The Clovis news. [volume] (Clovis, N.M.) 1907-1929, 1918-06-13
FOCH TELLS HOW
BATTLES ARE WON

London June 10. The battles can
he won in the end only by the army
which takes the offensive is the sig
nificant declaration made 10y General
Foch commanocr.in-chicf Of the al
lies in an article contributed by him
to the weekly Journal, The Field, in
which he discussed the problem Of
the soldier and the way to victory.
"Modern warfare to arrive at Its
end and to impose its will on the
enemy" says General Foch, "recog-
nizeS only one means destruction Of
the cncmy's organized force.
War undertakes and prepares this
destruction by battle which brings
about overthrow of the adversary. dis
organizes his command. destroys his
discipline aud nulifcs his units 50 for
as their fighting power is concerned.
"Our first axiom must he that com
plctcly to achieve it, object II battle
must not be- purely defensive. \ pure
ly defensive battle, even well conduct
ed does moi result in u victor and Il
vanQui>hcd. 1t i simply Il game that
must be- begun over again
Prom this It H. obvious corollary
that an offensive. whether started at
the beginning of an action or whether
II follows the defensive, can only give
results aud in consequence must al
ways he adopted at the finish.
TO maintain our position is not
synomous with being victorious and
even prepares for II defeat. II we re-
! main where We are and do not pass to
the offensive to fix the direction Of
attack to guard against the plans Of
the enemy and prevent him from car
rying out the same maneuvcrS. we
must undertake to carry on and sus.
tain numerous combatS. each with de.
tcrmined aim.
But since there remains no doubt
that decisive attacks is the very key.
stone Of battle, all other actions
which make up battle must hc on
vSaged, considered organized, pro
iidcd with forces in the measure In
which they will prepare, facilitate and
guarantee development Of decisive
attack characterized by its mass, its
surprise its speed and for which. In
consequence. II is ESSENTIAL that There
shall he the maximum reserve force
possible Of troons Of mlncuvcr.
"Thc reserve that is TO say. the
prepared bludgcon is organized and
kept carefully instructed to execute
the single act Of battle from which re-
suits are expected. namely. the de-
ciSivc attack.
Reserves must he husbandcd with
the most extreme parSimony 81 that
the hlulgcon may he strong enough
10 make the blow as violent rs pos
Siblc. Lee, loose at the finish. without
any lurking idea of saving them. with
n well thought ont plan for winning
the battle at a point chosen and de
tcrmined reserves are thrown in all
together in m action surprising IL
violence and energy all other phasc'
Of battle. an action with proper char
actrriStics surprise. mass and speed
All our forces really participate, either
by prepnrin: 1t or by carrying il ont.
In this 0,w supreme aim. we mus
not bc deceived by appearances Al
though theory fails when applied b,
feeble hands and when accessories oh
Scurc the main principle, history anC
reason show us that in battle there |,
n single argument which Is wortl
I while. namely decisive attack, whihl
Is alone capable Of assuring the de
sired result the overthrow Of the ad
versary."