The Washington herald., 1918-06-16

enemy does not attack them: these
are the aims with which thc troops
of the preparation" ought to bc in
sprircd. uRtil the C"emy lib adcns all
hope Of winning End gives up the
position, or until they themselves are
stopped and entirely exhausted. But
even In the latter case they mus still
install themselves before tho cremy.
to menace him and throw him heck
if he tries to advance.
Phases Of Preparation.
As has been seen, the preparation"
is multitude Of partial combats, of
which each one, to end in a success,
to reach its own decision. that Is, the
conquest Of the given obtective>, must
comprise Its own decisive act, the con-
vergence towards the same point at
the same instant of all available et-
forts, co-ordinated. This decisive
action will consist. on a smaller scale.
OF the game three phases that exist
in the whole battle: The 'prepara-
tion." the execution the "eXploita-
ton" In each Of these phases the
employment and the formation of
the troops are regulated by the same
principles which apply to the same
acts in the battle as a whole.
1t is evident that this great num-
ber of fights cannot be directed by
the same command. The command
er-in-chief will then divide the work
of the preparation between a GER
tain number Of subordinates, to each
of whom he confides the Job OF de-
feating the enemy with the forces
allotted. The n-chief
reserves for himself the principal
task. the direction and execution of
the decisive attack. and whatever
happens he makes sure that at the
last moment he can intervene with
his general reserves.
The preparation" at length be-
comes a general engagement on the
whole front. a fight sometimes very
heavy and often very long. So.
although in theory the operation
ought to absorb minimum of
force. in reality 1t demands serious
sacrifices. which the general must
know how to make without grudg-
ing, so long as the expense so in
CURED does not compromise the fol-
lowing phases, and in particular the
success of the decisive attack. The
general must know also how to de-
ploy his forces. that is to estab-
lish his units face to face with their
objectives. at the right time. and
he must carry this out beyond the
range OF the guns. which is very
long.
Calls for Extreme Energy.
The principal efforts arc demanded
of troops of the first line. since the
others must be held at a distance
reserved to feed the preparation
and keep it going. Although this
preliminary fighting is often called
Demonstration" it calls for ex-
| tremH energy on the part of the SOL
diers. For the troops under fire. fol-
the secondary units behind the first
line. there is only cne thing to do
TO fight with the most extreme vigol
and with all the Inet ms at their dis.
posal. These are the only principle.
which the soldier ard the units EN-.
ployed in the preparation" ought
to know. To talk to them of de
monstrations" or holding combats,
delayed actions" would make then
| stop. would invite them to go on
would prepare them Snr flight. breal
their morale at the moment when &
was most necessary.
The delaying action, that lasts /,
long time, into which the "prepara.
ton" may resolve itself. is resul
of application Of the principle OF