Its commander should have a cool, level head. To
delay the enemy and thus assist the main body to escape is his mission.
For him to remain too long in a good position might endanger not only
his safety but that of the main body as well.
CHAPTER VIII
ATTACK AND DEFENSE
The European War has demonstrated more clearly than ever before two
points in attack and defense. First, no people, or group of people, can
claim a monopoly on bravery. They all move forward and give up their
lives with the same utter abandon. Courage being equal, the advantage
goes to him in the attack who possesses superior leaders, greater
training, and better equipment. Second, a man's training and courage,
his clear eye and steady nerve, his soul's blood and iron, constitute a
better defense than steel and concrete.
A soldier has little business attacking or defending anything in this
day unless he is an athlete, unless he is skilled in the technique of
manoeuver, unless he is a good shot, unless he knows the value of many
features of the terrain (which means the nature of the country--its
hills, rivers, mountains, depressions, etc.
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