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| Science & Technology |
| Tactical Generals: Leaders, Technology, and the Perils |
| 2009-09-02 |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #4 From the preface of JFC Fuller's Generalship: Its Diseases and Their Cure IN the summer of 1921 I was lunching at the Restaurant la Rue with the Deputy Chief of the French General Staff when he told me the following story: At the battle of Waterloo, Colonel Clement, an infantry commander, fought with the most conspicuous bravery; but unfortunately was shot through the head. Napoleon, hearing of his gallantry and misfortune, gave instructions for him to be carried into a farm where Larrey the surgeon-general was operating. One glance convinced Larrey that his case was desperate, so taking up a saw he removed the top of his skull and placed his brains on the table. Just as he bad finished, in rushed an aide-de-camp, shouting - 'Is General Clement here?' Clement, hearing him, sat up and exclaimed: 'No! but Colonel Clement is.' "Oh, mon général' cried the aide-decamp, embracing him, 'the Emperor was overwhelmed when we heard of your gallantry, and has promoted you on the field of battle to the rank of General.' Clement rubbed his eyes, got off the table, clapped the top of his skull on his head and was about to leave the farm, when Larrey shouted after him: 'Mon général - your brains!' To which the gallant Frenchman, increasing his speed, shouted back: 'Now that I am a general I shall no longer require them!' |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-09-02 12:53 |
| #3 A big dividing line in the army happens between the ranks of Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel, and General. Practically speaking, Colonel is the highest ranking "command" officer, and General is a "liaison" officer with higher military and civilian command. This is as important as a distinction between NCOs and officers, as far as responsibilities go. When a Colonel is promoted to Brigadier, he must make a personality change as drastic as when a senior NCO becomes a 2nd Lieutenant. Almost needless to say, few Colonels are able to trade working with "the men", to flying a desk and attending cocktail parties with congressmen's wives. And especially *not* saying what they are really thinking. In a terrible irony, hard charging combat branch Colonels are most in demand to be Generals, while at the same time, often least suited as a group for those jobs. And those that are, are very hard on each other, intellectually and emotionally. Then, at that rank, they have to take whatever circumstances have offered them, because no matter what happens, they have only one chance at doing their job before retirement. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2009-09-02 11:32 |
| #2 A lot of generals need to be retired. Micromanagement creates a 'mother may I' non-initiative military. The ultimate model of the Soviet scientific military. The one major edge American and its Anglo allies have has been the NCO corps. This kills that advantage. It destroys initiative and decision making at the lowest level. What are you going to do when you face an opponent who is not a squad here or a platoon there, but a whole front? It's been seen at the NTC and its brethren. Decision overload of the micro-manager. A system trained in 'mother may I' can't respond. Nor can it be 'grown' on the fly. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-09-02 10:33 |
| #1 I've wondered why Putty tolerates russian hackers. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-09-02 05:08 |