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

us then TO the battle of maucuver.
the first gives as the method the ap-
phcation on one point OF superior
forces: the other. tho moral effect Of
IN" sudden appa:iticn OF danger. Of
AN attack which was not for"secn. By
one road, as by the other. 1t Is to n.
decisive attack that we cone out. The
decisive attack Is necessary, because
without it nothing Is accomplished
| ana VIC clearly cannot count on luck
! alone. When it Is finished. tie re-
suit is obtained. and that is the cno
APPLY ALI. FORCES
ON GIVEN POINr
Theoretically. the conduct of battle
is thea the carrying through 80 the
decisiv. attack to success: Theoretical.
~ also. to I've the stronger a. given
point and At given moment. all ones
forces should he applied simultaneous
ly on that point. and char H. an an
expected manner.
| When we pass to practice, we sec
we must take other things into ac-
| count-the idea OF protection rcappeaiS
and imposes sacrifices. absorbs forces
To fin the direction of the attack.
TO guard against tho plans of the
enemy. to prevent him from carrying
out the same maneurcr we must
undertake. carry on. and sustain :.um-
erouS combats. each with determined
aim But since there remains no doubt
that the decisive attack is the very
keystone of the battle, all the other
actions which make up the battle must
only be enviSaG ed. considered. organ
lied. provided with forces, in the
measure in which they prepare. ia
cili;ate and guarantee the development
of the decisive attack. characterized
by its mass. its surprise and Its speed.
and for which in consequence it is cs-
sential to reserve the maximum force
possible of troops of maneuver.
The difference between the ma
ncuvcr battle and the parallel bat
tie does not consist only in the differ
ence of the denouements: decision
prepared. desired, sought in the ma
ncuver battle by the decisive attack:
waited for. hoped for. in the parallel
battle where a lucky action may take
place at some one point or many in
determinate points on the front There
is also a radical difference in con-
duct in execution. in economy OF forces
In the parallel battle. tactics must
adopt or take up the idea Of conquer
ing adverse resistance ny SLOW and
progressive attrition OF the resources OF
the enemy: with that aim. the hsht Is
kent going everywhere. The reserves
are thus devoted TO tho task OF
support They are then simply maya
zines of troops. from which one
draws 10 make up the wastaSe that Is
caused. that increases and demands
Ia he rcpaired Here the whole art
consists in still having some reserves
when the enemy has no more ielt: so
as to be able 10 say the last word IN
this fight where attrition is the single
argument. But since these reserves
can have no place assigned them in
advance they must be everywhere 10
be employed at the rate ana IN 'he
measure Of the need which arises. TO
keen the fight going on the whole front.
rhav are drawn into the fight and
sw,ijowed up while the command
awaits Il favorable circumstance Win
out knowing where or how 10 mo IT,
and tho reserves have no other erect
than TO keep the battle from dying
out.
RESERVES HUsBANDED
WITH PARSIMOSf
In the mancuver battle, the reserve
(that is TO say the prepared bludSeohl
il organized, kept back. carefully IN
structcd 10 execute the single act o.
the battle from which results are eN-
nec,cd. the decisive attack; the reserve
il husbanded with the most extreme
,arsinony. so that the b!udSeon may
nc strong enough, the blow as violent
as possible.
lie, loose at the finish. without any
lurking idea OF saving them, w:th
we'll thought out plan for winning th*
battle AT the point chosen and deter!n-
ined the reserves are thrown in all
together in an action surprising :.
violence and energy all the other
phases OF the battle, An action with
the proper characteristics Of surprise.
OF mass and speed. All our forces
really participate. either by preparing
it or By carrying il out in this our
supreme aim.
So the ultimate resultant from tn.
conveyance OF all efforts is felt as
il is applied upon the objective given
TO the decisive attack. the Suprcni.
moment; "A pure development of that
principle Of economy of force which.
instead of specializing its resources.