| Show I Behind the War News Major Maior Eliot By y Major l George Fielding Eliot There are some suggestions Jn in recent reports ts from Europe that we may have to revise downward downward downward down down- ward somewhat the estimates that have been made of German German German Ger Ger- man fighting strength based on the number of available German German German Ger Ger- man divisions The division yardstick is the most convenient and generally accurate method of stating the total fighting strength of an army but its usefulness in making making making mak mak- ing comparisons tends to di diminish diminish diminish di- di minish when the divisions of one side are much weaker than those of the other In World war I for example the American di divisions divisions divisions di- di visions at full strength totaled something like men each while British and French divi divi- never had over and German divisions toward the end were falling off towards In all three of the named last-named armies it was thought inadvisable inadvisable inadvisable to reduce the number of divisions but a shortage of man manpower manpower manpower power compelled the reduction in the s size i z e of each division From the normal complement of 12 battalions of infantry the di divisions divisions divisions di- di visions of these armies were re reduced reduced reduced re- re to nine battalions and some reduction was also made Inthe in inthe inthe the other arms The size of component component component com com- units regiments battalions battalions battalions bat bat- companies companies also also tended to dwindle away especially in inthe inthe inthe the German army in the last three months of the war After World war I the nine- nine battalion organization was quite generally adopted for infantry divisions for reasons of flexibilIty flexibility flexibility ity the battalion 12 division proving unwieldy on the modern battlefield The infantry division came to be almost standardized throughout the worlds world's armies and its strength w was a s in the neighborhood of men including all its combatant and service units There were two major exceptions the the Japanese who clung to the old square division of 12 battalions and the Italians who basing their ideas on their experience in Spain reduced their divisions to six battalions Now there are reports coming in which suggest that the Germans Germans Germans Ger Ger- mans again faced with a man manpower manpower manpower power shortage are reducing their divisions to six battalions in some cases though quite generally generally generally gen gen- retaining the full complement complement complement comple comple- ment of artillery and other supporting sup sup- supporting porting troops This reorganization tion is perhaps considered at Berlin to be well adapted for a defensive war The advantage of reducing the strength of each division In Instead Instead instead in- in stead of reducing the number of divisions is the retention of off tri tried d and proven proven n fighting righting te teams ms and their commanders and staffs if divisions are broken up and distributed among other divisions there is sure to be friction and minor difficulties of all sorts until the officers and men have become accustomed accustomed accustomed tomed to working and fighting under the new conditions and the services of the operating and administrative staffs of the disbanded divisions are lost It must be remembered t that hat h a t it takes a long time to train a good division staff to get every member of it fitted into the right place and the whole work work- ing smoothly together When this has been done it has a avalue avalue avalue value as a unit which greatly exceeds the value of the individuals individuals individuals indi indi- who compose it It lt is therefore to be expected expect expect- ed that as the Germans begin to get to the bottom of their man power barrel they will begin begin begin be be- gin to cut down the infantry strength of their divisions and perhaps the artillery strength as well We shall still h hear ar of German divisions of all types but it will mean something less lessin lessin lessin in fighting strength than a similar similar similar simi simi- lar number of allied divisions |
