Battle Studies

or victory. He does everything that he ca

s, not his adversary, but his victim, and is an assassin. Because the arms are similar on both sides, the only way of giving the advantage to one side

nd without a chance of safety for any one except in victory. And still ... in case of mutual surprise, there is another chance of safety; that of falling back, of flight on the part of one or the other; and that chance is often seized. Here is an example, and i

er of the two groups had a decided leader to lead it to the front, and neither of the two dared to shoot first for fear that the other would at the same time bring his own arm to his shoulder. They were too near to hope to escape, or so they thought at least, although in reality, reciprocal firing,

te perhaps. The appearance of a troop B on one flank dete

air is ridiculo

easure each other with their eyes, there is a rumbling in their throats. The claws move convulsively, the hair stands up. With tails lashing the ground, an

, I sh

th: movement ahead means the death o

both beasts, insensibly, little by little, and always facing, withdraw, up to the moment where their mutual withdrawal has created between them an interval greater than can be traversed in a bound. Lion and tiger turn

le, which instantly, without possible defense, sends one from life into death. It is evident that no one close to his enemy is in a hurry to arm him

nstances between dogs, betw

cognize faces, these cavalrymen slackened their gait and both turned their backs. The Russians and Poles, at this terrible moment, recognized each other as brothers, an

cavalry troops so mov

t us r

of war, but it remains one of the means in war, the best means, even to-day. Man can no longer kill his enemy without defense. He has forewarned him. He must expect to find him standing and in numbers. He must fight; but he wishes to conquer with as little risk as possible. He

out shame. The instinct of self-preservation is so powerful that he does not feel disgraced in obeying it, although, thanks to the defensive power of arms and armor he can figh

acit understanding, combatants often stopped fighting to watch with awe and anxiety two champions struggling. Whole peoples often placed their fate in the hands of t

s who, uniting their efforts, act in concert. This is the reason for tactics, which prescribe beforehand proper means of organization

elves. Besides the intellectual progress, is there a moral progress? To secure unity in combat, to make tactical dispositions in order to render it practically possible, we must be able to count on the devotion of all. This elevates all combatants t

gth of wisely united effort;

body of troops. But against a similarly disciplined body, he becomes again primitive man. He flees before a greater force of destruction when he recognizes it or when he foresees it. No

ar

ress the flesh. This trembling must be taken into account in all organization, discipline, arrangements, movements, maneuvers, m

erstood the general conduct of war, but who have taken human weakness into greatest account and taken the best guarantees against it. It is n

ty. They only take into account courage in their tactics. O

tactics. After the first surprise, he wa

itician, had tactics far superior to

a means, wanted perfect means. He had no illusions. He too

affirming what shou