manual for commanders of infantry platoons. - US Army Combined ...

MANuALtFPOR COM'MANDERRS OFFINF~aANTRYa PLATOONS. 167
anl immediate opening~ or cessa~tion of fire at the command: n of the
leader. All officers aznd noncommissioned1 ofircers, esp:ecially
hie closers,'
the
must exert themnselves to attain it. Vholley firings
anexcellent
Is
meazns of steadying· a bod~y of troops whose fire has
wJeakenedlor become disorgatnized.
4. The r'esults obtainudl depend albove all­
(a) Up~on1 the coolness' of t-he commandn2er.-It is only
mainingr
by re-
cool thatt the commandier can obtain the highest: degree
of fire discipline among, the
be
riflemen
able to
of
break
his platoon;
off and resnine
that is,
firling
to
at xviii. Fire dliscipline
can not be maintazinedi except by a leader who is master of
himslelf.
(b)· On1the steadiness anld shlcil of thLe men9.--Collective
effecti~ve
fire is
only when it is ain ag~gregaztion of aLccurnt~ 'shots
liveredde­
with correct sight adjustment. It is · dependent upon
individuacl
the
training ofi the men' 'firing·.
FBIRE OF THE: PLATOON lIN REF 'N5E OF AN ENTRE~NCHEIID LINE.
The chief platoonl organizes: beforeha2nd squadzcs of riflemeni
under 'commal~nd of sergeaznts or corporals andi assign-s to t~heml
parts of the trench best adalptedi to itsi defense. All dlispositions
acre. providedl for in adlvance byT ordlers given to be foll~owed in
case of alarm. TIn dayt~imze the fire usuaclly~ employed is fire a~t
xviii."' 'However, volleys are? freqluently· used, as they· shake 'thec
morale' of thte enemy and give confidence 'to oni' own m3en. At
nzight voll~ey firing2· is th1e ruzle.
THE PLABTOON IN A'i GENERAL A1TTACKC AGAINST AN E~NTRENCHED)
PO5ITIONJ.
I~n an action of this kinld the rulel is to' fire but little, as itspurpose
is to gain as soon as possib·le the objectic e designaited.
Nevertheless, the advance may be impedled bS loc'. resistalnce~
fromn cer-tain points (by gr~oups of rIiflemen, machine gun11s, etc).
This resistance must be crushed as qyuickly as p~ossible,
chief'of
andc 'the
'platoona will direct a- rapid fire by his etntiepla2toon
upon suchl points in ordter to be ablhe to resu~me the adx 'tince.