Show ARMY MUST TAKE OFFENSIVE TO WIN General Foch Makes a Significant Declaration in is Important Ar- Ar Article l Contributed to London London London Lon Lon- don Weekly Journal That battles can be won In the end only by the army which takes the offensive Is the tho significant declaration declaration declaration declara declara- tion made by General Foch com com- mander chief of the allies in an important article contributed by him to the Loudon London Weekly Jou Journal nal In which he discusses the problem of the soldier and the way to victory Modern warfare to arrive at Its end and to impose its will on the enemy says General Foch recognizes recognizes recognizes only one means means destruction destruction o of the enemy's organized forc forces War undertakes and prepares this destruction destruction destruction de de- by battle which brings about overthrow of the adversary disorganizes his command destroys h his discipline disciplined and nullifies his units as far as their their fighting power is con con- Our first axiom must be that to c completely achieve Its object a battle battle battle bat bat- tl tle must not be lie purely defensive A v purely purel defensive battle baUle even well c conducted does docs not result in a victor victor vic- vic ti tor and a vanquished It is simply a a game that must be beg begun n over a again Must Adopt Offensive From this it is an obvious corollary corollary corollary corol- corol 1 lary that an offensive whether started started started start start- e ed at the beginning of an action or whether It follows the defensive can only give results and In consequence must always be adopted at the finish To maintain our position is not s synonymous with being victorious and even prepares for a defeat If v we remain where we are and do not pass to to the offensive to fix fix the decision decision de de- of of attack attack to to o guard aga against ns the pl plans ns of the enemy enemy ne y and prevent him him from carrying out the same maneuver we must undertake to carr carry on and sustain numerous combats combats com comO bats hats each with determined aim But since e there remains no doubt douht that decisive attack Is the very Yen keystone of a battle all other actions which make up a battle must be he envisaged considered organIzed organized organized or or- f provided with forces In the measure in which they will prepare facilitate and guarantee develop develop- of or a decisive attack characterized characterized character character- by its mass its surprise Its speed and for which In consequence tit it is essential that there shall be the maximum reserve force possible o of I troops of maneuver Reserve Resene the Bludgeon The reserve that reserve that is to say the thi prepared bludgeon is bludgeon Is organized hand and kept carefully Instructed to the single act of battle from Crom which results are expected namely the decisive attack Reserves must be husbanded with will the ile nw most t extreme x r ml p parsimony r I so 89 that tha tl th the blu bludgeon geon may be beshong strong enough to make the blow as violent as pos pos- I sible Let loose at the finish without without without with with- out any lurking idea of ot saving them with a well weB thought out plan for tor winning the battle at a point chosen antI and determined reserves are thrown i In all together in an action surpassing surpassing sing In violence and energy all other At phases of battle an action with proper characteristics surprise surprise mass and speed All our forces really participate either by preparing preparing Ing ing it or by carrying It out In this our supreme aim we must not be dec deceived by appearances Although theory falls fails when applied by feeble hands and when accessories accessories accessories ries obscure the main principle history history his Ills tory and reason show us that In battie battle battle bat- bat tle tie there is a single argument which Is worth while namely the tho attack Is alone capable of assuring tho the desired de desired Je- Je sired result the result the overflow of the adversary ad ado |