1916-18 by P Griffith, Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 1994. ISBN 0300 05910 8 (hbk) 0300 06663 5 (pbk).

The Dynamics of Doctrine: the Changes in German Tactical Doctrine During the First World War by TT Lupfer, Leavenworth Paper No, 4, Combat Studies Institute, United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, July, 1981.

Stormtroop Tactics: Innovation in the German Army 1914-1918 by BI Gudmundssun, Praeger, New York, 1989. ISBN 0 275 93328 8.

Doctrine and Dogma: German and British Infantry Tactics in the First World War by M Samuels, Greenwood Press, New York, 1992. ISBN 0 313 27959 4.

FOOTNOTES: (4) On the German Art of War: Truppenführung edited and translated by B Condell and DT Zabecki, Lynne

Rienner, London, 2001, ISBN 1 -55587 996 9. Emphasis in the original German publication. (5) Ibid. Quoted in the 2001 foreword and attributed to then Captain (later Lieutenant General) Albert C

Wedemeyer, United States Army, an exchange student German War Academy 1936-1938.

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Infantry Attacks by E Rommel, Athena Press Inc, Vienna, Virginia, 1979. ISBN 0 960 2736 03.

The Defence of Duffer’s Drift by Captain (later Major General Sir) ED Swinton, Land Warfare Centre, Tactics and War Administration Wing, Kokoda Barracks, Canungra, Queensland, (c 1902 original publication in United Kingdom).

Small Wars: A Tactical Textbook for Imperial Soldiers by Colonel CE Callwell, Greenhill Books, London, 1990. ISBN 1-85367 0715.

The Essentials of Military Knowledge by Major DK Palit, Sale and Polden, Aldershot, 1950.

Achtung Panzer! The Development of Armoured Forces, Their Tactics and Operational Potential by Major-General H Guiderian, translated by c. Duffy, Arms and Armoured Press, London, 1992. ISBN 1 85409 1387.

Manoeuvre Warfare Handbook by WS Lind, Westview Press, Boulder and London.

The Art of Manoeuvre: Manoeuvre Warfare Theory and Air Land Battle by RR Leonhard, Presido Press, Novato, California, 1991. ISBN 0 89141 403 7.

Mastering Tactics: A Tactical Decision Game War Book by JF Schmidt, Marine Corps Gazette, Marine Corps Association, Quantico, Virginia, 1994, ISBN 0 940328 14 3.

Brasseys’ Encyclopaedia of Land Forces and Warfare edited by FD Margiotta, Brasseys, Washington and London, 1996 (2000 edition). ISBN 1 57488 250 3.

Terrain and Tactics by P O’Sullivan, Greenwood Press, New York, 1991.

DEFENCE PUBLICATIONS

Australian Army, Manual of Land Warfare, Part Two, Corps Doctrine, Infantry Training, Pamphlet No 1, The Infantry Battalion (All Corps) 1984 and Pamphlet No 2 The Platoon (All Corps) or the current equivalent.

Australian Army, Manual of Land Warfare, Part Two, Infantry Training Volume 3, Pamphlet No 3, Patrolling and Tracking (All Corps) and Pamphlet No 4 Ambush and Counter Ambush (All Arms).

Australian Army, Manual of Land Warfare, Part One, Volume 1, Pamphlet No 4, Formation Tactics, 1987 (or equivalent).

United States Army Field Manuals such as Anti-armour Tactics and Techniques for Mechanized Infantry (FM 7-24).

United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 1-3 Tactics (PCN 142 000002 00). (Available from USMC Internet Site).

Australian Army, Combat Arms, the Combined Arms Journal for Australian Armoured, Artillery, Engineers, Signals, Infantry, Aviation and Intelligence Corps, Doctrine Wing, Combined Arms Training and Development Centre, Georges Heights, New South Wales. (Email through army.defence.gov.au).

British Army, British Army Review (Email: armyreview@armymail.mod.uk ) or post, The Editor, British Army Review, Trenchford Lines, Upavon, PEWSEY, Wilt, SN9 6 BE, United Kingdom.)

A LIVING GUIDE TO THE STUDY OF WAR – PAGE 49

United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps Gazette (Email: gazette@mca-marines.org ). This monthly gazette includes articles on tactics and usually a new tactical decision game with each issue.

A Survey of German Tactics, 1918 by Historical Section (United States Army) Tactical Studies, No 1 1918.

ARTICLES, MONOGRAPHS, REPORTS, ETC

British tactics during and after the Somme Battle, Peter Palmer, article contributed to The Western Front Association. Available at:

Web: http://www.westerfrontassociation.com/thegreatwar/articles (9 January 2006).

Tactical Intuition, Brian Reinwald, Military Review.

Standing Fast: German Defensive Doctrine on the Russian Front During World War II:Prewar to March 1943, Timothy A Wray, Combat Studies Institute Research Survey No 5, US Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, September 1986.

Web: http://www.cgsc.army/carl/resouces/csi/csi.asp (9 January 2006).

Civil War Infantry Assault Tactics, John K Mahon, The Journal of Military Affairs 25, No 2, 1961.

The Debate Over Changing Cavalry Tactics, 1900-1914, William L Taylor, The Journal of Military Affairs, 28, No 4, 1964/65.

The Decisive Attack: A New Look at French Infantry Tactics on the Eve Of World War I, Jonathan M House, The Journal of Military Affairs, 40, No 4, December 1976.

French Tactical Doctrine 1870-1914, Joseph C Arnold, The Journal of Military Affairs 42, No 2, April 1978.

Tactical Dysfunction in the AEF, 1917-1918, Timothy K Nenninger, The Journal of Military Affairs 51, No 4, October 1987.

The Evolution of British Strategy and Tactics on the Western Front in 1918: GHQ, Manpower and Technology, Tim Travers, The Journal of Military History 54, No 2 April 1990.

Not Glamorous, But Effective: the Canadian Corps and the Set-Piece Attack, 1917-1918. Ian M Brown, The Journal of Military History 58 , No 3, July 1994.

Shoulder to Shoulder: Close Control and “Old Prussian Drill” in German Offensive Infantry Tactics, 1871-1914, Steven D Jackman, The Journal of Military History 68, No 1 (January 2004): 73.

Infiltration Illustrated, MW Whitchurch, British Army Review, No 121 (April 1999: 91.

In the Jungle of the Cities: Operations in Built Up Areas, Jary and Carbuncle, British Army Review, No 121 (April 1999): 61.

“The Form” – What You Can And, More Importantly, What You Cannot Do”, Sydney Jary, British Army Review, No 133 (Winter 2003): 68.

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Sydney Jary, MC, is a regular contributor, His book 18 Platoon, published by Light Infantry, RHQ, Winchester, Hants, SO23 8TS, 5th ed, ISBN 1 901 1655 016, is recommended. Copies can be purchased from: Light Infantry Office, 14 Mount Street, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3QE, United Kingdom.

The Essential Debate: Combined Arms and the Close Battle in Complex Terrain, David Kilcullen, Australian Army Journal 1, No 2 December 2003): 67.

A LIVING GUIDE TO THE STUDY OF WAR – PAGE 51

ANNEX A to Chapter 9 – Tactics

ROMMEL’S MAXIMS(1)

By COL RR Jespersen, USMCR

In 1937 Erwin Rommel published a book describing his experience as a young infantry officer in World War I. Infanterie Greift An became a best selling book in German before World War II and had much to do with bringing the obscure, but well decorated, Army lieutenant colonel to Hitler’s attention. An English translation was read by George Patton in 1943 and influenced his military thinking thereafter. The book is a tribute to Rommel’s daring, imagination, and drive. His combat experience culminated in 1917 in the attack and capture of Mount Matajur, in which Rommel led a detachment of 500 officers and men and captured 150 Italian officers, 9,000 enlisted men and 81 guns! Rommel’s losses were 6 dead and 30 wounded. Is it any wonder why Patton studied him?.

Below are 16 maxims which have been distilled from Rommel’s observations about the battles he fought. They are not earth-shattering standing alone, but it was the manner in which they were applied and their impact on battle that makes them worthy of consideration by all military professions:

1. Attack, Attack, Attack.

2. Always support infantry attack by fire, no matter how small the calibre or how few the weapons.

3. An inferior number can overwhelm a superior number through a greater use of automatic weapons or merely by firing more rapidly.

4. Always place automatic weapons well forward, either in attack or defence.

5. He wins who fires first and can deliver the heaviest focussed fire.

6. Whenever possible, use deception.

7. In all attacks, include the psychological factors (instil fear in the enemy).

8. All combined attacks must be synchronized in the most simple manner.

9. Whenever possible, use smoke to mask movement during daylight.

10. Whenever your troops are resting, perform reconnaissance.

11. Always use security elements, in either attack or defence.

12. Troops must learn to move silently.

13. Whenever troops have stopped in place for more than a break, they should improve their position, i.e., dig-in.

14. The stronger the fire, the deeper the entrenching, the fewer the number of lives lost.

FOOTNOTE: (1) Collated by Colonel Jespersen, USMCR and taken from an Australian Army précis. (Further details unknown).

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15. The combat leader must be both active and resolute.

16. Attack, Attack, Attack.

The key to all of this, however, is the fighting spirit of the men who will do the fighting and the officers who will lead them. If our officers have courage, our men will do their duty. If our officers lack courage or the will to persevere under hazardous conditions, all will be lost. The morale of the troops can never be forgotten. Rommel’s troops had high morale and a superb fighting spirit.

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READER’S NOTES

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