The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-01-17
THE INERTIA OF MODERN WAR


Scientific American: The inexor-
able law of inertia, operating on the
vast machinery of this war, forbids a
decisive victory between armies that
are equal, or even approximately
equal, in numbers, munitionment,
morale and leadership. A dozen bat
ties have been fought since August,
1914, all of which were greater than
any recorded in history, and any one
of which would have been absolutely
decisive in any era but our own.
Nobody seems to have foreseen this
not even the nation which for forty
years past has dreamed of war con-
quests, and made the military subju-
cation of other races the great goal
of it's national life. For we find in a
book on the lessons of the war recent
ly written by distinguished German
General, the astonishing confession
that no absolutely decisive battle
can be fought between equal and we'll
entrenched national armies, such as
those now confronting each other on
the Western front.
Although this writer does not give
us the reasons for his belief, they are
not far to seek. 1t is the law of in
ertia applied to the enormous mass of
a modern army that has pinned it
fast, and put heavy discount upon
such shrewd, elastic and ever-daring
strategy as that of the great Napol-
con, and such lightning-like tactics as
those of the veteran army that fought
under him.
This is war of artillery-heavy.
semi-mobile artillery. In Napoleon's
day artillery eight feld-artillery),
was an adjunct of the infantry; today
infantry is an adjunct of the artillery.
(6-inch to 12-inch) obliterates the en-
emy's defenses; this done, the infan-
try takes possession. No further adj
vance can be made until the intertia
of the huge mass of guns, shells, am
munition dumps, railroad yards
tracks, machine shops, etc., has been
laboriously overcome by ceaseless
herculean pressure, exerted for days
weeks and months. Finally when the
full momentum has been attained it
is expressed in days of hurricane
bombardments. Then the infantry
can go forward-and they must &C
only so far.
Woe to that army which disregards
this law of inertia. The British for
got or disregarded it at Cambria
They moved far beyond the protect
ing arm of their heavy artillery-and
paid the price. Not until they swung
back within it's shelter could they
stand. When the tanks swept through
the Hindenburg line, it looked as
though modern line could be perma'
nently broken. So on they went
"horse, foot, and artillery" leaving
the heavy stuff to come on at it's leis
ure.
The British heavy artillery will ul
timately take Cambria and the in
fantry will consolidate and hold the
position; but we think this recent ven
ture will be the last to introduce or
the Western front the open fighting
Of earlier wars. 1t simply cannot bt
done.
It is a curious paradox that pre-
ponderance of heavy artillery at once
makes victory possible and a decision
impossible. 1t was an enormous pre-
ponderance of heavy artillery that en-
abled the Germans to break through
the Russian lines at the Dunajec 1
was the inertia of this artillery tina
prevented the victors from splitting
up, encircling and capturing the Rus
sian armies-and SO rendered the re
suit indecisive.
The war will be won by the decima
ton of the German armies in stu, b.
the Allied preponderance Of heavy ar
tillery. Even though they seek t.
save their diminishing man-power b.
remaining on the defensive-Uhe.
must hold their lines, and in SO doing
must be subject to an overwhelmin.
shell-fire attack from which there i
no escape.
We can make no more importan
contribution to the Allied cause thai
to mobilize every possible forge, fac
tory and machine shop for turning on
artillery of heavy calibre.