“War is much to brutal a business to have room for brutal leading; in the end, its only effect can be to corrode the character of men, and when character is lost, all is lost. The bully and the sadist serve only to further encumber an army; their subordinates must waste precious time clearing away… Read More
“Only the officer who dedicates his thought and energy to his men can convert into coherent military force their inarticulate thoughts about their country; nor is any other in a position to stimulate their desire to be of service to it.” S.L.A. Marshal, Men Against Fire, 1947.
“The art of leading, in operations large or small, is the art of dealing with humanity, of working diligently on behalf of men, of being sympathetic with them, but equally, of insisting that they make a square facing toward their own problem.” S.L.A. Marshal, Men Against Fire, 1947.
“For these reasons, the ‘principle of the object’ will come to have many times its former importance in instruction to all ranks. The need for a clearer concept of it, however, is not greater than the need for junior commanders who will take a keen interest in the larger affairs of war and for higher… Read More
“The intelligent leadership of troops, and the ability to appreciate and predict the way operations develop call for firm and precise direction of forces. Any suggestion of the exercise of independent command by junior commanders is unacceptable. Not knowing the general situation, junior commanders are likely to take decisions incompatible with it; and this may… Read More
“In an word, a good officer realizes that his men will follow his judgment if they are convinced that he too is prepared to risk his life in their defense.” Richard A. Gabriel and Paul L. Savage (1978) Crisis in Command: Mismanagement in the Army
“In return for their privileges, what did officers actually do? The simple answer, at least for regimental officers, is that they gave leadership, took responsibility, and set an example, if necessary, by dying. … Implicit was the assumption that the officer would be the first to die in battle. Officers were the first out of… Read More
Boot Camp & Military Fitness Institute 