1963 US Army Vietnam War Armor Operations ... - Survival Books

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMCHAPTER 2FUNDAMENTALS OF ARMORSection I. PRINCIPLESOF WAR12. General in combat operations is measured by the accoma.The principles of war govern the conduct plishment of the mission.of all military operations. They represent the b. The Offensive. By the offensive the commajorfactors essential to the successful con- mander can impose his will on the enemy, setduct of war.the pace and course of battle, exploit enemyweaknesses, and meet unexpected contingencies.prin- Even in the defensive the commander must beciples to specific situations. He knows when to alert to regain the initiative by offensive ounemphasize one emphasizeat the oneexpense of others. In teractions. Aggressiveness, flexibility of mind,some instances a commander may elect not to and the ability to make rapid, reasoned deciapplya given principle. If he does so with the sions are required to apply fully the principknowledge that he is doing it and if the failureto apply the principle works to his ultimateof the offensive. In defense, the armor com-advantage, he has not violated the principle.The commander uses the principles of war duringhis estimate of the situation. In formulat- c. Simplicity. Simplicity demands that deingcourses of action, he must consider and tailed, simple plans be adopted in every milicompareeach course developed in light of the tary operation. It is, of course, a relative termprinciples. Thus, the commander's decision is because all actions in war are essentially comaresult of the direct application of the princi- plex. Simplicity is especially important on theples of war. Appendix VIII provides an exam- nuclear battlefield, where the full use of availpleofthe commander's application of the prin- able means will require close control and coordinationand where plans must be as simple asciples of war in a specific situation.the situation will permit. Detailed, simple plans13. Application lead to coordinated, timely execution.a. The Objective. The objective of a militarythed.establishmentUnity of Command. Unity of command isof a single authority. This isforce is the goal or aim for which the force was the est means to insure unity of effort, whichthe best means to insure unity of effort, whichconstituted. This principle is overriding, or is implies a singleness of purpose and cooperationalways applicable to any operation, at any level by all elements of the command.of command. The objective of a force can bestated in broad e. Mass. Mass demands that superiority ofstated or in precise broad terms depending combat power be attained at the critical timeupon the nature of the goal. Each element of andandplaceplaceforfor adecisivedecisivepurpose.purpose.ThisThissuperi-superianarmor unit contributes to the attainment of ority is both qualitative and quantitative. Comtheobjective of the larger unit of which it is a bat power is primarily a combination of firepart.For example, when the objective of a power and maneuver, which is applied at thedivision has been defined, all elements of the right place and time for a decisive purpose.division must be assigned objectives that facili- Mass does not require continued concentrationtate the attainment of the division objective. of forces; it does require that forces be so dis-The objective or goal of a military force is ex- posed that maximum combat power can be conpressed,in general terms, as a mission. Success centrated at the decisive time and place. The8 AGO 9139A