To accomplish this result they
must be so placed that the enemy must cross them. They must not
interfere with the defenders' view or fire; they must not be easily
destroyed by artillery fire; they must not afford concealment to the
enemy; and they must be so made that they will not obstruct a counter
attack on the part of the defenders. The present war has demonstrated
that the barb wire entanglement fulfils more of these requirements than
any other form of obstacle.--See Engineer Department's "Manual on Field
Fortifications" on how to construct obstacles.
MEETING ENGAGEMENTS
When two hostile forces suddenly meet we have what is termed a "meeting
engagement." Very little or no reconnaissance is possible. There is an
absence of trenches. Both sides deploy rapidly. The smaller the force
the more frequently will it fight a meeting engagement. Therefore, it is
of the utmost importance to junior officers. A great advantage will
accrue to the side which can deploy the faster. The leader who has
intuition, initiative, who can make a quick decision and is willing to
take a long chance, will have a great advantage.
Pages:
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188