During his military school days at Gulf Coast Military Academy in Gulfport, MS, and in his Infantry training, Dad memorized all twenty seven of what he called the “Rules of War” that were contained in the 1939 book, Infantry in Battle.[1] Yesteday, I posted the first nine of those rules. Here are the next ten, The rest will come in tomorrow’s blog.

Those of you who have read the book about my father, At First Light: A True World War II Story of a Hero, His Bravery, and an Amazing Horse[2] may remember that he would from time quote this or that “rule of war” during battles — sometimes to the men he was leading and at other times, when asked, to superiors.

Here are the second set, #10-#19:

10. The Plan – A unit must be engaged in accordance with a definite plan. It must not be permitted to drift aimlessly into battle.
11. Orders – An order must clearly express the will of the leader and must fit the situation.
12. Control – The test of control is the ability of the leader to obtain the desired reaction from his command.
13. Command and Communication – An infantry headquarters must be mobile and must keep close to the troops. From this forward position, communication must be rapid and reliable.
14. Supervision – Leaders must supervise the execution of their orders. The more untrained the troops, the more detailed this supervision must be (quoted in At First Light, page 256).
15. Direction – The marching compass is the Infantry officer’s most reliable guide (quoted in At First Light, page 255).
16. Fire and Movement – Fire without movement is indecisive. Exposed movement without fire is disastrous. There must be effective fire combined with skillful movement (quoted in At First Light, page 149).
17. Fire of Machine Guns – Machine guns affect the outcome of battle by fire power alone. Guns that have not fired have not attacked, no matter how many times they have been placed in position.
18. Infantry-Artillery Team – The effective functioning of the infantry- artillery team depends upon the intelligent and unremitting efforts of both members to solve the difficult problem of liaison.
19. Nearing the Enemy – In a meeting engagement a great advantage accrues to that side which first succeeds in making effective preparation for battle.

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INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EDITION:

This book treats of the tactics of small units as illustrated by examples drawn from the World War. It checks the ideas acquired from peacetime instruction against the experience of battle.

There is much evidence to show that officers who have received the best peacetime training available find themselves surprised and confused by the difference between conditions as pictured in map problems and those they encounter in campaign.

This is largely because our peacetime training in tactics tends to become increasingly theoretical. In our schools we generally assume that organizations are well-trained and at full strength, that subordinates are competent, that supply arrangement function, that communications work, that orders are carried out.

In war many or all of these conditions may be absent. The veteran knows that this is normal, and his mental processes are not paralyzed by it.

He knows that he must carry on in spite of seemingly insurmountable difficulties and regardless of the fact that the tools with which he has to work may be imperfect and worn.

Moreover, he knows how to go about it.

This volume is designed to give the peace-trained officer something of the viewpoint of the veteran.

General George C. Marshall

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[1] Infantry in Battle. The Infantry Journal. The Infantry Journal, Incorporated, Washington, D. C., Garrett & Massie, Richmond, Virginia, 1939.

[2] Larimore, At First Light: A True World War II Story of a Hero, His Bravery, and an Amazing Horse. Knox Press. Nashville, Tennessee, 2024 (Rule 1, page 149; Rule 14, page 256; Rule 15, page 255; Rule 16, page 149; Rule 26, page 264).

In case you haven’t read or listened to Dad’s book, you can learn more or order it here.

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