ARMOR, September-October 1987 Edition - Fort Benning - U.S. Army

More documents

Recommendations

Info

"Although they ceased resistance, the French did not surrender ..." Epilogue In the years following the battle, many writers have speculated on what might have changed the out- come. One of the most interesting and most discussed aspects is the possible effect if the French had employed more tanks. The success- ful riposte of 28 March showed the benefits of aggressive attacks. If larger armored forces could have destroyed more of the Viet-Minh ar- tillery and flak concentrations, the airfield might have remained usable much longer. This would have facilitated resupply and evacuation of wounded. Such positive effects would also have been beneficial for morale. 7 Discussion of tanks at Dien Bien Phu does provide an interesting ex- ercise in "what if?" It also shows us that armor has a key role in all types of conflicts. While obviously needed in a European conflict against massed armor, tanks are also critically important to support infantry anywhere in the world against entrenched, heavily-armed enemies. The basic armor attributes of shock effect, mobility, and firepower are key components on every battlefield. Endnotes 'Bernard B. Fall, Street without Joy (New York: Schocken Books, 1972) , p. 53. %he situation in Indochina and the French decision to fight at Den Bien Phu have been paraphrased from Bernard B. Fall's Hell in a Verv Small Place (Philadel- phia: J.B. Lipplncott Co., 1967), pp. xi - ix, pp. 22-52. 3De Castries' selection for command, his concepts of the defense, and informa- tion relating to the assembly of tanks in Wen Bien Phu comes from Bemard Fall's Hell in a Verv Small Place, pp. 96-98. 4Fall discusses this operation in Hsll. pp. 174-175. 5The March 18th attack is covered by Fall in Hell. pp. 185-89. Jules Ray also discusses the fight In The Battle of Dienbien- & (New York Carroll & Graf, 1984), pp. 194201. 6The final defeat and Its consequences are paraphrased from Fall In m, pp. 408- 448. 7~njecture about the effect of more armor at Dien Bien Phu comes from several sources. John Keegan discussed it at length in his book entitled Dien Bien phu. This book was in this author's colles tion but is now lost. Bernard Fall also brought out the point in Hell. p. 454. ~~ ~~ Captain Michael E. Woodgerd was commis- sioned in armor from the USMA in 1982. He is a graduate of AOB, AOAC, and the Airborne and Ranger courses. He has served as an M1 platoon leader, M3 scout platoon leader, and battalion liaison officer in 3-63 Armor, 3d ID, in the FRG. He now commands D Co., 2/77 Armor at Ft. Carson. co. 20 ARMOR September-October 1987
Graduate Studies in Combat Vehicle Technology by Richard M. Ogorklewlcz The design and development of combat vehicles is a demanding process which calls for a high de- gree of specialized knowledge and skill on the part of those involved in it. Some of that knowledge and skill can be acquired by operating combat vehicles. More of it can be acquired by actually working on the design and development of combat vehicles. But to’ operate or work on combat vehicles generally involves concentration on particular tasks or problems, which leaves little time for the acquisition of knowledge and experience outside the areas of immediate concern. In conse- quence, this way of acquiring wider knowledge tends to be very protracted, even though it is the best in several respects. There is, therefore, a need for ad- ditional opportunities for acquiring the relevant knowledge. In particular, there is a need for acquiring a sound, broad-based understanding of combat vehicle technology and for doing it more rapidly than is possible by working on a job, or at an earlier state of the career of those involved in the design and development of combat vehicles. All this has been recognized by the creation at the Royal Military College of Science in England of a graduate course in Military Vehicle Technology. Apart from meeting an important need, the MVT course is believed to be the only one of its Headquarters of the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham. kind in the whole Western World, which in itself makes it of con- siderable interest. The writer is also able to comment on it from first- hand experience, having been in- vited to act as an external academic examiner to it. The Royal Military College What the MVT course offers is based on a sound academic founda- tion provided by the well-estab- lished record of the Royal Military College of Science. In fact, RMCS can trace its ancestry to 1772, when at England’s oldest arsenal at Wool- wich a society was formed for the scientific study of gunnery. From this grew a university-type military institution, which since WW I1 has been located on a spacious campus at Shrivenham, some ‘80 miles west of London. The basic function of RMCS is to provide scientific and technological education to military personnel in the form of a three-year bachelor of science program and a large num- ber of specialist courses ranging in duration from a few days to six months. The RMCS also col- laborates with the British Army Staff College at Camberley in run- ning the scientific and technological parts of the Army Staff Course. In addition to the MVT course, it runs other graduate courses in military systems and technology and it also carries out research for the British Ministry of Defense and for in- dustrial organizations. All this implies that the MVT course is run against a wide back- ground of academic and military ac- tivities, which ensures that it is com- prehensive and relevant to current military problems. The MVT course also enjoys the advantage of the facilities provided by the RMCS, which include not only conventional engineering laboratories but also such things as an instructional col- lection of modern British and other armored vehicles and a unique teaching exhibit in the form of a wide range of standard and ex- perimental tank guns. Military Vehicle Technology Course The MVT course itself consists of a short introductory period, a core September-October 1987 ARMOR 21
Page 2 and 3: In case you havsn't heard, the next
Page 4 and 5: Reaction to Light Forces years back
Page 6 and 7: Orto panzer stopped in front 61 the
Page 8 and 9: Armor Badge proposal, 1 feel that A
Page 10: Attendance Update I thought this ar
Page 13 and 14: ficers and commanders to get a head
Page 15 and 16: guage - - was a much larger issue t
Page 17 and 18: Maneuver Seizure of Terrain - The a
Page 19 and 20: MAP 1 The French defense was based
Page 21: the main perimeter. Bigeard’s at-
Page 25 and 26: predictions of suspension behavior
Page 27 and 28: ing into the German defense’s ope
Page 29 and 30: corps maintenance support intact fo
Page 31 and 32: ''...Tanks and assault guns coming
Page 33 and 34: ACompany Commander's Guide For Cond
Page 35 and 36: Again, the point lo remember is ope
Page 37 and 38: on the things they have practiced d
Page 39 and 40: "Scouting is an art, as well as a s
Page 41 and 42: form, while the numbed majority is
Page 43 and 44: The Newest M1: A Fourth Variation o
Page 45 and 46: M1A1 Block II improvements looked a
Page 47 and 48: ~~ _____ The 1553 mil standard data
Page 49 and 50: Airhnd Battle doctrine, the reality
Page 51 and 52: you know about fear, the better you
Page 53 and 54: without understanding of the "whys"
Page 55 and 56: A new cleaning wand for the M1 Abra

ARMOR, September-October 1987 Edition - Fort Benning - U.S. Army

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?