Tactics, Volume 1 (of 2). Introduction and Formal Tactics of InfantryBalck, W. (William)
History
Tactics, Volume 1 (of 2). Introduction and Formal Tactics of Infantry
Balck, W. (William)
Military art and science; Tactics
In the pamphlet entitled, _Actual Experiences in the Russo-Japanese
War_, p. 11, et seq., Captain SOLOVIEV, 34th East Siberian Rifle
Regiment, 1st Siberian Corps, states: “* * * There was an almost
ungovernable tendency among the men, as soon as they had thrown
themselves down, to open fire without orders; paying attention
neither to the target designated, nor to setting their sights.
“This haste is, first of all, brought about by the desire of drowning
the consciousness of danger by means of increased activity. * * *
It is simply impossible to control and direct the fire when the men
have not been carefully trained. The din of battle, the explosion of
hostile projectiles, and the thunder of our own artillery make such a
deafening roar that one can scarcely hear one’s own voice. The long
firing lines make it extraordinarily difficult to transmit orders;
even squad commanders can not make themselves understood. Volley
firing must therefore be dispensed with.
“Only whistle signals, if repeated by all non-commissioned officers,
can be heard; but the men must be trained to obey the whistle signal.
With strictness and application much can be accomplished in this
direction; it may even be possible to stop the firing along the whole
length of the deployed company in the hottest phases of the fight.
“The difficulties of fire control and fire direction increase in
proportion to the intensity of the hostile fire and the proximity of
the enemy, especially on the defensive. The men get more and more
restless, their nervous tension increases, the danger seems nearer
and greater. In such a moment the leader must make every effort to
keep his men in hand, and prevent the firing from degenerating into a
wild blazing away at nothing. This is always a sign that the leader
has lost control of his troops.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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