The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-09-14
LESSON No. 29---Warfare I'm Europe

IN previous sections OF this course
army life and service have been de
scrlbcd without special reference 10
the changes brought about by the pres
ent war, There arc important changes,
and methods of training and Of fighting
used IN previous wars must, OF course,
be modified accordingly
The extent of these changes, however,
is often exaggerated. At bottom the
qualities that make a good soldier or an
efficient army remain the same today
that they were before the war. The
changes that affect the Individual sol
der have to do chiefly with weapons.
But behind every weapon there is a
man. If the weapon is to he used ef-
iectlvely, the man must be well
trained, disciplined, cool and brave. He
must have spirit, tcnacity, and scli-re-
lance The big problem now, just as
/ in all other wars. is to develop these
Quallties--and the other Solderly quail
4 ticS-to their highest extent The chief
difference probably comes in the fact
that scli-reliance is bigger factor thar
in most previous wars And III Ameri
ran armies this quality has always beer
highly valued and we'll developed
This brief lesson can not, OF coupe
enter into a discussion oi tcchnica
questions which belong in the field ot
military science. II will simply poin,
out few OF the striking features OF
direct interest tO every man who reaches
the front.
I This war differs from previous. wars
chiefly in the enormous increase in the
use of artillery This is due partly to
the immense manufacturing resources
/ OF the countries at war, which enables
them to produce great numbers OF guns
and great quantities OF ammunition. II
! is due also To the new methods OF di-
rcctlng guniirc from airplancS II i,
evident that a gun cannot be correctly
aimed At an object the exact location
/ Of which is unknown The airplane
/ however is able TO bring back OF sig
nal back this information so that the
artillery may now be used with much
greater effect The size of the guns
and the force OF the explosive shells
fired from them have also been largely
increased
Partly as a result OF these improve.
mentS in artillery, it has been necessary
to develop better methods ot protection
The protection ot troops consists OF dig
ging stronger field entertainments thar
have been necessary IN previous wars
Here We have the main reason for N,
So-callcd trench warfare" which dur
ing the last three years has latgel,
taken the place OF former methods o
moving armies about freely until the,
came into conflict with each other Dig
ging trenches and throwing up breast
! works Tor protection against the enc
my'S fire Is, uf course. not new thin,
) m warfare II is being done IN Eu
rope, however. on much bigger seal
| than ever before. A complicated net
work OF trenches now protect, the me-
on both sides The spade ha, bccom
one OF the soldiers best weapons of de
fcnSc.
In seeking protection against hcav
. artillery fire a very interesting devcl
opment has taken place This /, IN
use ui various devices Tor Conccaliu
field guns and troops from the view d
. enemy airplancS Sometimes these az
brough, mp and planted near the oblcC
to be hidden Sometimes the gun a
other object has an awning spread ovc
: 1t which is painted to look from ahov
. like grass or earth For the same rea
: son tents may be painted IN greens an
yclowS
The chief Improvement IN methods .
: defending cntrcu,hcd troop, is the IN
: creased use ol machine gun, Mdthu
: guns must be put out of operation b
: artillery FIRE ~ hy rifle fire duecIt
: against the guuuctS before infantry ca
advance directly against them. Ihci
: has been also a gtca, increase durln
: the present war IN ,he use oi barbc
: wire IN front o' the trenches as mear
: OF defense Similar devices have bee
: used IN enttcnohed position, for man
: Years, hut never ON 80 large seal
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