This book is included in the Unexplained Shortages & The End Of The World As We Know It section.
Translator's Preface The importance of night movements and night attacks in the military operations of the present day is so generally recognized, that any discussion on that point would be more than superfluous. That the Japanese army, from the standpoint of practical experience, is best qualified to discuss such operations, would seem to follow as a matter also beyond discussion. For this reason it occured to me that the translation of this work of a Japanese officer who was a company commander during the Japanese-Russian War, might, and I venture to say, does contain much that will be of interest and profit to our own service. Night movements are admittedly among the most difficult operations of war; the margin between victory and defeat is so small that it is a difficult matter to say to just what comparatively trivial reason success or failure may be due. Such being the case, it naturally follows that minute and painstaking training is absolutely necessary if success can be even hoped for. Military writers on this subject have usually recognized that fact, but their treatment of the matter has consisted so largely of vague generalities that they are not of much assistance to Captain Jones in the training of his company and are absolutely useless to Sergeant Smith in leading his squad. This work is not an academic discussion of night movements in general, but is full of valuable practical hints on the training of the small units that go to make up the great military machine; hints not evolved from the inner consciousness, but ideas stamped in the mind by actual experiences of nights on Manchurian battlefields. Due perhaps to national characteristics, Japanese army training of all kinds proceeds along more exact and minute lines than is usual in our own service . While many may consider that this work errs in that direction, it would be well to consider carefully the necessity for such careful training in the most delicate of all military movements. If Private Brown has not been thoroughly trained and accustomed to night movements, he is sure to make mistakes; multiply him by a hundred or a thousand, and the margin of safety for success will become rather slim, to say the least. This work has been translated at odd times in the press of much other work of the same general character. For this reason there has been no time to spend on niceties of expression or in polishing up the English; and indeed I am not sure but that following the author's words rather closely does not more than compensate for faulty diction. If the meaning can be comprehended I shall be satisfied and beg indulgence for all the things lacking. Tokyo, Japan. October, 1913. Contents I. PSYCHOLOGICAL ACTION AT NIGHTTIME Night and morbid watchfulness, p. 13; night and illusions, p. 14; at night, suggestion is easy, p. 14; night brings out the weak points of the individual, p. 15. II. IMPORTANT MEASURES WHICH CORRECT UNFAVORABLE PSYCHOLOGICAL ACTION AT NlGHT At night, especially, strict discipline is necessary, p. 16; a high morale and a firm defensive spirit, p. 16; silence in night movements, p. 17; night and massed formations, p. 18; night movements and self- confidence, p. 18; night movements and self-possession, p. 19. III. How TO DRESS The requirements of dress, p. 19; order of dressing, p. 20; peace time preparations preparedness, p. 21. IV. TRAINING IN DRESSING Occasions, p. 21; orderly methods, p. 22; number of times practiced, p. 22. V. NIGHT AND VISION Importance of cultivating the vision at night, p. 23; vision at night can be improved by training, p. 23; night vision detecting and losing sight of, p. 24; night vision and objects and color of surrounding objects, p. 24; night vision and relation of light and shadow, p. 25; relation of the seasons to night vision, p. 25; night vision and our own posture, p. 26; night vision and field glasses, p. 26. VI. METHOD OF TRAINING NIGHT VISION General principles, p. -26; important points of training, p. 27; methods of training, p. 28; experiments, p. 29. VII. HEARING AT NIGHT Character of the ground and sound, p. 30; kinds of covering substances, p. 30; the size of the detachment and the relative weight of materials, p. 31; weather, p. 31. VIII. TRAINING IN HEARING AT NIGHT Important points to be considered, p. 32; the march of infantry, p. 32; the march of cavalry, p. 32; the march of artillery, p. 32; the noise of intrenching, p. 33; methods, p. 33; inferences to be drawn from sounds, p. 34. IX. QUIET MARCH AT NIGHT Importance, p. 35; important cautions in a night march, p. 35. X. TRAINING IN QUIET MARCHES AT NIGHT Dress, p. 37; order of training, p. 37; method of carrying out the above training, p. 37; cautions, p. 37. XI. THE CROSSING OF ROUGH GROUND AT NIGHT Importance of practice, p. 38; summary, p. 38. XII. TRAINING IN CROSSING ROUGH GROUND AT NIGHT Clothing, p. 39; order of training, p. 39 XIII. DETERMINATION OF DIRECTION AT NIGHT Importance, p. 40; methods of determining direction, p. 40; by fixed stars, p. 40; by the moon, p. 42; by the map, p. 42; by compass, p. 42; other methods, p. 42. XIV. TRAINING IN DETERMINING DIRECTION How to find the north star and how to use it, p. 43; method by compass, p. 43. XV. METHOD OF MAKING A LIGHT AT NIGHT Importance, p. 44; manner of making a light, p. 44; individual training, p. 45. XVI. CONNECTION AND CONNECTING FILES AT NIGHT Methods, p. 45; by sound, p. 45; by signals, p. 46; connecting files, p. 47; messengers, p. 48; relays, p. 53. XVII. NIGHT FIRING Cautions for individuals, p. 55. XVIII. TRAINING IN NIGHT FIRING Horizontal firing and posture, p. 55; method and order of training, p. 56; formation, p. 56; opportunities for training, p. 56; methods, p. 56. XIX. NIGHT BAYONET EXERCISES Importance of such drill, p. 57; cautions in the use of the bayonet at night, p. 57. XX. TRAINING IN NIGHT BAYONET FENCING Scope of training, p. 58; method of training, p. 58; against dummy figures, p. 58; fundamental training, p. 58. XXI. NIGHT INTRENCHING Importance, p. 59; important points in training, p. 59. XXII. TRAINING IN NIGHT INTRENCHING Methods, p. 61; cautions, p. 61. XXIII. METHODS OF RECOGNIZING FRIENDLY TROOPS AT NIGHT Importance, p. 62; methods of recognition, p. 62; disadvantages of speech, p. 62; suitable methods of recognition, p. 63. XXIV. NIGHT DEMOLITION WORK Training, p. 63; requisites for demolition work, p. 63; important principles of demolition work, p. 64 5 methods of training, p. 64. XXV. METHODS OF USING HAND GRENADES AT NIGHT XXVI. NIGHT SENTINELS Training, p. 65; position of sentinels, p. 65; posture, p. 67; reconnaissance, p. 67; challenging, p. 68; firing, p. 68; reports, p. 70; connection, p. 70; friendly patrols, p. 72; reliefs, p. 73. XXVII. TRAINING OF NIGHT SENTINELS Amount of light, p. 74; terrain, p. 74; sentinels and squads, p. 74; example of such training, p. 75; character of such training, p. 76. XXVIII. NIGHT PATROLS Methods of connection, p. 77; methods of maintaining direction, p. 77; methods of passing and reconnaissance of various terrain and physical objects, p. 79; indications, p. 82; reconnaissance of the enemy's line of sentinels, p. 83; night patrols and quiet, p. 84; night patrols and their roads, p. 84; reconnaissance and recollection of terrain, p. 84. XXIX. NIGHT HIDDEN PATROLS Suitable characteristics, p. 86; distribution, p. 86; position, p. 87. XXX. TRAINING OF NIGHT PATROLS Training and terrain, p. 87; methods of training, p. 87. XXXI. MOVEMENTS OF A DETACHMENT AT NIGHT Leadership at night, p. 90; to accustom troops to change of formation at night, p. 92; individual cautions in movements by squad, p. 93. XXXII. TRAINING IN SQUAD MOVEMENTS AT NIGHT Orders, p. 94; night movements and strictness, p. 94. XXXIII. A SQUAD'S NIGHT FIRING When carried out, p. 94; important points in the preparation for night firing, p. 95; method of firing, p. 98; collective and individual fire, p. 99. XXXIV. METHOD OF TRAINING IN SQUAD FIRING AT NIGHT Orders and methods of training, p. 99. XXXV. SQUAD NIGHT INTRENCHMENTS Method of tracing, p. 99; methods relative to the line of trace, p. 100; cautions for individual soldiers and execution of work, p. 100; method of filling sandbags and intrenchments in which used, p. 100. XXXVI. METHOD OF TRAINING IN NIGHT INTRENCHING XXXVII. TRAINING AND METHOD OF PASSING OBSTACLES AT NIGHT Importance of passing obstacles by detachment, p. 103; cautions for the Commanding Officer with respect to obstacles, p. 103; cautions for soldiers when crossing obstacles, p. 104. XXXVIII. NIGHT MARCHES AND TRAINING Occasions when night marches are essential, p. 105; cautions for staff officers, p. 105; cautions for individual soldiers, p. 107; articles carried by officers, p. 108. XXXIX. NIGHT BATTLES (A) THE OFFENSIVE Cause of success in night attacks, p. 109; cause of non-success in night attacks, p. 109; cautions in night movements (General regulations), p. 110; the Commanding Officers and soldiers in night attacks, p. Ill; characteristics of night attacks, p. 112; method of night attacks, p. 113; night attacks and arms of the service, p. 114; the point of attack at night, p. 115; reconnaissance and plans, p. 117; hour for night attack, p. 118; position when beginning a night attack, p. 119; night orders or instructions, p. 121; distribution and formation for night attacks, p. 122; the advance to the attack p. 123; night attacks and firing, p. 124; preparations against the enemy's changes of disposition, p. 126; the night charge, p. 127; movements after a successful charge, p. 128; pursuit after a night attack, p. 128. (B) THE DEFENSIVE Psychological disadvantages, p. 129; action of the defense at night, p. 130; steps taken when anticipating the enemy's night attack, p. 131; the defender's night battle, p. 131; steps when the defender has driven off the enemy, p. 132. End of Preview.
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