Infiltration tactics

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In warfare, infiltration tactics involve small, lightly equipped infantry forces attacking enemy rear
areas while bypassing enemy front line strongpoints and isolating them for attack by followup troops
with heavier weapons.
Contents
1 Development during World War I
1.1 utier tactics
! Dien "ien #hu
$ %otes
& 'eferences
( Further reading
Development during World War I
)hese tactics emerged gradually during the later years of World War I, used in various forms by the
'ussian general *leksei "rusilov in the "rusilov +ffensive of 1,1-, by the "ritish )hird *rmy at the
"attle of *rras in *pril 1,1. /most notably the capture of 0imy 'idge by the 1anadian 1orps2,
following the reorganisation of "ritish infantry platoons according to the new 3anual 44 1&$, in the
new year and by the 5ermany military in the 4iege of 'iga in 4eptember 1,1. and the "attle of
1aporetto in +ctober 1,1..
)he tactics became especially associated with the stormtroopers of the 5erman *rmy, and were also
called Hutier tactics, after 5eneral +skar von utier, who used these tactics to great effect during
Operation Michael in 3arch 1,16.
* form of infiltration tactics was proposed by French headquarters on 1- *pril 1,1( in %ote (..,,
which stated that the first waves of infantry should penetrate as far as possible and leave enemy
strongpoints to be dealt with by follow7up waves. )hese were partially adopted on , 3ay 1,1(, the
opening day of the 4econd "attle of *rtois, by the French 888III 1orps which advanced &.(km in
the first hour and a half of the attack. )he problem was reinforcing and holding the gains against
5erman counterattack.
91:
* young French infantry officer, 1aptain *ndr; <affargue, put forward similar ideas in a pamphlet
written in *ugust 1,1( tude sur lattaque dans la priode actuelle de la guerre /4tudy of the attack
in the current period of the war2. <affargue based his proposals in particular on his e=periences
attacking immediately south of %euville74aint70aast on , 3ay 1,1( when commanding a company
of 1($rd Infantry 'egiment. <affargue was left wounded on the 5erman front line but his 'egiment
advanced another 1.( km, only to be held up by two 5erman machine guns. <affargue>s pamphlet
focused primarily on the small7unit perspective, calling for mobile firepower to deal with local
resistance such as machine guns and advocating that the first waves of an attack advanced in the
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intervals or gaps between centres of resistance which should be temporarily neutralised on the edges
by fire or heavy smoke. They would then be encircled and dealt with by successive waves. Had these
methods been followed Laffargue suggests that the attack could have resulted in a complete
breakthrough of the German defences and the capture of Vimy Ridge.
The crucial distinction between the forms of infiltration advocated by French headuarters and
Laffargue as against those under development in the German army was that the French remained
firmly wedded to the use of the attack by waves! despite the high casualties which could ensue.
Laffargue put forward the view that the psychological support of the attack in line was necessary to
enable men to advance against heavy fire.
"#$
The French %rmy published Laffargue&s pamphlet in
'(') *having already put forward a more developed version of his ideas in +ote ),,(- and the
following year a commercial edition found wide circulation. The .ritish! like all combatants during
'('/0'1! made freuent use of wave attacks and translated and published Laffargue&s pamphlet in
2ecember '(').
"3$
The 45 Infantry Journal published a translation as The Attack in Trench Warfare
in '('6.
"/$
The claim that the Germans translated and used Laffargue&s pamphlet as a training manual has been
refuted by Gudmundsson.
")$
The Germans were already developing their own form of infiltration
tactics7 an e8perimental 9ioneer unit commanded by Hauptmann :illie Rohr had been formed in the
spring of '(')! over two months before Laffargue&s pamphlet was published.
"6$",$"1$"($
Hutier tactics
+amed for the German general of the infantry ;skar von Hutier. <nfiltration attacks began with brief
and violent bombardments of the enemy front lines! to suppress and demorali=e enemy combatants
stationed there. The bombardment also targeted enemy rear areas to destroy or disrupt roads!
artillery! and command units.
This was done to confuse the enemy! and reduce their capability to launch effective counterattacks
from secondary defense lines. For ma8imum effect! the e8act points of attack remained concealed
until the last possible moment.
Light infantry led these attacks. They would attempt to penetrate enemy weak points to bypass and
isolate heavily defended positions in the front line. <nfantrymen with heavier weapons would then
follow0up and have a great advantage when attacking the isolated enemy strong points. ;ther
reinforcements would then enter these breaches! and the entire enemy line would shortly collapse.
The attacks relied heavily on speed and surprise.
This tactic initially worked well and saw heavy use. However! because of this e8tensive
implementation! the enemy uickly developed effective defenses. %lso! as in the case of the more
traditional mass attack! reserve troops following the assault units had to consolidate any gains
against an enemy counterattack.
;ne of the problems of :orld :ar < was that even when a breakthrough was made! the ground was
so devastated that moving up reserves and material was difficult! allowing the enemy time to
regroup. Thus! even with the new tactics and their relatively light use of artillery! attacks would tend
to bog down sooner or later! and no massive breakthrough was possible.
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Dien Bien Phu
At the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, Major Marcel Bigeard, commander of the French 6th Colonial
Parachute Battalion (6th BPC), used infiltration tactics in an attempt to defend the besieged garrison
against the iet Minh trench !arfare tactics" Bigeard#s parachute assault companies !ere supported
b$ concentrated artiller$ and air support, and recei%ed help from tan&s, allo!ing t!o companies ('st
under (ieutenant )en* (e Page and +nd under (ieutenant ,er%* -rapp) numbering no more than
'./ men to recapture the important hilltop position of 0liane ' from a full iet Minh battalion, on
the earl$ morning of '/ April '123"
4ther parachute battalion and compan$ commanders also used similar tactics during the battle"
5'/6
Notes
'" ^ 7raus Podcast (http899histor$spot"org"u&9podcasts9militar$:histor$9second:battle:artois:ma$:'1'2:ne!:
turning:point)" 7raus, Early trench tactics in the rench Ar!y, pp" +;:;+"
+" ^ <ones, Infiltration "y #lose Order (http899simonjoneshistorian"!ordpress"com9+/'39/;9/29infiltration:
b$:close:order:andre:laffargue:and:the:attac&:of:1:ma$:'1'29)
;" ^ CD= ;;; A =tud$ of the Attac& in the Present Phase of >ar8 ?mpressions and )eflections of a
Compan$ Commander (December '1'2) http899!!!"birmingham"ac"u&9Documents9college:
artsla!9!ar9(ist:of:==:Pamphlets"doc
3" ^ (affargue The Attack in Trench Warfare"
2" ^ @udmundsson, $tor!troop Tactics, pp" '1;:'16"
6" ^ =amuels, Martin %octrine and %og!a& passi!
A" ^ =amuels, Martin #o!!and or #ontrol'& passi!
." ^ =tormtroop -actics, AppendiB C and passi!
1" ^ =amuels, Martin %octrine and %og!a& ((
'/" ^ Da%idson, )ietna! at War, p" +62"
References
Da%idson, Phillip B" )ietna! at War* The +istory& ,-./0,-1(" Ce! Dor&8 4Bford Eni%ersit$
Press, '11'" ?=BC /:'1:2/6A1+:3, ?=BC /:.1'3':;/6:2"
@udmundsson, Bruce ?" $tor!troop Tactics* Inno2ation in the 3er!an Ar!y& ,-,.0,-,4"
Ce! Dor&8 Praeger, '1.1" ?=BC /:+A2:1;;+.:."
=imon <ones, ?nfiltration b$ Close 4rder8 Andr* (affargue and the Attac& of 1 Ma$ '1'2
(http899simonjoneshistorian"!ordpress"com9+/'39/;9/29infiltration:b$:close:order:andre:
laffargue:and:the:attac&:of:1:ma$:'1'29)"
7raus, <onathan" Early trench tactics in the rench Ar!y* the $econd "attle of Artois May5
June ,-,(" Farnham8 Ashgate, +/';" ?=BC 1A.:':3/13:22//:3"
PFgina ; de 3 ?nfiltration tactics : >i&ipedia, the free enc$clopedia
/;9/.9+/'3 file8999C89Esers9A(0GACH'9AppData9(ocal9-emp9(o!9M?AGB)1I"htm
Kraus, Jonathan. Podcast: The $econd 6attle of Artois& May ,-,(* the ne7 turning5point
(http://historyspot.org.uk/podcasts/military-history/second-battle-artois-may-191-ne!-
turning-point".
#a$$argue, %ndr&. The Attack in Trench Warfare I!pressions and 8eflections of a #o!pany
#o!!ander "y #apt9 Andr :affargue ,(;rd Infantry& rench Ar!y& Translated for the
Infantry Journal "y an Officer of Infantry. 'ashington: (he )nited *tates +n$antry
%ssociation, 191,. https://archi-e.org/details/attackintrench!a..la$$.
*amuels, /artin. %octrine and dog!a* 3er!an and 6ritish infantry tactics in the irst World
War. 0e! 1ork: 2reen!ood Press, 1993. +*40 .-515-3699-7.
*amuels, /artin. #o!!and or control'* #o!!and& training& and tactics in the 6ritish and
3er!an ar!ies& ,4440,-,4. #ondon8 Portland, 9regon: :rank ;ass, 199. +*40 .-617,-
76.-3, +*40 .-617,-7317-3.
Further reading
<ouse, Jonathan /. To7ard #o!"ined Ar!s Warfare* A $ur2ey of <=th5#entury Tactics&
%octrine& and Organi>ation. ).*. %rmy ;ommand 2eneral *ta$$ ;ollege, 19=7. %-ailable
online (http://cgsc.lea-en!orth.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/<ouse/<ouse.asp" ( :ebruary
3.." or through )ni-ersity Press o$ the Paci$ic (<onolulu, <a!aii, 3..3". +*40 1-71.3-
.19-6.
Pope, *tephen, >li?abeth-%nne 'heal, and Keith @obbins, eds. The Mac!illan %ictionary of
the irst World War. #ondon: /acmillan @e$erence 4ooks, 199. +*40 .-555-,1=33-A.
@etrie-ed $rom Bhttp://en.!ikipedia.org/!/indeC.phpDtitleE+n$iltrationFtacticsGoldidE,17363315B
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