What about paragraph 123 and 323?Originally Posted by Fuchs
What about paragraph 123 and 323?
Infinity Journal "I don't care if this works in practice. I want to see it work in theory!"
- The job of the British Army out here is to kill or capture Communist Terrorists in Malaya.
- If we can double the ratio of kills per contact, we will soon put an end to the shooting in Malaya.
Sir Gerald Templer, foreword to the "Conduct of Anti-Terrorist Operations in Malaya," 1958 Edition
The text isn't written for greatest grammer, and my translation will be close and therefore even worse grammar...
"For the reconnaissance service are not more troops to be used than the purpose requires.123. Für den Aufklärungsdienst sind nicht mehr Kräfte zu verwenden, als es der Zweck verlangt.
Die Aufklärungskräfte sind beizeiten in der wichtigsten Richtung zusammenzufassen, besonders wenn mit überlegenen feindlichen Aufklärungskräften zu rechnen ist. In Nebenrichtungen ist nur das Notwendigste einzusetzen.
Anzustreben ist, die Aufklärung je nach der Lage aus zurückgehaltenen Aufklärungskräften jederzeit zu verdichten, erweitern oder, wenn notwendig, auch in neuer Richtung ansetzen zu können.
The reconnaissance troops shall be timely concentrated on the most important direction, especially if superior enemy reconnaisance forces are to be expected. Only the minimum (most necessary) shall be allocated for secondary directions.
It is to strive that the reconnaissance according to the situation be densified with held back reconnaissance forces at any time, expanded (enlarged, extended) or, if necessary, also to be sent into a new direction."
(my emphasis)323. Jeder Angriff bedarf einheitlicher Führung; er darf nicht in Einzelangriffe zerfallen.
Die Hauptkraft und die Masse der Munition sind an der entscheidenden Stelle anzusetzen. (...)
Ist die entscheidende Stelle nicht von vornherein zu erkennen, so muß der Schwerpunkt ins Ungewisse gebildet und erforderlichenfalls nachher verlegtwerden, oder er wird erst später gebildet.
Tritt der Erfolg während des Angriffs an einer anderen Stelle ein wie da, wo er erwartet oder beabsichtigt war, so ist er entschlossen auszunutzen. Soll der Schwerpunkt verlegt oder später gebildet werden, so müssen ausreichende Reserven vorhanden sein, starke Wirkung aller Waffen muß in der neuen Richtung vereinigt werden können.
(...)
"Every attack requires a unified leadership; it must not degenerate (break down) into individual attacks.
The main force and the larger part (mass) of the munition are to be allocated to the decisive point. (...)
If the decisive point is not recognizable in advance, so the Schwerpunkt needs to be created in uncertainty or if necessary later moved, or it is being created only later on.
If the success happens during the attack at another point than there where it is being expected or intended, so it is to be exploited resolutely. If the Schwerpunkt shall be moved or created only later on, then sufficient reserves need to be available, it needs to be possible to unite strong effect of all weapons in the new direction.
(...)"
Emphasis: No capital "E", therefore the two words have no extraordinary meaning, no general definition as one term.
Page 12 Editors' Introduction of my book.
It is written as one word with a capitol E like this "Entscheidungsstelle" does that make a differance?
On page 187 of “Not mentioned in dispatches” Schwerpunkt is translated as ‘focus of energy’.
The equivalent of the German term Schwerpunkt, which translates as focal point, centre of gravity, thrust point, main effort etc; the centre of critical activity in an operation. This may be a place or, more likely, a part of one’s force, or an activity, or a combination of these. The focus of energy is where one applies one’s most important efforts in order to fulfil the mission, usually to maximise the effect one may create upon the enemy. The focus of energy is a concept for focussing one’s efforts on achieving concentration of strength against relative weakness, probably repeatedly at temporary focal points, conducive to maximising the physical and psychic power of one’s force relative to the enemy’s. Skilful focussing and refocusing can allow a materially weaker force to annihilate a stronger one by repeatedly achieving local superiority and by maximising the effects of manoeuvre.
Nothing that results in human progress is achieved with unanimous consent. (Christopher Columbus)
All great truth passes through three stages: first it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.
(Arthur Schopenhauer)
ONWARD
That's basically the same as "Entscheidende Stelle".
The word ist awkward and strange. Today's civilian would almost certainly prefer "Ort der Entscheidung"; "Entscheidungsstelle" sounds like taken from a management organigram. I've never read it before.
Primarily for Fuchs
How does this article rate on the accurate-inaccurate scale re: German language, German military usage and German military history ?
Clausewitz's Schwerpunkt: mistranslated from German - Misunderstood in English, Military Review, Jan-Feb, 2007 by Milan Vego.
Regards
Mike
Surprised!!
This article in Marine Gazette surprised me greatly because of their "tongue in cheek" approach. See! Even today the "discussions" continue.
http://www.mca-marines.org/gazette/a...nist-letters-3
Never put a lot of faith in most of the Gazette stuff, even being a Marine...but now I need to go back and find #1 and #2.
That will take a while.
USMC Fundamentals Of Tactics Series 1998
Found this from 1998. Kind of an update of Wyly's fundamentals of tactics.
http://www.2ndbn5thmar.com/notes/FundTactics.pdf
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