Appreciating the lost art of Field Manuals

[Tukhachevskii]

Now why don’t they illustrate AFMs/FMs like this anymore? Certainly tops those evil, unnecessarily complicated and down-right confusing wire, systems, network (et al) diagrams you see in AFMs these days:confused:. Being a visual learner myself I always find well drawn (and thought out) diagrams to be invaluable in putting across information. I can’t imagine a better indoctrination tool for young men and women in their teens (or even in their thirty’s!:o) than a AFM/FM -like FM 90-10-1, Infantryman's Guide to Combat in Built-up Areas or FM 3-24.2 Tactics in Counterinsurgency for instance - presented as a graphic novel (maybe even drawn by someone like Geoff Darrow ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geof_Darrow) or Dave Gibbons ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Gibbons)) or even an anime movie in MP4 format :D(&c.)....now, if I was the enterprising type....:cool:

I wonder who the artists were on these and if they ever went into the comic book industry?

Any other examples out there?


Picture credits:

• Fig. 6 & 14 from FM 17-42, Armoured Infantry Battalion, 1944

• Fig. 41 from FM 17-33, The Armoured Battalion Light and Medium, 1942

• “What to do in a Jam” from DA Pam 750-30, The M16A1 Rifle: Operation and Preventative Maintenance, 1969

[Tukhachevskii]

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[Tukhachevskii]

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[Tukhachevskii]

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[Backwards Observer]

TC 21-75, Aug 1974.

[carl]

Brother ain't that the truth! It goes just as much for the writing too. There was a USMC jungle warfare manual from the 40s I read once that was very well written. It was interesting and I never even came close to falling asleep. They don't make 'em like they used to.

[Fuchs]

It seems to have been used in the 40s to 60s (in several countries), probably under the impression of WW2 when many civilians had to be turned into soldiers real quick.

Later examples are rather rare.



edit: Another example, from a book:

http://i26.tinypic.com/t8rcwz.jpg
it reads:
The squad leader
The platoon leader
The company leader

It's incredible how much this simple 50's graphic says.

[Jedburgh]

.....I wonder who the artists were on these and if they ever went into the comic book industry?

• “What to do in a Jam” from DA Pam 750-30, The M16A1 Rifle: Operation and Preventative Maintenance, 1969
Will Eisner (http://www.willeisner.com/) was well known before he started drawing for PS Magazine. All the Eisner issues, from '51 to '71, are available online (http://dig.library.vcu.edu/cdm4/index_psm.php?CISOROOT=%2Fpsm).

[40below]

Will Eisner (http://www.willeisner.com/) was well known before he started drawing for PS Magazine. All the Eisner issues, from '51 to '71, are available online (http://dig.library.vcu.edu/cdm4/index_psm.php?CISOROOT=%2Fpsm).

Awesome link, Jed. I started leafing through those mags (WHY do they have to use frames?) and it's like a who's who of great comic artists from the 50s and 60s. Some amazing stuff.

[Tukhachevskii]

It seems to have been used in the 40s to 60s (in several countries), probably under the impression of WW2 when many civilians had to be turned into soldiers real quick.

Later examples are rather rare.



edit: Another example, from a book:

http://i26.tinypic.com/t8rcwz.jpg
it reads:
The squad leader
The platoon leader
The company leader

It's incredible how much this simple 50's graphic says.

Now that's a powerful image, very German in a funny (but, good) kind of way:cool: It reminds me of some of the great pre-war, war and post-war art movements. Very similar in nature to some Soviet stuff of the same period.

[Tukhachevskii]

Will Eisner (http://www.willeisner.com/) was well known before he started drawing for PS Magazine. All the Eisner issues, from '51 to '71, are available online (http://dig.library.vcu.edu/cdm4/index_psm.php?CISOROOT=%2Fpsm).

Sweet. Thanks for the link:D

[Tukhachevskii]

...but definately more informative:D I have always thought the Armour/Armor cover and article drawings were impressive by a chap called Jody Harmon (http://www.jodyharmon.com/militaryart/oif.html)...

[Jedburgh]

Posted elsewhere (http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?p=64675) on the board over a year ago, but certainly applicable here, is the 1945 MI Division pub The Punch Below The Belt: Japanese Ruses, Deception Tactics and Antipersonnel Measures (http://www.fakeproject.com/The_Punch_Below_The_Belt/The_Punch_Below_The_Belt.pdf).

[Steve Blair]

...but definately more informative:D I have always thought the Armour/Armor cover and article drawings were impressive by a chap called Jody Harmon (http://www.jodyharmon.com/militaryart/oif.html)...

I've got a soft spot for that picture. Thanks for posting it!

[Tukhachevskii]

It seems to have been used in the 40s to 60s (in several countries), probably under the impression of WW2 when many civilians had to be turned into soldiers real quick.

Later examples are rather rare.



edit: Another example, from a book:

http://i26.tinypic.com/t8rcwz.jpg
it reads:
The squad leader
The platoon leader
The company leader

It's incredible how much this simple 50's graphic says.

Forgot to ask...where's the picture from?

[Tukhachevskii]

To me picture 1 is pure Americana; it mixes patriotism and product placement in a picture only the US could get away with; the pictorial representation of the “Warrior spirit” methinks! Hark, is that an eagle I hear? Can I smell apple pie?:D

Picture 2 from FM 21-6 How to Prepare and Conduct Military Training (1975)
Picture 3 from US Navy SEAL Combat Manual (1974)
Picture 4 from ST 31-180 Special Forces Handbook AKA Poor Man’s James Bond Vol. 4 (1965). Sorry about the poor quality.

[Tukhachevskii]

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[Tukhachevskii]

Rifle is a Woman and Private Jerk both from The Infantry Journal: How to Shoot the U.S. Army Rifle (1943) (http://www.archive.org/details/How_to_Shoot_the_US_Army_Rifle/How_to_Shoot_the_US_Army_Rifle.pdf). Compared to most FM's, STs and TMs, written today this is simple, effective, jargon-free and to the point.