Combat Lessons Number 1: Rank And File In Combat: What They're Doing, How They Do It

United States Army War College

Read by David Wales

(4.5 stars; 12 reviews)

This 1942 Army manual, published during the course of World War II, consists of quotations from soldiers in the field concerning their experiences. Its format is subject, soldier’s name, place, quote. “The purpose of ‘Combat Lessons’ is to give to our officers and enlisted men the benefit of the battle experiences of others. To be of maximum benefit these lessons must be disseminated without delay. They do not necessarily represent the carefully considered views of the War Department; they do, however, reflect the actual experiences of combat and, therefore, merit careful reading.” (from the Introduction by General George C. Marshall). Note: The text contains racist and other emotion-laden language common in wartime, i.e., ‘Jap’ ‘Heinie” etc. - Summary by david wales and book introduction (1 hr 19 min)