Maneuver Warfare Well Done
Posted on July 17,2019Article Date Jun 01, 1980
By Col J. C. Studt
* Mr. Lind’s article on maneuver warfare in the March GAZETTE was brilliant and thought provoking . . . I’m struck with the magnitude of what he is suggesting, which is far more than merely shifting emphasis from firepower attrition to maneuver tactics. He is proposing a dramatic reeducation of our officer corps to develop a much higher level of self-reliance, individual initiative, and creative thinking which will result in flexible command on the battlefield. While emphasizing the potential of maneuver warfare for light infantry in terrain not suitable for armor, he is also implying a substantial reorganization to include a family of light armored vehicles.
Mr. Lind’s frequent reference to historical examples seems to lend a good deal of weight to his theories. It is not surprising that it is a military historian, rather than a military practitioner, who is proposing a radical change in tactics. As Alfred Mahan once noted: “The study of history lies at the foundation of all sound military conclusions and practice.”
The Marine Corps should rise to the challenge!
