Battle Studies: Ancient and Modern Battle

Battle Studies

Ancient and Modern Battle

By Colonel Ardant Du Picq

French Army

Translated From The Eighth Edition In The French

By Colonel John N. Greely, Field Artillery, U.S. Army

And Major Robert C. Cotton, General Staff (Infantry), U.S. Army

Joint Author of "Military Field Notebook"

Battle is the final objective of armies and man is the fundamental instrument in battle. Nothing can wisely be prescribed in an army--its personnel, organization, discipline and tactics, things which are connected like the fingers of a hand--without exact knowledge of the fundamental instrument, man, and his state of mind, his morale, at the instant of combat.

Colonel Ardant du Picq's "Battle Studies" is a French military classic. It is known to every French army officer; it is referred to as an established authority in such works as Marshal Foch's "The Principles of War." It has been eagerly read in the original by such American army officers as have chanced upon it; probably only the scarcity of thinking men with military training has precluded the earlier appearance of an American edition.

The translators feel that the war with Germany which brought with it some military training for all the best brains of the country has prepared the field for an American edition of this book. They are sure that every American reader who has had actual battle experience in any capacity will at some point say to himself, "That is absolutely true...." or, "That reminds me of the day...."