French Infantry Combat Principles.
Open Warfare 53
The Approach 55
Precautions against Silent Artillery 58
Crossing a Bombarded Zone 59
Use of Woods as Shelter 64
To Cross a Crest 65
The Fire Attack 69
Precautions against Cavalry 65
The Termination of the Approach 67
Use of Machine Guns 71
The Company Supports 72
The Companies in Support 73
The Charge and the Pursuit 73
Attack of a Wood 75
Attack of a Village 76
Attack of a Defile 77
Night Attacks 77
Defense of Woods 80
Defense of a Village 81
Defense of a Defile 82
Night Defense of a Position 83
The Counter Attack 83
Topical Questions on Part II 86
Appendix
A Division Front in Trench Warfare.
The Trench System
The Back Areas
Printed in the United States of America
by the International Press
150 Lafayette Street
New York City
PREFACE.
The first part of Captain Hanguillart's little book "_Petit Guide
pratique de Guerre pour ma compagnie_" has been incorporated in the new
manuals of instruction published for the young recruits of the French
army by the official military publishing house "Librairie Militaire
Berger-Levrault," the editors of the "Annuaire officiel de l'Armée."[A]
Its special value comes from the fact that it was written at the front
and is wholly based on the orders which Captain Hanguillart drew up for
the instruction of his own company and tested repeatedly through actual
experience.
Thus its very omissions are significant.
The text as it stands represents essentials.
Its every paragraph is a unit of tried advice.
=It embodies the practical data that has secured results.=
=It sums up the cautions that have saved lives.=
In the second part, Captain Hanguillart has merely reproduced the
French Infantry Combat principles long published in the official manual
for the instruction of platoon leaders.
In presenting this little work, no claim is made that it is adequate to
the complete instruction of company commanders.
Its obvious supplements are such works as: Colonel Paul
Azan--_The War of Position_.
_The Army War College_--Translation of the French
Manual for Commanders of Infantry Platoons.
Cole and Schoonmaker--_Military Instructors Manual_.
Major J. A. Moss--_Manual of Military Training_.
_U. S. A. Infantry Drill Regulations._
Captain Hanguillart's book should be carefully compared with these.
But because of its peculiar origin it has for the officer a value not
possessed by other books on this subject.
It gives what a company commander =actually found essential=.
Furthermore, it corresponds to the booklets published in France which
are placed in the hands of every recruit.
Every officer should have full knowledge of his specialty, but =every
private= should understand the essential concerns of his officers so as
to appreciate orders the more readily.
The army of democracy should be an intelligent thinking army.
Such little books have helped to give the French poilu his famed
self-reliance and resourcefulness.
It is the hope of the publishers that this translation may help to do
the same for his American comrades.
The publishers also believe that the book offers just the information
needed by civilians to follow intelligently reports of military
operations and of life at the front.
The editor has felt it his duty in rearranging the loose notes of
Captain Hanguillart to respect scrupulously the text, though, at times,
the best way to do so was through a free translation.
The paragraphs have been numbered and questions and diagrams added to
facilitate assimilation.
Cambridge, Mass.
L.J.A.M.
FOOTNOTE:
[A] Cf Chapuis. _Instruction théorique et générale du soldat pour la
période de guerre._ 27e édition, January 1917.