The Director: “Captain Hastings, let us assume that you are Captain C. You have received the orders of the battalion commander. What is your mission?”
Captain Hastings: “To attack the enemy’s strong point enveloping its left.”
The Director: “In sizing up the situation what points would you consider?”
Captain Hastings: “I would consider the enemy’s position, and if possible, go to a point where I can make a personal reconnaissance of it. I would consider the route by which I can get my company up to the point where I can make the attack and select the line of departure for the company. I will then decide upon my plan of maneuver and the formation of the company for attack.”
The Director: “In other words, you will make an Estimate of the Situation and upon this you will base your decision and in turn your orders?”
Captain Hastings: “Yes, sir. That is the idea.”
The Director: “I want to emphasize the necessity for this process of sizing up the situation on the part of all officers charged with a tactical operation. If you come to a decision without doing so you may be right and you may be wrong. The chances are greatly in favor of the latter. If you stop and consider the elements of the problem as outlined by Captain Hastings the chances are that you will be right. In any event you have the odds on your side. Lieutenant Wallace, what troops have been designated to support your company?”
Lieutenant Wallace: “A part of the machine gun company and a howitzer platoon.”
The Director: “You will note that these two units have been ordered to support your attack. They are not attached to your company. What do you understand to be the difference between a supporting unit and an attached unit?”
Lieutenant Wallace: “An attached unit becomes an integral part of the force and is subject to its commander’s orders. A supporting unit receives its orders, not from the commander of the force being supported, but from another source, usually a common superior.”