Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-28
FOCH DESCRIBES
WAR MANEUVERS

but one whose absence has often com :
plctely obscurcd the true view OF war.
TO maintain our position IS not synory-
imouS With being victorious, and evci,
/ prepares defeat, if we remain where
we ar. and do not pass to the often
siyc.
Hence the moral: Action must be the
/ primori iai law OF war. Frederick said.
TO make war is to attack always"
OF all faults. only one is infamous
naction, SO we ought constantly to
try TO mold events. not to submit to
them; to organize first of all the at
tack. to which all other things must be
Subordinated. for they must be con-
s:dcrcd only from tho point of view OF
" hat help they will bring TO the often
s.vc.
To break the will of the enemy: this
!s The first principle which strategy
teaches us: 20 break ii by an uneNpcct-
ID blow OF supreme viGor is tn: first
deduction from that principle. Eut it
is no; necessary 10 bring to bear on
the whole enemy army this supreme
blow. His army is living being with
organs: an organism IS Il group Of or
cams whose n.alth and good condition
arc necessary TO the life of the crea
ture. ana whose loss, even the ioss of
one Of them. brings death.
BLOW AT VITAL. PART
SUFFICIENT TO VICTORY
y,
TO cut OFF 1T once his arms, legs and
head and At the same time TO make
hole in his chest and pierce his groin"
y SWoVG-thrLSt in the heart. or Il blow
with Il club on the lead, will give the
same result. Just So 10 overthrow
the wing OF an army. the center. one
Important part OF the whole, i'll be
sufficient 70 get the decision. All this
brings us then 10 the application of
Il supreme blow a. one point, the prin
ciple Napoleon formulated in saying
that TO be victorious it is necessary.
and suf!icieit TO be the stronger
against :, gwen point at "a given mo-
ui.nt."
The decisive attack is the supreme
argument Of the modern battle, in the
war OF nations lighting for their eX-
istence. their Independence, or some
interest less noble, fighting in any case
with all their means. with all their
passions; masses of men and passions
which the attack seeks 10 shake and
TO overthrow.
To the vancouver battle character
lied by supreme efort-the decisive
surprise Attacks often opposed 10 tho
theory of 4 parallel battle. or battle
Of trenches, il, which fighting goes on
,Nerrw here and in which the general
in-ohtcf awaits = favorable circum-
stance or h1ppy inspiration, which
generally does not come. to decide
when and where he will move: IT, in
deed, he does not leave this duty 10
is subo-dinatcs, who themselves imi-
tate him and put the responsibility on
their under!inGs. and so on, until finally
II iS the private soldiers who win the
hattie. battle with ut a name. His
tory has often confirmed this proce-
I dnrc: this kind OF battle generally ex-
/ lists; il has been practiced and has
/ hccn followed by victory: but il is a
I victory which has d. rcnded more on
chance than leadership. In an lot
t"ri"S. there are luc'<y men who win
the his lTizes; desn lie which nobody
would think of recommending lot
'nrseS rs q means Of making a fortune
FtiiiiENESS OF PARALLEL.
BATTLE IL DESCRIBED
TIC fceb!encss OF the parallel bat
tie j. that tho attack develops every
Wheic with an equal force. leading 10
Uniform pressure. against a defender
VII" furnishes Il resistance equally iini-
ioim but Superior in effect because
he djspcses of special ADVANTAGES
shelter ARTILLERY protection. etc. which
'iI" afsallaHt does not crjoy in ;he
stme iegree The attacl: spends its
forces dIop by drop. like particles CT
C".er falling into the sea; It Is the
food beating against a sturdy dam.
IL viii not break through
tn, II, by whatever vision IF on,
S9itt we see 4 assure in the dam. or
n point Of insufficient resistance or IL
ny particular combination of forces
We ar" nole 20 join 10 :he regular ami
n"'aoHica! action rf the food the cnec,
OF blow with ram ca able Of break
ing dow tho dam at one rlace. the
equilibrium is DESTROYED the mass
Nurls Itself through the breach PRO.
luo"d ard overwNelm all obs,aclec
!-et Us seek that hssure that place
II Weakness. or Use let US bring our
ram against Z point IF the enemy line
ana "" VIII arrive =, the same re-
suit. That IS tho battle OF naacuver
The defense, oVerthrowa .. one point
capsiZcs everywhere The barrie,
pierced. everything crurntles.
Mechanics. Ike psychology conducts