Light reading

I just finished Military Improvisations During the Russian Campaign (DA Pamphlet 20-201, August 1951) and have begun Small Unit Actions During the German Campaign in Russia (DA Pamphlet 20-269, July 1953. Of the two, the latter is a better read. Improvisations is from staff level, while Small Unit Actions is as its title suggests.

I have read Improvisations once before and Small Unit Actions twice or three times. Both were written following interviews of German officers by the Army’s Special Studies Division.

History nuts are a strange species, in that we care about knowing what happened. People who are not interested in history have no idea how we got where we are, and even more upsetting, they do not care. I wish they did not vote.

Casey, my youngest, is an infantry squad leader. He has a Combat Infantryman Badge and an Expert Infantry Badge, and a few rows of ribbons.

In conversation Sunday, he mentioned he and his platoon leader were discussing the Battle of the Somme. Casey has read quite a bit about that battle, as well as the not-as-bloody battle for Stalingrad. It is good that an infantry sergeant read and learn from monstrous battles that involved thousands of infantry soldiers.

Casey said he asked his LT if the Somme was part of Infantry Officer Basic Course. The LT said the course included a little American Army history, but not of other armies.

More than likely, any Army lieutenant would have, on his own and as part of his college or ROTC studies, been graced with studies of bloody battles. At least I hope so.