IFweconsiderthecombatnolongerinitselfbutinrelationtotheotherforcesofWar,thenitsdurationacquiresaspecialimportance.
Thisdurationistoberegardedtoacertainextentasasecondsubordinatesuccess.Fortheconquerorthecombatcanneverbefinishedtooquickly,forthevanquisheditcanneverlasttoolong.Aspeedyvictoryindicatesahigherpowerofvictory,atardydecisionis,onthesideofthedefeated,somecompensationfortheloss.
Thisisingeneraltrue,butitacquiresapracticalimportanceinitsapplicationtothosecombats,theobjectofwhichisarelativedefence.
Herethewholesuccessoftenliesinthemereduration.Thisisthereasonwhywehaveincludeditamongstthestrategicelements.
Thedurationofacombatisnecessarilyboundupwithitsessentialrelations.Theserelationsare,absolutemagnitudeofforce,relationofforceandofthedifferentarmsmutually,andnatureofthecountry.Twentythousandmendonotwearthemselvesoutupononeanotherasquicklyastwothousand:wecannotresistanenemydoubleorthreetimesourstrengthaslongasoneofthesamestrength;acavalrycombatisdecidedsoonerthananinfantrycombat;andacombatbetweeninfantryonly,quickerthanifthereisartilleryaswell;inhillsandforestswecannotadvanceasquicklyasonalevelcountry;allthisisclearenough.
Fromthisitfollows,therefore,thatstrength,relationofthethreearms,andposition,mustbeconsideredifthecombatistofulfilanobjectbyitsduration;buttosetupthisrulewasoflessimportancetousinourpresentconsiderationsthantoconnectwithitatoncethechiefresultswhichexperiencegivesusonthesubject.
EventheresistanceofanordinaryDivisionof8000to10,000menofallarmsevenopposedtoanenemyconsiderablysuperiorinnumbers,willlastseveralhours,iftheadvantagesofcountryarenottoopreponderating,andiftheenemyisonlyalittle,ornotatall,superiorinnumbers,thecombatwilllasthalfaday.ACorpsofthreeorfourDivisionswillprolongittodoublethetime;anArmyof80,000or100,000tothreeorfourtimes.Thereforethemassesmaybelefttothemselvesforthatlengthoftime,andnoseparatecombattakesplaceifwithinthattimeotherforcescanbe
oughtup,whoseco-operationminglesthenatonceintoonestreamwiththeresultsofthecombatwhichhastakenplace.
Thesecalculationsaretheresultofexperience;butitisimportanttousatthesametimetocharacterisemoreparticularlythemomentofthedecision,andconsequentlythetermination.琇書蛧
CHAPTER7DECISIONOFTHECOMBAT
Nobattleisdecidedinasinglemoment,althoughineverybattletherearisemomentsofcrisis,onwhichtheresultdepends.Thelossofabattleis,therefore,agradualfallingofthescale.Butthereisineverycombatapointoftime.
whenitmayberegardedasdecided,insuchawaythattherenewalofthefightwouldbeanewbattle,notacontinuationoftheoldone.Tohaveaclearnotiononthispointoftime,isveryimportant,inordertobeabletodecidewhether,withthepromptassistanceofreinforcements,thecombatcanagainberesumedwithadvantage.
Oftenincombatswhicharebeyondrestorationnewforcesaresacrificedinvain;oftenthroughneglectthedecisionhasnotbeenseizedwhenitmighteasilyhavebeensecured.Herearetwoexamples,whichcouldnotbemoretothepoint:
WhenthePrinceofHohenlohe,in1806,atJena,with35,000menopposedtofrom60,000to70,000,underBuonaparte,hadacceptedbattle,andlostit—butlostitinsuchawaythatthe35,000mightberegardedasdissolved—GeneralRuchelundertooktorenewthefightwithabout12,000;theconsequencewasthatinamomenthisforcewasscatteredinlikemanner.
Ontheotherhand,onthesamedayatAuerstadt,thePrussiansmaintainedacombatwith25,000,againstDavoust,whohad28,000,untilmid-day,withoutsuccess,itistrue,butstillwithouttheforcebeingreducedtoastateofdissolutionwithoutevengreaterlossthantheenemy,whowasverydeficientincavalry;—buttheyneglectedtousethereserveof18,000,underGeneralKalkreuth,torestorethebattlewhich,underthesecircumstances,itwouldhavebeenimpossibletolose.
Eachcombatisawholeinwhichthepartialcombatscombinethemselvesintoonetotalresult.Inthistotalresultliesthedecisionofthecombat.Thissuccessneednotbeexactlyavictorysuchaswehavedenotedinthesixthchapter,foroftenthepreparationsforthathavenotbeenmade,oftenthereisnoopportunityiftheenemygiveswaytoosoon,andinmostcasesthedecision,evenwhentheresistancehasbeenobstinate,takesplacebeforesuchadegreeofsuccessisattainedaswouldcompletelysatisfytheideaofavictory.
Wethereforeask,Whichiscommonlythemomentofthedecision,thatistosay,thatmomentwhenafresh,effective,ofcoursenotdisproportionate,force,cannolongerturnadisadvantageousbattle?
Ifwepassoverfalseattacks,whichinaccordancewiththeirnatureareproperlywithoutdecision,then,
1.Ifthepossessionofamovableobjectwastheobjectofthecombat,thelossofthesameisalwaysthedecision.
2.Ifthepossessionofgroundwastheobjectofthecombat,thenthedecisiongenerallyliesinitsloss.Stillnotalways,onlyifthisgroundisofpeculiarstrength,groundwhichiseasytopassover,howeverimportantitmaybeinotherrespects,canbere-takenwithoutmuchdanger.
3.Butinallothercases,whenthesetwocircumstanceshavenotalreadydecidedthecombat,therefore,particularlyincasethedestructionoftheenemy'sforceistheprincipalobject,thedecisionisreachedatthatmomentwhentheconquerorceasestofeelhimselfinastateofdisintegration,thatis,ofunserviceablenesstoacertainextent,whentherefore,thereisnofurtheradvantageinusingthesuccessiveeffortsspokenofinthetwelfthchapterofthethirdbook.Onthisgroundwehavegiventhestrategicunityofthebattleitsplacehere.
Abattle,therefore,inwhichtheassailanthasnotlosthisconditionoforderandperfectefficiencyatall,or,atleast,onlyinasmallpartofhisforce,whilsttheopposingforcesare,moreorless,disorganisedthroughout,isalsonottoberetrieved;andjustaslittleiftheenemyhasrecoveredhisefficiency.
Thesmaller,therefore,thatpartofaforceiswhichhasreallybeenengaged,thegreaterthatportionwhichasreservehascontributedtotheresultonlybyitspresence.Somuchthelesswillanynewforceoftheenemywrestagainthevictoryfromourhands,andthatCommanderwhocarriesouttothefurthestwithhisArmytheprincipleofconductingthecombatwiththegreatesteconomyofforces,andmakingthemostofthemoraleffectofstrongreserves,goesthesurestwaytovictory.WemustallowthattheFrench,inmoderntimes,especiallywhenledbyBuonaparte,haveshownathoroughmasteryinthis.
Further,themomentwhenthecrisis-stageofthecombatceaseswiththeconqueror,andhisoriginalstateoforderisrestored,takesplacesoonerthesmallertheunithecontrols.Apicketofcavalrypursuinganenemyatfullgallopwillinafewminutesresumeitsproperorder,andthecrisisceases.Awholeregimentofcavalryrequiresalongertime.Itlastsstilllongerwithinfantry,ifextendedinsinglelinesofskirmishers,andlongeragainwithDivisionsofallarms,whenithappensbychancethatoneparthastakenonedirectionandanotherpartanotherdirection,andthecombathasthereforecausedalossoftheorderofformation,whichusuallybecomesstillworsefromnopartknowingexactlywheretheotheris.Thus,therefore,thepointoftimewhentheconquerorhascollectedtheinstrumentshehasbeenusing,andwhicharemixedupandpartlyoutoforder,themomentwhenhehasinsomemeasurerearrangedthemandputthemintheirproperplaces,andthus
oughtthebattle-workshopintoalittleorder,thismoment,wesay,isalwayslater,thegreaterthetotalforce.
Again,thismomentcomeslaterifnightovertakestheconquerorinthecrisis,and,lastly,itcomeslaterstillifthecountryis
okenandthicklywooded.Butwithregardtothesetwopoints,wemustobservethatnightisalsoagreatmeansofprotection,anditisonlyseldomthatcircumstancesfavourtheexpectationofasuccessfulresultfromanightattack,asonMarch10,1814,atLaon,whereYorkagainstMarmontgivesusanexamplecompletelyinplacehere.Inthesamewayawoodedand
okencountrywillaffordprotectionagainstareactiontothosewhoareengagedinthelongcrisisofvictory.Both,therefore,thenightaswellasthewoodedand
okencountryareobstacleswhichmaketherenewalofthesamebattlemoredifficultinsteadoffacilitatingit.
Hitherto,wehaveconsideredassistancearrivingforthelosingsideasamereincreaseofforce,therefore,asareinforcementcomingupdirectlyfromtherear,whichisthemostusualcase.Butthecaseisquitedifferentifthesefreshforcescomeupontheenemyinflankorrear.
OntheeffectofflankorrearattackssofarastheybelongtoStrategy,weshallspeakinanotherplace:suchaoneaswehavehereinview,intendedfortherestorationofthecombat,belongschieflytotactics,andisonlymentionedbecauseweareherespeakingoftacticalresults,ourideas,therefore,musttrenchupontheprovinceoftactics.
Bydirectingaforceagainsttheenemy'sflankandrearitsefficacymaybemuchintensified;butthisissofarfrombeinganecessaryresultalwaysthattheefficacymay,ontheotherhand,bejustasmuchweakened.Thecircumstancesunderwhichthecombathastakenplacedecideuponthispartoftheplanaswellasuponeveryother,withoutourbeingabletoenterthereuponhere.But,atthesametime,thereareinittwothingsofimportanceforoursubject:first,FLANKANDREARATTACKSHAVE,ASARULE,AMOREFAVOURABLEEFFECTONTHECONSEQUENCESOFTHEDECISIONTHANUPONTHEDECISIONITSELF.Nowasconcernstheretrievingabattle,thefirstthingtobearrivedataboveallisafavourabledecisionandnotmagnitudeofsuccess.Inthisviewonewouldthereforethinkthataforcewhichcomestore-establishourcombatisoflessassistanceifitfallsupontheenemyinflankandrear,thereforeseparatedfromus,thanifitjoinsitselftousdirectly;certainly,casesarenotwantingwhereitisso,butwemustsaythatthemajorityareontheotherside,andtheyaresoonaccountofthesecondpointwhichishereimportanttous.
ThissecondpointISTHEMORALEFFECTOFTHESURPRISE,WHICH,ASARULE,AREINFORCEMENTCOMINGUPTOREESTABLISHACOMBATHASGENERALLYINITSFAVOUR.Nowtheeffectofasurpriseisalwaysheightenedifittakesplaceintheflankorrear,andanenemycompletelyengagedinthecrisisofvictoryinhisextendedandscatteredorder,islessinastatetocounteractit.Whodoesnotfeelthatanattackinflankorrear,whichatthecommencementofthebattle,whentheforcesareconcentratedandpreparedforsuchaneventwouldbeoflittleimportance,gainsquiteanotherweightinthelastmomentofthecombat.
Wemust,therefore,atonceadmitthatinmostcasesareinforcementcomingupontheflankorrearoftheenemywillbemoreefficacious,willbelikethesameweightattheendofalongerlever,andthereforethatunderthesecircumstances,wemayundertaketorestorethebattlewiththesameforcewhichemployedinadirectattackwouldbequiteinsufficient.Hereresultsalmostdefycalculation,becausethemoralforcesgaincompletelytheascendency.Thisisthereforetherightfieldforboldnessanddaring.
Theeyemust,therefore,bedirectedonalltheseobjects,allthesemomentsofco-operatingforcesmustbetakenintoconsideration,whenwehavetodecideindoubtfulcaseswhetherornotitisstillpossibletorestoreacombatwhichhastakenanunfavourableturn.
Ifthecombatistoberegardedasnotyetended,thenthenewcontestwhichisopenedbythearrivalofassistancefusesintotheformer;thereforetheyflowtogetherintoonecommonresult,andthefirstdisadvantagevanishescompletelyoutofthecalculation.Butthisisnotthecaseifthecombatwasalreadydecided;thentherearetworesultsseparatefromeachother.Nowiftheassistancewhicharrivesisonlyofarelativestrength,thatis,ifitisnotinitselfaloneamatchfortheenemy,thenafavourableresultishardlytobeexpectedfromthissecondcombat:butifitissostrongthatitcanundertakethesecondcombatwithoutregardtothefirst,thenitmaybeablebyafavourableissuetocompensateorevenoverbalancethefirstcombat,butnevertomakeitdisappearaltogetherfromtheaccount.
AtthebattleofKunersdorf,FredericktheGreatatthefirstonsetcarriedtheleftoftheRussianposition,andtookseventypiecesofartillery;attheendofthebattlebothwerelostagain,andthewholeresultofthefirstcombatwaswipedoutoftheaccount.Haditbeenpossibletostopatthefirstsuccess,andtoputoffthesecondpartofthebattletothecomingday,then,eveniftheKinghadlostit,theadvantagesofthefirstwouldalwayshavebeenasetofftothesecond.
Butwhenabattleproceedingdisadvantageouslyisarrestedandturnedbeforeitsconclusion,itsminusresultonoursidenotonlydisappearsfromtheaccount,butalsobecomesthefoundationofagreatervictory.If,forinstance,wepicturetoourselvesexactlythetacticalcourseofthebattle,wemayeasilyseethatuntilitisfinallyconcludedallsuccessesinpartialcombatsareonlydecisionsinsuspense,whichbythecapitaldecisionmaynotonlybedestroyed,butchangedintotheopposite.Themoreourforceshavesuffered,themoretheenemywillhaveexpendedonhisside;thegreater,therefore,willbethecrisisfortheenemy,andthemorethesuperiorityofourfreshtroopswilltell.Ifnowthetotalresultturnsinourfavour,ifwewrestfromtheenemythefieldofbattleandrecoverallthetrophiesagain,thenalltheforceswhichhehassacrificedinobtainingthembecomesheergainforus,andourformerdefeatbecomesastepping-stonetoagreatertriumph.Themost
illiantfeatswhichwithvictorytheenemywouldhavesohighlyprizedthatthelossofforceswhichtheycostwouldhavebeendisregarded,leavenothingnowbehindbutregretatthesacrificeentailed.Suchisthealterationwhichthemagicofvictoryandthecurseofdefeatproducesinthespecificweightofthesameelements.
Therefore,evenifwearedecidedlysuperiorinstrength,andareabletorepaytheenemyhisvictorybyagreaterstill,itisalwaysbettertoforestalltheconclusionofadisadvantageouscombat,ifitisofproportionateimportance,soastoturnitscourseratherthantodeliverasecondbattle.
Field-MarshalDaunattemptedintheyear1760tocometotheassistanceofGeneralLaudonatLeignitz,whilstthebattlelasted;butwhenhefailed,hedidnotattacktheKingnextday,althoughhedidnotwantformeanstodoso.
Forthesereasonsseriouscombatsofadvanceguardswhichprecedeabattlearetobelookedupononlyasnecessaryevils,andwhennotnecessarytheyaretobeavoided.
Wehavestillanotherconclusiontoexamine.
Ifonaregularpitchedbattle,thedecisionhasgoneagainstone,thisdoesnotconstituteamotivefordeterminingonanewone.Thedeterminationforthisnewonemustproceedfromotherrelations.Thisconclusion,however,isopposedbyamoralforce,whichwemusttakeintoaccount:itisthefeelingofrageandrevenge.FromtheoldestField-Marshaltotheyoungestdrummer-boythisfeelingisgeneral,and,therefore,troopsareneverinbetterspiritsforfightingthanwhentheyhavetowipeoutastain.Thisis,however,onlyonthesuppositionthatthebeatenportionisnottoogreatinproportiontothewhole,becauseotherwisetheabovefeelingislostinthatofpowerlessness.
Thereisthereforeaverynaturaltendencytousethismoralforcetorepairthedisasteronthespot,andonthataccountchieflytoseekanotherbattleifothercircumstancespermit.Itthenliesinthenatureofthecasethatthissecondbattlemustbeanoffensiveone.
Inthecatalogueofbattlesofsecond-rateimportancetherearemanyexamplestobefoundofsuchretaliatorybattles;butgreatbattleshavegenerallytoomanyotherdeterminingcausestobe
oughtonbythisweakermotive.
SuchafeelingmustundoubtedlyhaveledthenobleBluecherwithhisthirdCorpstothefieldofbattleonFe
uary14,1814,whentheothertwohadbeenbeatenthreedaysbeforeatMontmirail.HadheknownthathewouldhavecomeuponBuonaparteinperson,then,naturally,preponderatingreasonswouldhavedeterminedhimtoputoffhisrevengetoanotherday:buthehopedtorevengehimselfonMarmont,andinsteadofgainingtherewardofhisdesireforhonourablesatisfaction,hesufferedthepenaltyofhiserroneouscalculation.
OnthedurationofthecombatandthemomentofitsdecisiondependthedistancesfromeachotheratwhichthosemassesshouldbeplacedwhichareintendedtofightINCONJUNCTIONWITHeachother.Thisdispositionwouldbeatacticalarrangementinsofarasitrelatestooneandthesamebattle;itcan,however,onlyberegardedassuch,providedthepositionofthetroopsissocompactthattwoseparatecombatscannotbeimagined,andconsequentlythatthespacewhichthewholeoccupiescanberegardedstrategicallyasamerepoint.ButinWar,casesfrequentlyoccurwhereeventhoseforcesintendedtofightINUNISONmustbesofarseparatedfromeachotherthatwhiletheirunionforonecommoncombatcertainlyremainstheprincipalobject,stilltheoccurrenceofseparatecombatsremainspossible.Suchadispositionisthereforestrategic.
Dispositionsofthiskindare:marchesinseparatemassesandcolumns,theformationofadvanceguards,andflankingcolumns,alsothegroupingofreservesintendedtoserveassupportsformorethanonestrategicpoint;theconcentrationofseveralCorpsfromwidelyextendedcantonments,&c.&c.Wecanseethatthenecessityforthesearrangementsmayconstantlyarise,andmayconsiderthemsomethinglikethesmallchangeinthestrategiceconomy,whilstthecapitalbattles,andallthatrankwiththemarethegoldandsilverpieces. 蓝星，夏国。
肿瘤科病房，弥漫着医院独有的消毒水味道。病房是单人间，设施俱全，温馨舒适。
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可对于孑然一身的路遥来讲，却是无人问津的等死之地。
他是癌症晚期，靠着意志力撑到现在，但也只是多受几天罪罢了。
此刻，路遥躺在病床上，怔怔望着床头柜上的水杯，想喝口水。
可他拼尽全力却无法让身体离开病床。剧痛和衰弱，让这原本无比简单的事情成了奢望。
这时，一道幸灾乐祸的声音响起：“表哥~你真是狼狈呢。连喝口水都得指望别人施舍。”
一位英俊的年轻男子悠闲坐在病床前，翘着二郎腿，眼睛笑成一道缝。
“你求求我，我给你喝口水如何？”
路遥面无表情，一言不发。自从失去了自理能力，一帮亲戚的嘴脸已经见多了，不差这一个。
男子起身，将水杯拿在手里递过来，“表哥别生气，我开玩笑的，你对我这么好，喂你口水还是能办到的。”
说完话，他将水杯里的水，缓缓倒在路遥苍白消瘦的脸上。
被呛到，路遥无力的咳嗽几声，好在少量的水流过嗓子，让他有了几丝说话的力气：
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“张鑫，为什么？我从未得罪过你。你去星盟国留学，还是我资助的！”
张鑫将水杯放下，不紧不慢的说：“谁让你这么古板呢，只是运点感冒药罢了，又不犯法，你非得千方百计的拦着。”
路遥脸上闪过一丝了然之色，道：“张鑫你这垃圾，狗改不了吃屎。将感冒药运到国外提炼毒品……咳咳……”
张鑫理了下领带，笑道：“你别血口喷人啊，我可是国际知名企业家。这次回国，‘省招商引资局’还打电话欢迎我呢~”
路遥叹了口气，现在的自己什么都做不了，索性闭上眼睛不再说话，安静等待死亡的到来。
但张鑫却不想让眼前饱受病痛折磨、即将离世的表兄走好。他附身靠近，悄悄说道：琇書蛧
“表哥啊~其实呢，我这次回国主要就是见你一面，告诉你一声——你的癌，是我弄出来的~”
路遥陡然挣开眼，“你说什么！”
张鑫笑眯眯的掏出个铅盒打开，里面是件古怪的三角形饰物，仅有巴掌大小，中间是只眼睛似的图案，一看就很有年代感。
“眼熟吧？这是我亲手送你的，货真价实的古董。我在里面掺了点放射性物质，长期接触就会变成你现在这副鬼样子。”
路遥马上认出来，这是自己很喜欢的一件古物，天天摆在书桌上，时不时的把玩，没想到却是要人命的东西！
他伸出枯枝似的手臂，死死的抓住眼前人的胳膊！“你……”
“别激动~表哥，我西装很贵的。”张鑫轻松拿掉路遥的手，小心的捏起铅盒，将放射性饰物塞进他怀里。
“我赶飞机，得先走一步。你好好留着这个当做纪念吧，有机会再去你的坟头蹦迪~”
说完话，张鑫从容起身离开。临走前，还回头俏皮的眨眨眼。他原本就男生女相，此时的神态动作居然有些娇媚。
保镖很有眼力劲，赶紧打开病房门。同时用无线耳麦联络同事，提前发动汽车。
~~~~~~~~
路遥只能无力的瘫在床上，浑身皆是钻心剜骨般的剧痛，还有无穷悔恨、不甘。
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但很快，剧痛渐渐消失，只剩麻木，路遥隐约听到过世的双亲在喊他。
就在路遥的身体越来越飘，即将失去意识时，胸口突然阵阵发烫，将他惊醒。
从怀中摸出那三角形饰物，发现这玩意变得滚烫无比，还在缓缓发光！
秀书网为你提供最快的战争论更新，BOOK IV THE COMBAT（2）免费阅读。https://www.xiumb9.com
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