09-07-2004, 10:13 PM
Well, when you cut off a snakes head and cut the body into several pieces, the pieces will continue to writhe. However, the snake is most assuredly dead.<br>
<br>
By analogy, we can see the Roman army cut into several parts, with no hope of re-unification and no hope of any commands from the head.<br>
<br>
Caught in the killing zone, it had little other course but to die.<br>
<br>
This is so fundamental to an ambush that there are few courses open to an ambushed army. At Quantico, we were taught that an ambushed force is to take immediate, decisive action, if it is to survive. It can attempt to flee the ambush as rapidly as it can or it can immediately assault into the face of the ambush. There is no time to plan, consult or frequently even to issue orders. Subordinate commanders and even individuals must act on their own without direction from above. Soldiers only do this when specifically trained to do so. I believe this type of training ran counter to Roman doctrine and capabilities.<br>
<br>
It is clear that some Romans fought there way out. A subordinate or two must have acted correctly and taken matters into their own hands, and aggressively maneuvered their way out. The rest were doomed.<br>
<br>
Had the Roman army had time to combine and get into tactical formation, they could have defeated the Germans. There arms technology and training were superior. They were denied this opportunity. Credit must go to Herman for seeing the correct tactic and picking his ground carefully. <p></p><i></i>
<br>
By analogy, we can see the Roman army cut into several parts, with no hope of re-unification and no hope of any commands from the head.<br>
<br>
Caught in the killing zone, it had little other course but to die.<br>
<br>
This is so fundamental to an ambush that there are few courses open to an ambushed army. At Quantico, we were taught that an ambushed force is to take immediate, decisive action, if it is to survive. It can attempt to flee the ambush as rapidly as it can or it can immediately assault into the face of the ambush. There is no time to plan, consult or frequently even to issue orders. Subordinate commanders and even individuals must act on their own without direction from above. Soldiers only do this when specifically trained to do so. I believe this type of training ran counter to Roman doctrine and capabilities.<br>
<br>
It is clear that some Romans fought there way out. A subordinate or two must have acted correctly and taken matters into their own hands, and aggressively maneuvered their way out. The rest were doomed.<br>
<br>
Had the Roman army had time to combine and get into tactical formation, they could have defeated the Germans. There arms technology and training were superior. They were denied this opportunity. Credit must go to Herman for seeing the correct tactic and picking his ground carefully. <p></p><i></i>
"In war as in loving, you must always keep shoving." George S. Patton, Jr.
