MILITARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1067, 4 March 1911, Page 9

MILITARY NOTES.

[Edited. Br Echelon.] "APPRECIATING A SITUATION." POINTS FOR YOUNG OFFICERS. The following aro tho campaigns and special periods of military history 011 which papers will lx) set at the examination- stated Captains and lieutenants for production, King's Regulations, Appendix XI, (d), (iv).—May, 19J2 (at liomc and in l.lw colonies); October, 1912 (in India):—Set for tho second time. First paper: Tha Kusso-Japaneso War, from August 25 to October 27, 190J, inclusive. Second paper: (Special period, Ocloher 1-27, 11)01, inclusive. May, 1912 (at Ilomo and in the Colonic?); October, 1912 (ill India). (Set for (ho first timej First paper: Tho American War of Secession, from Juno 11, 18(12, to May 5, ISG3, inclusive. Second paper: Special period from September 17 to December IS, 18(S2, inclusive. , Admission to the Staff Colleges (Voluntary).—June, 1911 and June, 1912 (Caniberley Staff College); October, 1911 (Quoltn Staff College):—First paper: (a) Tiro Afghan War, 187S to 1880; (b) "SmallWars, their principles and practice" (Col. Cnllwell). Second paper: Tho RussoJapanese War, up to the battle of liiaeYang, inclusive.

In a recent issue of tho Aldershot "ililitary Itnil," a writer discuses, with a refreshing absence of technical language, the preparation of on "appreciation of a situation." He says:

"When a junior officer is sometimos called upon.to write an appreciation of, .a situation where brigades and even divi-.-sions are concerned, he is sometimes iji- > clined to wonder how it- is that, preing ho will never command, for many yearsto come, any higher unit than, a - coin-. pauv, tho powers that be consider it ne-' ccssary to tax his. brain with -Ilia movements of such largo paper bodies. ;Jn this respect ho is like the boy who is set down to learn Euclid, not willi, any idea that it-will be of great use" to him in after life, but as a means of developing his reasoning powers. In (he , samo way, appreciating a situation teaches an officer to arrange his facts methodically, to separate the known from tho unknown, to distinguish the certain from the uncurtain,'and to arrive rapidly at a logical and suund conclusion. Moreover, when on service, it is often .necessary for even a junior officer to have to decide oil. a plan of action with little lime' i'or thought; If, by means of appreciations, he has acquired the art of quickly weighing the pros and cons of a question, and;; forming a judgment thereon, there is a great chance oi v his plan being a success; : if ho adopts (ho first plan that suggests' itself to him, without weighing both sides, there is every likelihood of :m-. other regroltable incident.

. "In those days of large armies and wide theatres of operations, it is. usual for a general, before making any decisive move, to call on his staff to compile an appro-, ciation of the situation, (his being a sort of debtor and creditor account of all tho factors affecting both of the contending armies, with a definite proposal as to how the balance may be made in favour of one's own side—in fact,'a .directors' bal-ance-sheet, with a proposal as to how tho work is to be carried oil in tho immediate future.

"Such an appreciation would contain.'' the following information:— '(a) A clear statement of tho numbers and dispositions of tho forces nil I both sides, so far as they may he known. • ■ , (b) The object or objects to bo at- ' taiucd. " ■ " ■' AT (c) A brief consideration of tlie various fnclors' afl'ecting tho case. (d) A study of tho plans of action open. ' to both sides. , (e) A definito and detailed plan of.ac."i tion. "In this task, thero'are one/ 'ori-frjJ 5 * general yules whicli'must bo.o&ycd', tVe'' iirst being that, abovo all, you must study clearness and conciseness. Don't elaborate, give the facts as you. know., them, and do> not give piny to your iiu.ttgiuation,..iSecondly.,,.}ce that, jrouvvanw-< graphs arc clearly headed and 'number-. Ed, and that room is left in the margin for notes. Thirdly, don't write an essay; . fine Words will not win .1 battle, but common sense may. "Coming to (he various portions of (ho appreciation, see that under (a) the great-' est care is exercised, as it' is practically the.foundation on.which everything else is built. Allow yourself neither to under' ■ nor over-estimate, but get every ounce of . reliable information, and put that down. Leave 'romancing' alone; Hint is the particular and peculiar privilege of tho arm-chair critic.' \ "As regards (b) 'think out < well what is your main object, and use all your of; . forts to attain that object. Don't, as often happens, he led oft' on a sido show, but bear in mind the great object of tho'imovement, and push for that for all vou are worth. • ■ < "Paragraph (c), while net being too discursive,'should contain an account of any factors which may affect the situation;, , these would include.such point's as mobility,' transport,' supplies, topography, obstacles, roads, railways, armament, morale, weather, inhabitants, time, characteristics of commanders, but only should be discussed of immediate import-'" ance. : r.

"In undertaking - paragraph - (d) tho greatest rare should bo taken that every plan of action open to (lie enemy that- em be foreseen should be given. The more favourable chance in any direction, the enemy lias, the more reason for it, lo bo given, for to bo forewarned is to be forearmed. On the same principle,-don't exaggerate the chances of success of any plan open to. your own Mde, give its merits and demerits fairly, and if it fails, you, at any rale, are free from blame.

"in writing your proposed plan of action ba as explicit; as possible, but do not enter into unnecessary detail. Koine to subordinate commanders tlio object .you wish them to achieve, but do not burdcu them with a wealth of unnecessary detail. Leave to every commander thd' carrying - out of his share of the plan,, and give him . his proper share of responsibility. 'They should obtain all the information they require from a study of your appreciation. "Lastly, it is wol). to remember that, ap- i prceiatini; a situatinn is not only of ail educational value, but it is also of tlio ' very greatest use on scrvic.'.'. It saves time mid trouble by keeping all Iho papers together in a proper tabulated . form; if approved, it can be passed oil to . tlio chief of tlio stall', and from it operation orders issued at once; by its means tlio general can consult any divisional or corps commander on a point, by'eliowns him tho appreciation, and lastly, it c-an take the place of voluminous orders when : sent to commanders of detached bodies. "There is one point" concludes tho writer "that Territorial officers should always bear in mind with respect to this branch-of their military education, and that is that perfection is cnly attained by 'PracHcj, Practice, Practice.'"