“One thing particularly evident had been the tendency of certain commanders to permit themselves unnecessary delays for refuelling and restocking with ammunition, or for a leisurely overhaul of their vehicles, even when an immediate attack offered prospects of success. The sole criterion for a commander in carrying out a given operation must be the time… Read More
“It is impossible to take the correct decisions without accurate knowledge of the situation.” (Rommel, 1953, p.117). Field-Marshal Erwin Rommel (the Desert Fox), World War I junior officer and World War II General, considered a brilliant military commander; adored by his troops and feared by his enemies. Reference Rommel, E., Liddel Hart, B.H. (ed) & Findlay,… Read More
“When, after a great victory which has brought the destruction of the enemy, the pursuit is abandoned on the quartermaster’s advice, history almost invariably finds the decision to be wrong and points to the tremendous chances which have been missed. In face of such judgement there are, of course, always academic soldiers quick to produce… Read More
“The reason for giving up the pursuit is almost always the quartermaster’s growing difficulty in spanning the lengthened supply routes with his available transport. As the commander usually pays great attention to his quartermaster and allows the latter’s estimate of the supply possibilities to determine his strategic plan, it has become the habit for quartermaster… Read More
“When a commander has won a decisive victory – and Wavell’s victory over the Italians was devastating – it is generally wrong for him to be satisfied with too narrow a strategic aim. For that is the time to exploit success. It is during pursuit, when the beaten enemy is still dispirited and disorganised, that… Read More
Research Paper Title Operational Art and the German 1918 Offensives. Abstract At the tactical level of war the Germans are widely regarded as having had the most innovative and proficient army of World War I. Likewise, many historians would agree that the Germans suffered from serious, if not fatal, shortcomings at the strategic level of war. It… Read More
“Rather than relying on defensive fortifications, he made brilliant use of speed and surprise on the battlefield, as well as perfecting siege warfare to such a degree that he ended the era of walled cities.” (Weatherford, 2004, p.xvii) Weatherford, J. (2004) Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. New York, NY: Broadway Books.
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