The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-06-15
GEN. FOCH'S STRATEGY.
WARS ARE WON ONLY RY DE.
CISIVE OFFENSIVE AC.
TIONS.
In Article to London Paper Allied
Commander I'm Chief Says Modern
Warfare Means Destruction OF Enc.
my FOrccs-Rcscrvcs Must he Hus.
banded With ParsimOny to Make
Blow Tell.


banded With Parsimony to Make
Blow Tell.
London, June 9.-That battles can
be won in the end only by the army
which takes the offensive is the sig
nificant declaration made by General
Foch, commander in chief Of the al
lies, in an important article contribut-
ed by him to The Field, in which he
discusses the problem of the soldier
and the way to victory.
Modern warfare to arr: i've at its
end and to impose its will on the en-
emy," says General Foch, 'recog-
nizcs only one means-destruction of
the enemy's organized forces
WAR undertakes and prepares this
destruction by a battle which brings
about the overthrow of the adversary.
disorganizes his command, DESTROYS
his discipline, and nullifies his units
as far as their fighting power is con-
cerned.
Our first axiom must be that COM
pletely to achieve it's object a bat
tie must not be purely defensive A
purely defensive battle, even we'll
conducted, does not result in victory
and a vanquished foe. 1t is simply
1>n
again.
From this it is an obvious corol-
larry that an offensive, whether started
at the beginning of an action or
whether 1t follows the defensive, can
| only give results and in consequence
must always be adopted at the finish
ITO maintain our position is not
synonymous with being victorious
and even prepares for a defeat. If
we remain where we are and do not
pass to the offensive to fix the direc-
ton of attack to guard against the
plans of the enemy and prevent him
from carrying out the same maneuv-
er. we must undertake to carry on and
sustain numerous combats. each with
determined aim.
But since there remains no doubt
| that decisive attack is the very key
stone of battle, all other actions
which make up a battle must be en-
visaged, considered, organized, pro-
vided with forces in tho measure in
which they will prepare, facilitate and
guarantee development of decisive
| attack characterized by IFS mass, it's
surprise, it's speed and for which, in
consequence. it is essential that there
shall be the maximum reserve force
possible of troops Of maneuver.
'The reserve-that is to saw the
prepared bludgeon--is organized and
kept carefully instructed to execute
the, single act of battle from which
results are expected-namely, the de-
cisive attack.
Reserves must be husbanded with
the most extreme parsimony so that
the bludgcon may be strong enough
to make the blow as violent as pos
sible. Let loose at the finish, with
out any lurking idea of saving them,
with we'll thought out plan for win
| ming the battle at a point chosen and
determined, reserves are thrown in all
together in an action surprising in
violence and energy all other phases
or battle. an action with proper char
acteristics-surprise. mass and speed.
All our forces really participate, eth
er by preparing it or by carrying it
out.
I'm this our supreme aim, we
must not be deceived by appearances.
Although theory fails when applied
by feeble hands and when accessories
obscure the main principle, history
and reason show us that in battle
there is single argument which is
worth while-namely, decisive at
tack, which is alone capable Of as
suring the desired result-the over
throw of the adversary"