I could pontificate on any number of these postings, but I've said more than my piece in many other places. All I'll say is--at the time--the MANEUVER WARFARE HANDBOOK was all we had that told us there was a different way to do things that what we were currently being taught in our service schools and in field exercises. Keep in mind, nearly all of us were historically and theoretically ignorant. Those well-versed in history and theory are right to be somewhat startled that we would grab onto such things as this book. For many of us, it started us reading and learning--and now the book seems relatively quaint given this new understanding. But even if quaint, I've found it's difficult for many to adequately practice what Lind and Wyly recommend, which is why I tend to teach MW solely through TDGs, Case Method, and wargaming--and through nothing else. Too hard to talk abstractly about it. Found many who could "talk the talk" but not "walk the walk."

A good example is with regard to Main Effort. While it's convenient to label a particular unit as the "Main Effort," over a series of TDGs/wargames it usually becomes clear that it's the ACTION that the designated unit is intended to do that should be listed as the "Main Effort." At least that has been my practice. For example, I might say "Main Effort is getting past the enemy fortified belt and taking this crossroads here. Initially, this will be 1s Battalion." If 1st Battalion gets held up and 2nd Battalion is getting past the enemy fortified belt and promises to get the crossroads, it's very easy for people to "pass the ball" (usually combat support assets and supplies) from 1st Battalion to 2nd without waiting for orders. A little bit trickier on the defense, but it's done in much the same way.

We do some Irregular Warfare scenarios and the principles still hold, although the communication is much trickier. We're still practicing that.

I would hope for a 2nd Ed of MANEUVER WARFARE HANDBOOK. It's a quarter century old and in serious need of an overhaul given all that's been discussed and studied (and learned/not learned) since it's publication. While Bill Lind and Mike Wyly have talked about that even fairly recently, I've not seen much movement in that direction. Maybe if Westview Press would pay them more in royalties...now that Bill has retired to Cleveland OH in the last month, he certainly has time on his hands, even if Mike in Maine has not!