_The Director_: “Let us visualize the situation. The Major has been
expecting to receive just such a message from the regimental commander.
As a matter of fact he anticipated it when he made the estimate of the
situation before issuing his first order for the approach march before
dark. He ordered his formation for the approach march so that when the
order for the attack came there would be few changes necessary. By his
foresight and knowledge of infantry tactics he now has his battalion in
the proper formation to make the relief of the 2nd battalion and when
this is accomplished he will have his units properly disposed to make
the attack tomorrow morning. In other words, the Major started his
attack when he made his initial dispositions. And this must be so in
every case. When you get into the infantry area of a battle you must get
your troops into a formation from which they can make an attack or repel
an enemy counter-attack and you must keep them in that formation. That
is why the subject of approach march and deployment is so important and
that is why troops must be so thoroughly trained in it. During the war
the subject was given little attention in our divisions. The British and
French instructors brought nothing of it over from the other side. They
had communication trenches as lanes of approach and gave little heed to
the open warfare end of the game. The American divisions soon realized
the necessity for thorough training and the most successful ones were
those that spent many of their nights with units from battalions to
brigades chasing through the woods, up hill and down dale, practicing
the approach march formation. I am sure that when you consider the
proposition seriously and visualize what can happen in a situation such
as we have had to do with today you will realize the necessity for
thorough training in the subject.”