Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-01-07
LESSONS The WAR
TAUGHT GERMANS
BLAMES INVENTORS
Actual Fighting Has Caused
Changes in Many
War Theories.

w OI 1 llN'l ~ -
,Corrc,poadeuee Of the Associated Press
FIELD HEADQUARTERS OF THE
GERMAN ARMY, a Place in France,
December l2.-This important section
of the long western battle line is
guarded at this writing by the army
of General Won GIeeringen, 70 which
belongs the credit Of the FIRST heavy
fighting and the first considerable VIC
tory to the War-the defeat Of the
French at Muelhausen, Msace, on Nu-
gust 10.
Each day brings its artillery duel,
sometimes fcroCious sometimes al
most perfunCtory The infantry in
the advance trenches carry on con-
stant tunnelinS ana trenchlug, punctu-
ated with minor but frequently sharp
contacts. This week, however, has
seen no heavy fighting, and the lull
i'm operations Of a serious character
has enabled the correspondent Of the
Associated Press, who has been a
guest of the headquarters mess for
the greater part of the week, TO have
many conversations with General Won
Hecringon and almost every evening
hear his after dinner talks on the new
lessons and methods of this war, the
noteworthy achievements of the war
and on the use of the automobile, the
aeroplane, the telephone and wireless
telegraphy in modern warfare.
Blames Modern Inventors.
This war with it's armies of millions
and its battle front of hundreds of
miles would have been impossible
without these modern adjuncts, Gen
eral Won Heeringen believes, and
those seeking to place the responsi-
bility for the colossal struggle may,
he thinks, if they wish, place portion
of the blame on the shoulders Of mod
ern inventors.
As general staff officer, as Prus-
sian minister Of war and as army in
spector and prospective commander
If war should come, General Won
Heeringen has been in close touch
with the modern theory of war, but
he admits that all did not come out as
the experts had supposed.
Take the laying out of trenches,
for example" he said. THE first
principle TO be observed in laying out
trenches, according to our ideas be-
fore the war, was to secure as eX-
tended field Of fire as possible, so
as to force an attacking enemy to
advance a long distance under the
fire of the defenders. Now we have
learned that the first essential Is to
have them concealed and protected
from artillery fire, even IL the field
of fire does not extend more than
fifty yards before the trenches. That
us enough, with modern weapons, TO
stop any attack.
Don't March Into City.
Another lesson we have learned is
in regard to the occupation of cities
in an advance. We now march our
columns around the city instead OF
through it, sending only light recon
noitering parties into 1t until salts
fled that it Is clear of the enemy.
Hand grenades. we find, are the
best weapons for street and house-to-
house fighting. A couple OF hand
grenades thrown into a house Occu-
pied by the enemy will clear it more
quickly than anything else and with
far less loss of life than by the use
Of the bayonet. Our men all bear
them now. In trenches we are using
with remarkable effect not only hand
grenades, but also large mines con-
tanning a quantity Of explosives and
thrown by a special type of gun These
explode with tremendous effect, kill
ing or utterly dcmoralizing every one
in the opposite trench"
Look Like Baseballs.
number of these hand grenades. They
are about the size of baseball and
are bound to short wooden paddles,
making them very handy to throw.
Usually they are provided with fuses,
which the user lights from a match
or a cigar.
General Won Heeringen was asked
whether the first months fighting
| had settled in any way the question
n ON rff ,f IL
lines of attack, English and French
reports in the early days of the war
having described the German soldiers
as charging in almost solid forma-
uon, and mcurring heavy loss. The
general intimated that there was n
great deal Of legend In the story and
that In order to get the men forward
under heavy fire it was necessary to
advance in successive rushes rather
than in dense lines, owing to the eff
feet of the modern infantry weapons.
British the Best.
which of the allies has the best
troops?' asked one OF his hearers.
General Won Heeringen had only
praise for both British and French,
but he seemed. like most officers at
the front, to think that the British
soldiers were the toughest opponents
Deeds of bravery in this war were
too common, the standard Of courage
among the supposed overcivilized
races Of Europe too high. the general
believed, to draw any COMPARISONS or
to select any special exploit as the
bravest. What caught his fancy most.
however, was the action Of the un-
tried regiments of young troops
thrown into the fighting in Flanders
and getting their baptism OF fire in
what Is corceded to be the most vic
ious fighting of the war, who went
in singing Deutschland Uber Alles''
and bore their part with the enthusl-
asm and the steadiness. under heavy
losses, of seasoned veterans.
Have you seen everything you
wanted to2" asked General Won Hee,
} lngen In farewell conversation. I'VE
nave no secrets, you know, except
such as are locked up In the breasts
OF our commanders 1 gave instruc-
uOns that you should he pivan ovar,,