_The Director_: “The requirement of the problem involves Major A’s order
for the approach march. Lieutenant Ralston, what must the Major do
before he is ready to issue his orders?”
_Lieutenant Ralston_: “He must size up the situation, arrive at a
decision as to what he is going to do and then put this decision in the
form of an order.”
_The Director_: “What is the first part of his Estimate of this
Situation?”
_Lieutenant Ralston_: “He will determine upon his mission. I would say
that the immediate mission is to relieve the 2nd battalion and that the
next phase of it is to prepare to continue the attack tomorrow morning.”
_The Director_: “Very good. What is the next point he will consider,
Captain Harvey?”
_Captain Harvey_: “He must consider the enemy. The enemy has been
retreating before our attack for the past two days. This shows that he
is inferior in strength and morale. His defense arrangements must be
very much impaired and the confusion that exists behind his lines may
readily be imagined. The fact that he is doggedly contesting our advance
and that his retreat has nowhere broken down to the extent that we have
been able to break through his lines with a deep penetration shows that
he still has a lot of fight in him. As soon as it is sufficiently dark
to preclude the possibility of aerial observation the enemy will begin
shifting his defense elements with a view to preparations to resist our
advance again tomorrow. He will be effecting a relief of his worn-out
troops, shifting his machine guns to more advantageous positions,
changing his artillery so as to more effectively cover the ground which
we will have to pass over tomorrow if our attack is a success. All of
this will consume several hours. During the period of readjustment and
redistribution of troops the hostile activity and fire will naturally be
very much diminished. During this same period from dusk until several
hours later these same things will be happening in our lines, as you can
see. Our artillery will have to be brought up to new positions for the
destructive bombardment and the barrage. Our machine guns have to be
placed in position to better support the riflemen. Our tanks have to be
gotten up ready for the ‘jump off’ tomorrow morning and our worn-out
troops on the front lines have to be relieved. It will be a period of
lessened activity on both sides. During this period we will take
advantage of the opportunity to effect the relief of the 2nd battalion
on the line.”
(Note.—The terrain over which the approach march and the relief
should now be discussed.)
_The Director_: “That is a very good discussion of the consideration of
the enemy and our troops. Captain Hodges, what other factors enter into
the estimate of the situation?”
_Captain Hodges_: “Our plans, I should say, the Major would want to
determine on the formation that he will adopt for the approach march. He
wants to arrive on the front line with his assault elements in the best
possible formation to go into action. It will be more and more difficult
to make changes in the formation as he approaches the location of the
front lines. He will therefore start his approach march in as nearly the
formation that he wants to be in when he arrives on the line.”
_The Director_: “You are right. In making a relief of this kind you
cannot march a battalion up within the zone of rifle and machine gun
fire in a column of files and then expect to get into combat formation
and effect a relief properly. It simply cannot be done. You must get
into your formation sufficiently far back to make sure of it and then
take advantage of the various invulnerable formations to cross dangerous
ground to the best advantage and with a minimum of losses. Now, Captain
James, what would be your decision?”
_Captain James_: “To march to the front and effect the relief of the 2nd
battalion as soon as possible after dusk.”
_The Director_: “Very good. Now all of what we have said is termed the
‘Estimate of the Situation.’ I hope you all appreciate the necessity for
the battalion commander going through this process of thought before
arriving at his decision and framing up his order based on it.
“We are now ready to proceed with a discussion of the Major’s order.
Lieutenant Baker, what would you include in the first paragraph?”
_Lieutenant Baker_: “The information of the enemy and our own troops.
This would include information about the enemy’s retreat all along the
line during the day; of the point reached by the front lines of our 2nd
battalion; of the proposed attack tomorrow morning; of the fact that the
3rd battalion will relieve our battalion tonight; of the action to be
taken by the 2nd battalion after we relieve it. This is all that it
would be necessary for the troops to know at this time.”
_The Director_: “I think you have covered the essential points. Captain
Hall, what would you include in the second paragraph of the order?”
_Captain Hall_: “I would state my plan, to the effect that we are to
relieve the 2nd battalion tonight.”
_The Director_: “What is the next part of the order, Lieutenant Barry?”
_Lieutenant Barry_: “The disposition of the troops and the orders for
each element of the battalion: I would want the intelligence section of
my headquarters’ company to get to the front at the earliest possible
moment, secure the intelligence ‘dope’ and be prepared to take over the
intelligence functions as soon as the relief is effected. I would order
the section to proceed up to the C. P. of the 2nd battalion right away
and instruct them to get on the job. I would also want my communications
platoon to get up to the front and make arrangements to take over the
communication net and the message center of the 2nd battalion. If these
outfits get an early start they will be able to accomplish much before
it gets dark. They should lose no time in getting to the front.”
_The Director_: “Lieutenant Hunt, what would you include in the orders
for the companies of the Battalion?”
_Lieutenant Hunt_: “The Major has decided upon the formation already.
There only remains the task of putting the decision into an order. I
would preserve the present dispositions of the units and direct: Company
A to march at —— (time), in approach march formation; designate the
sector of the company; announce the guide (right or left) towards the
base company; give the compass bearing of the direction of the march and
to make sure that contact will not be lost with the base company will
caution to that effect. I would also include in this part of the order
the fact that Company A is to relieve the Assault Company of the 2nd
battalion which is immediately in its front. The orders for Company B,
which is to be the other Assault Company, would contain the same
instructions as Company A with the addition of a sentence giving the
Company a directing line in addition to the compass bearing of the line
of march.
“I would include in the orders for Company C the same line of
instructions as for Company A except that I would tell them the distance
they are to follow Company A and the fact that they are to relieve the
local support company of the 2nd battalion.
“Company D’s orders will include the same instructions contained in
these for Company C except directions for them to relieve the machine
gun elements of the 2nd Battalion.
“I think these instructions would be all that are necessary for the four
companies of the battalion to get them started on the march.”
_The Director_: “You have covered the points very well. But, there are
some instructions that pertain to all of the units of the battalion.
These would be included in the final sub-paragraph of paragraph 3 of the
order. This paragraph is denominated (x) in the order. What are they,
Lieutenant Hunt?”
_Lieutenant Hunt_: “I should think they would include: The designation
of the base Company; instructions for sending a reconnaissance officer
and party of guides forward at once; designating the place where the
leading elements of the battalion are to halt for the purpose of
receiving final orders for the relief of the units of the 2nd battalion;
designation of the place where unit commanders are to assemble to
receive orders for the relief.”
_The Director_: “Paragraph 4 of a field order includes administrative
arrangements. Can you think of anything that would be necessary to be
included in that paragraph of Major A’s orders?”
_Lieutenant Hunt_: “I can think of nothing. That would depend upon
circumstances. These administrative arrangements include: instructions
for the trains—which have already been attended to; collecting station
for wounded—which will be announced in a later order. It may be assumed
that as soon as the advance halted that the rolling kitchen was brought
up and the men given a hot meal before relieving the 2nd battalion. If
such is the case the kitchen will have to be disposed of in paragraph
4.”
_The Director_: “What will paragraph 5 contain?”
_Lieutenant Hunt_: “It will contain information of the time when the
present command post of the battalion will close and when and where it
will next be opened.”
_The Director_: “We have now covered the elements of the Major’s order.
Let us review them briefly:
“Paragraph 1: Information of the enemy and our own troops.
“Paragraph 2: The Major’s plan of action in general terms.
“Paragraph 3: Distribution of troops—orders for the various elements of
the battalion.
“Paragraph 4: Administrative arrangements.
“Paragraph 5: Time of closing the present C. P. and when and where it
will next open.
“Now, I want each member of the class to write out the battalion
commander’s order on his pad. Base your order on the dispositions that
we have discussed in the solution of the problem; use the 5 paragraph
order system; endeavor to include all the instructions that we have
included in our solution.”