- responding to the division into sections must be made when
necessary." (Par. 403 German I. D. R.).
Weak points, i. e., points against which the assailant can suddenly mass superior forces at short range, or in the defense of which a coöperation of infantry and artillery is impossible, must be specially strengthened: by obstacles; provision for flanking the hostile advance; and preparation of supporting points in rear of the position. In addition, such weak points must be occupied with a strong garrison, by employing two firing lines, one above the other; reserves; and machine guns.
Enclosed farm yards (Point du Jour, on August 18th, 1870), and small patches of timber, are best not occupied at all; they are far more valuable as sham defenses in that they draw the fire of the assailant. At any rate, it is a question whether, at the last moment, when the hostile assault must be warded off, it will be possible to occupy such points.
As a general rule, only a single defensive position, consisting of an infantry and an artillery line, is selected.
The Russians invariably posted strong advanced detachments in
front of their main defensive positions. As a result, the most serious
fights usually occurred in the positions taken up by these advanced troops.[1]
At Haicheng, for example, a strong main position had been prepared,
in which a stand was to be made. In spite of this, the IInd Siberian
Corps was left in a strongly fortified advanced position west of Simutcheng.
This corps, in its turn, fortified two lines of advanced positions
far in its front.
"Thus, on July 31, 1904, only seven battalions of this corps finally fought at Daputsi and Liadapu. When they were thrown back by superior forces, the mistake was made of bringing up fresh troops to regain the position captured by the enemy. These troops arrived too late and had to make a difficult attack on the Japanese, who had already occupied the captured position. Naturally their frontal attack accomplished nothing.
"The force thus suffered a defeat needlessly, and, although the defensive had been decided upon, a lot of men were sacrificed in an attempt to retake an advanced position that had been captured by the enemy.
- ↑ Löffler, Russisch-japanischer Krieg, I, p. 109. See Taktik, V, p. 305, in regard to the numerous positions in the valley of the Shaho.
