Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Infantry of the Army of the United States, 1917 Part 31

RULES FOR FENCING AT WILL.

106. 1. Hits on the legs below the knees will not be counted.

No hit counts unless, in the opinion of the instructor, it has sufficient force to disable.

2. Upon receiving a hit, call out "hit."

3. After receiving a fair hit a counter attack is not permitted.

A position of engage is taken.

4. A second or third hit in a combined attack will be counted only when the first hit was not called.

5. When it is necessary to stop the contest--for example, because of breaking of weapons or displacement of means of protection--take the position of the order.

6. When it is necessary to suspend the a.s.sault for any cause, it will not be resumed until the adversary is ready and in condition to defend himself.

7. Attacks directed at the crotch are prohibited in fencing.

8. Stepping out of bounds, when established, counts as a hit.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FENCING AT WILL.

107. When engaging in an a.s.sault, first study the adversary's position and proceed by false attacks, executed with speed, to discover, if possible, his instinctive parries. In order to draw the adversary out and induce him to expose that part of the body at which the attack is to be made, it is advisable to simulate an attack by a feint and then make the real attack.

108. Return attacks should be frequently practiced, as they are difficult to parry, and the opponent is within easier reach and more exposed. The return can be made a continuation of the parry, as there is no previous warning of its delivery, although it should always be expected. Returns are made without lunging if the adversary can be reached by thrusts or cuts.

109. Endeavor to overcome the tendency to make a return without knowing where it will hit. Making returns blindly is a bad habit and leads to instinctive returns--that is, habitual returns with certain attacks from certain parries--a fault which the skilled opponent will soon discover.

110. Do not draw the rifle back preparatory to thrusting and lunging.

111. The purpose of fencing at will is to teach the soldier as many forms of simple, effective attacks and defenses as possible.

Complicated and intricate movements should not be attempted.

HINTS FOR INSTRUCTORS.

112. The influence of the instructor is great. He must be master of his weapon, not only to show the various movements, but also to lead in the exercises at will. He should stimulate the zeal of the men and arouse pleasure in the work. Officers should qualify themselves as instructors by fencing with each other.

113. The character of each man, his bodily conformation, and his degree of skill must always be taken into account. When the instructor is demonstrating the combinations, feints, returns, and parries the rapidity of his attack should be regulated by the skill of the pupil and no more force than is necessary should be used. If the pupil exposes himself too much in the feints and parries, the instructor will, by an attack, convince him of his error; but if these returns be too swiftly or too strongly made the pupil will become overcautious and the precision of his attack will be impaired. The object is to teach the pupil, not to give exhibitions of superior skill.

114. Occasionally the instructor should leave himself uncovered and fail to parry, in order to teach the pupil to take quick advantage of such opportunities.

SUGGESTIONS.

Instruction in bayonet exercise and bayonet fencing should be conducted with a view to teaching the aggressive use of the bayonet.

Unless troops are so thoroughly trained with the bayonet that they believe that with it they are superior to their opponents it will be difficult or impossible to develop that morale which is necessary for a successful a.s.sault. Men should be impressed with the importance of acting always on the offensive in bayonet combat, of pus.h.i.+ng their attack with all their might. Troops which are successful in their first few bayonet encounters will seldom thereafter be called upon to use the bayonet--their opponents will not await the a.s.sault.

CHAPTER VI.

FIELD SERVICE.

SECTION 1. PRINCIPLES OF INFANTRY TRAINING.

Inaction gives every advantage to the enemy.

The offensive alone gives decisive results.

A quick and energetic offensive minimizes losses.

An advance against the enemy's position once entered upon must be continued. To go back under fire is to die.

The best way to hold down the fire of the enemy and to diminish his power to inflict losses is to bring the position he occupies under well conducted and continued fire.

Present as small a target as possible to the enemy by utilizing every bit of cover the ground affords.

Individual skill in marksmans.h.i.+p is an advantage in battle only when united with fire discipline and control.

Constant movement to the front lessens the effect of the enemy's fire. Modern battles fought in the open show that the heaviest losses are in the mid and long ranges. When close range is reached the losses diminish rapidly.

The best protection against artillery fire is a constant but irregular movement to the front. When close to the enemy's position his fire is least effective.

A knowledge of how to use the bayonet and the will to use it must often be the deciding factors in battle.

Finally:

In infantry training we can not go far wrong or fail to accomplish the best results if we keep before our minds the spirit as well as the wording of paragraph 352 of the Infantry Drill Regulations: "The duties of infantry are many and difficult. All infantry must be fit to cope with all conditions that may arise. Modern war requires but one kind of infantry--good infantry."

SECTION 2. COMBAT.

The field of battle is the final test of the instruction, discipline, and efficiency of the fighting force of any army.

The battalion is the attack unit or the defense unit, whether operating alone or as part of a regiment. The companies const.i.tute the firing line and the support.

An individual soldier is concerned only with the enemy in his immediate front, in obeying orders, and instinctively doing what he has been trained to do.

The one requisite necessary to win the battle is intelligent team work. The army is handled just like a football team. A part is on the first line facing the enemy. Another part, like the half backs, is held back as supports. Another part, like the full backs, is held as a reserve. Each unit, like each player, has a certain duty to perform. When the signal is given, all work together--all play the game--team work. The players consist of all branches of the service.

The same rule holds true down to the smallest unit and even to the individual enlisted man. Each regiment is a team composed of three players--each a battalion. Each battalion is a team of four players--each a company. In the same manner each company is a team of two or more platoons; each platoon a team of two or more squads; and last, but not least, each squad is a team of eight players.

The one question that always presents itself on the battlefield every minute of the time to every person, whether he be a general or a private, is "What play has my team captain ordered, and how best may I act so as to work in conjunction with the other players to bring about the desired result?"--team play.