Procedure
The Director will read the situation aloud, make such explanations as may be necessary and point out the places mentioned. One or more members of the class will be called upon to state their understanding of the tactical situation at this time.
Solution
The Director: “Lieutenant Wallace, we have now to consider the orders and instructions that Major A would issue to his assembled Company commanders. What is the first thing you would put into the Major’s order?”
Lieutenant Wallace: “The Major has been out to the front and made a personal reconnaissance as far as practicable. He has interviewed the Commander of the 2nd battalion and the officers of his staff who have detailed information as to the situation. He ought to have pretty definite information of just how the different elements of the 2nd battalion are disposed. He should give his Company Commanders all of this information in the first paragraph of the order. We note that this information is all contained in Situation No. 3.”
The Director: “What would you include in the next paragraph of the order, Lieutenant Ralston?”
Lieutenant Ralston: “My plan, to the effect that our battalion is to relieve the 2nd battalion.”
Captain Harvey: “But we are going to do more than that. We are going to make the attack tomorrow morning. It seems to me that the Major would include in the order all the instructions he wants to give the Company Commanders not only for the relief, but for the attack also. What do you think about that, sir?”
The Director: “The Major would certainly not let his Company Commanders get away without giving them all the instructions possible regarding the part they are to play in the attack tomorrow morning. But there are several things that he must get from higher up before he can complete his plans for the attack and give them to his Company Commanders. He must know the time the attack is to begin. He must know about the artillery preparation and the rate of advance of the rolling barrage. He must have information regarding the cooperation of the tanks. While he is waiting for this information, which he momentarily expects, he will go ahead and issue his orders for the relief. Then if the other essential information is not at hand by the time the Company Commanders must join their companies, he will issue as much of the attack order as possible and leave the rest to go out later. He certainly will not let his Captains get away until they have all the instructions it is possible to give them up to the time it is necessary for them to leave—the arrangements to continue the attack tomorrow morning.”
Captain Harvey: “Those are the points I wanted to know about.”