MillRatUSMC
01-23-04, 03:39 PM
The hard lessons we learned in Vietnam, might be of used fighting the insurgents in Iraq.
IMHO
Exceprts from;
Steel My Soldiers Hearts
By Colonel David H. Hackworth
and Elihys England
O God of battles!steel my soldiers' hearts;
Possess them not with fear; take from them now
The sense of reckoning, if the opposed numbers
Pluck their hearts from them.
~ Henry V ~
In Infantry magazine after Hacks first tour in Vietnam.
The most important lesson to be drawn from the war in Vietnam is that a lightly equipped, poorly supplied guerrilla army cannot easily be defeated by the world's most powerful army, using conventional tactics. To defeat the guerrilla, we must become guerrillas.
Every insurgent tactic must be copied and employed against the insurgent.
The marvels of modern technology have caused some to believe that exotic gear has replaced the man with the rifle.
It is not true.
Never in history of modern warfare has the small combat unit played a more significant role...and the brunt of the fighting falls squarely on the platoon.
The outcome of the war will be determined in large part, by the skill, guts and determination of the platoon leader.
The warrior ethos that's been around at least since Joshua blew his horn at Jericho;
Rule 1: Stay alert, stay alive.
Rule 2: Keep your weapon clean, right at hand and ready to fire.
Rule 3: Trust no one except the guys on your right and on your left.
Rule 4: Always take care of your troops.
Rule 5: Know your enemy as well as you know yourself.
Rule 6" Don't forget nuthin'.
This new generation needs to be prepared now so they don't needlessly repeat old--fatal--mistakes.
Their bosses must be made to prepare them correctly, which can happen only if there an end to denial, beginning with: We did not win the war in Vietnam. And then, WHY!
Like most executives or bureaucrats in large organizations, as today's top military leaders go up the chain, they develop the disease called CRS--Can't Remember Xhit--and forget what it was like to be at the bottom.
Somewhere along the line they stopped listening to the ordinary grunts, the ones who do the actual fighting and dying, the ones who know what they need to defeat our enemies.
To ignore them is criminally stupid.
This time around, as in Vietnam, we're once again hunting and then slugging it out with an uncoventional opponent and most of the tactical advantages are his.
The terrorist is like the audience in a theater, while we're the actors on the lighted stage.
He sits shrouded in darkness, checking out our weakness and strenghts, when his attack plan is perfect, as on 11 September 2001, he strikes at the moment the target is most vulnerable.
Then he runs away to plan an even bigger and better attack for another day.
We now need to fight smart as much as we need to get even.
There is no choice.
We do it right or we lose.
We win or we die.
Cadets and new leaders who show ineptitude and little leadership ability--such as that walking atrocity Lieutenant Willaim Calley of My Lai massacre infamy--should immediately be eliminated.
Calley was recycled three times at infantry OCS after being found wanting in leadership before finally being commissioned in order to show a "low attrition rate" to higher headquarters--a bad mistake with big consequences.
More than any enemy victory, the shame and horror of My Lai caused the American people to withdraw their support for the war effort.
Once they saw what Calley had wrought, they said "Enough is enough".
My note;
We must also insure that there's no cover-ups of events such as the ambush of Jessica Lynch unit.
But there's already a lid on events and those responsible of that ambush.
Also forcing members of military to buy their own lubrication is not taking care of the troops under their command.
Hack also states about buying all this high tech stuff while ignoring the basic rifle of the infantry man or woman.
Seeking a rifle small enough to fight out a hummie is not the way to go.
This is a bandaid or fast fix.
We would be remissed if we didn't state...
It is criminal to travel with no security on the flanks.
IMHO
Semper Fidelis
Ricardo
IMHO
Exceprts from;
Steel My Soldiers Hearts
By Colonel David H. Hackworth
and Elihys England
O God of battles!steel my soldiers' hearts;
Possess them not with fear; take from them now
The sense of reckoning, if the opposed numbers
Pluck their hearts from them.
~ Henry V ~
In Infantry magazine after Hacks first tour in Vietnam.
The most important lesson to be drawn from the war in Vietnam is that a lightly equipped, poorly supplied guerrilla army cannot easily be defeated by the world's most powerful army, using conventional tactics. To defeat the guerrilla, we must become guerrillas.
Every insurgent tactic must be copied and employed against the insurgent.
The marvels of modern technology have caused some to believe that exotic gear has replaced the man with the rifle.
It is not true.
Never in history of modern warfare has the small combat unit played a more significant role...and the brunt of the fighting falls squarely on the platoon.
The outcome of the war will be determined in large part, by the skill, guts and determination of the platoon leader.
The warrior ethos that's been around at least since Joshua blew his horn at Jericho;
Rule 1: Stay alert, stay alive.
Rule 2: Keep your weapon clean, right at hand and ready to fire.
Rule 3: Trust no one except the guys on your right and on your left.
Rule 4: Always take care of your troops.
Rule 5: Know your enemy as well as you know yourself.
Rule 6" Don't forget nuthin'.
This new generation needs to be prepared now so they don't needlessly repeat old--fatal--mistakes.
Their bosses must be made to prepare them correctly, which can happen only if there an end to denial, beginning with: We did not win the war in Vietnam. And then, WHY!
Like most executives or bureaucrats in large organizations, as today's top military leaders go up the chain, they develop the disease called CRS--Can't Remember Xhit--and forget what it was like to be at the bottom.
Somewhere along the line they stopped listening to the ordinary grunts, the ones who do the actual fighting and dying, the ones who know what they need to defeat our enemies.
To ignore them is criminally stupid.
This time around, as in Vietnam, we're once again hunting and then slugging it out with an uncoventional opponent and most of the tactical advantages are his.
The terrorist is like the audience in a theater, while we're the actors on the lighted stage.
He sits shrouded in darkness, checking out our weakness and strenghts, when his attack plan is perfect, as on 11 September 2001, he strikes at the moment the target is most vulnerable.
Then he runs away to plan an even bigger and better attack for another day.
We now need to fight smart as much as we need to get even.
There is no choice.
We do it right or we lose.
We win or we die.
Cadets and new leaders who show ineptitude and little leadership ability--such as that walking atrocity Lieutenant Willaim Calley of My Lai massacre infamy--should immediately be eliminated.
Calley was recycled three times at infantry OCS after being found wanting in leadership before finally being commissioned in order to show a "low attrition rate" to higher headquarters--a bad mistake with big consequences.
More than any enemy victory, the shame and horror of My Lai caused the American people to withdraw their support for the war effort.
Once they saw what Calley had wrought, they said "Enough is enough".
My note;
We must also insure that there's no cover-ups of events such as the ambush of Jessica Lynch unit.
But there's already a lid on events and those responsible of that ambush.
Also forcing members of military to buy their own lubrication is not taking care of the troops under their command.
Hack also states about buying all this high tech stuff while ignoring the basic rifle of the infantry man or woman.
Seeking a rifle small enough to fight out a hummie is not the way to go.
This is a bandaid or fast fix.
We would be remissed if we didn't state...
It is criminal to travel with no security on the flanks.
IMHO
Semper Fidelis
Ricardo