The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-09-30
TAUGHT HINDENBURG.
Maxims of Great Chinese Warrior,
Loutao, Followed by German.


made Field Marshal Won Hindenburg
one of the commanding figures OF
the world war did not originate in
the great German commander, fact
that Won Hindenburg frankly ad-
mits. saws the New York Times. To
great extent his maxims of war
are those of Frederick the Great,
and the maxims of the great Fred
erick were not of his own making.
Furthermore these maxims, the
carrying into effect of which has
twice overwhelmed the Russians,
and has undoubtedly played prom
inent part in the wonderful resist
ance of the German armies in France
and Belgium, have not been the Sc
cret possession Of the Prusslans.
They were brought to light by a
Frencnman, and from France found
their way to the war councils OF
Frederick the Great and his success
.sors.
I About one hundred and fifty years
ago there labored in China French
missionary, Jesuit priest, Father de
Guignes. De Guignes mastered the
difficult language of the Chinese, and
in due course of time Gin 176O was
permitted to study and to translate
into French the five Holy War Books
of the Chinese. These books con-
tanned the maxims of the great Chi
~nese warriors who lived in the period
between 1900 and 500 B. c., max
inns that as late as A. D. 1900 every
Chinese officer was required to mem
orize. Says the United States Infant
.ry Journal in the July-August issue:
.tTllus it became apparent that,
centuries before the time of Homer,
war was already waged according to
fixed rules, and that even in ancient
times strategy was an art, and the
art of war was taught. Napo>
leon recommended their study and
many of that great generals max
inns may be traced to them
The maxims followed by Fred
erick the Great and by Won linden
burg are those of the great Chinese
warrior, Loutao, who lived about
1850 B. &C. Loutao's maxlms were
recently published in Germany, and
y the publication is prefaced by the
statement that 1T is remarkable that
the n1axims of Frederick the Great
should have been enunciated 5000
years before his time, and that the
principles of Hindenburg's strategy
and tactics should have been like
wise. laid down at that early period
- The naxims as they appear in the
Infantry sJournal were translated
from the German by First Lieut..
! Walter Krueger, of the 3rd United
States infantry.
These are the "War Marxims OF
Gen. Loutao,'' as translated into Eng
lish by Lieut. Krueger:
There are four things to which a
general must give careful attention:
Cd Time esta blishment of his
reputation; GU place-he must be
familiar with the country in which
he operates; 60 opportunity, WHICH,
If he, is skilled, he will be able to
create; ca the condition of the
troops as regards strength, ability
and morale.
u War should be. so conducted that
one need not wage it again for the
same cause. Those who master the
true principles of the art of war will
be able to subsist their armies at the
expense of the enemy.
An army should be so disposed
that all the corps of which it is COM
posed can mutually defend and sup
port each other whenever requisite.
The troops in the right wing and
those in the left must fulfill for
those in the centre the same func-
ton that the wings of bird fulfill
for it's body. It's wings impart to
the bird the ability to pass quickly
from one point to another and enable
it to move in any direction at will.
The troops posted on the right and
those posted on the left should en-
able general quickly to make any
disposition of his army that he may
see fit. The mobility and strength
of birds are generally proportionate
to the size and strength of their
wings. This should likewise be true
of an army. The two wings of an
army should be composed of the most
mobile, the most disciplined, the
most experienced troops.
If you desire to profit by our
army, if you wish to make it invin-
chile, model it after the snake
Chouaijeu, which, when struck on