General Foch is a philosopher as well as a fighter. He is one
of the rare philosophers who have proved the accuracy of their
ideas in the fire of battle. A typical instance of this is
given by "Miles" in a recent number of the Correspondant.
During the battle of the Marne the Germans made repeated
efforts to cut through the centre where General Foch commanded
between Sezanne and Mailly. On three consecutive days General
Foch was forced to retire. Every morning he resumed the
offensive, with the result that his obstinacy won the day. He
was able to profit by a false step by the enemy to take him in
the flank and defeat him.
General Foch's whole life and teaching were proved true in
those days. He has resolved the art of war into three
fundamental ideas--preparation, the formation of a mass, and
the multiplication of this mass in its use. In order to derive
the full benefit of the mass created it is necessary to have
freedom of action, and that is only obtained by intellectual
discipline. General Foch has written:
"Discipline for a leader does not mean the execution of orders
received in so far as they seem suitable, just reasonable, or
even possible.
Pages:
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412