What is a counter fight? Goals and characteristics of an oncoming battle. Conducting a counter battle. Combat mission and order of battle of a company in an oncoming battle

A counter battle is a type of offensive battle in which both sides strive to complete their assigned tasks by attacking. It aims to defeat the advancing enemy in short time, seizing the initiative and creating favorable conditions for further actions.

A counter battle is possible during a march, in defense - when conducting counterattacks and delivering counterstrikes, when destroying air and sea landings, and in an offensive - when repelling counterattacks and counterattacks, when colliding with enemy reserves moving forward to occupy advantageous positions.

A meeting battle is characterized by: a sharp change in the situation and the transience of combat operations, the rapid rapprochement of the parties and their entry into battle on the move; an intense struggle to gain time, seize and maintain the initiative, and create fire superiority over the enemy; the presence of significant gaps between units and open flanks allowing freedom of maneuver.

Success in an oncoming battle is achieved by: conducting continuous reconnaissance on a wide front and on greater depth in order to obtain information about the advancing enemy; pre-empting the enemy in delivering fire strikes, in capturing and holding advantageous positions by forward detachments (vanguards); applying preemptive strong blow by the main forces, together with the decisive actions of advanced, outflanking, raid detachments, and tactical airborne assault in order to dismember the enemy’s battle formation and destroy it piece by piece; maintaining the initiative throughout the entire battle, extensive use of engineering obstacles, reliable support of the flanks and rear, effective combat against airborne assault forces and enemy airmobile groups; firm and continuous control and maintaining close cooperation between units (subunits in battle).

A regiment operating in a forward detachment or in a separate direction in an oncoming battle strikes with its main forces, as a rule, on the flank and rear of the main enemy group, pinning it down with part of its forces from the front. In cases where the enemy is reliably suppressed by fire, and also when the maneuver of units to the flank and rear is difficult or requires a long time, the regiment can strike from the front.

In an oncoming battle, the regiment is given the immediate task and the direction to continue the offensive.

The immediate task of a regiment advancing in the direction of the division's main attack may be to defeat the main forces of a brigade (regiment) of the first echelon of the opposing enemy division in its direction and to capture a line that provides favorable conditions for destroying suitable reserves and developing an offensive.

The immediate task of a regiment operating in a pinning direction (from the front) is to capture an advantageous line that provides the main forces of the division with conditions for maneuver, deployment and striking the flank and rear of the main enemy group; defeating the advancing enemy with fire of all means and preventing him from attacking the flank and rear of the division's main forces. With the transition of the main forces to the attack, the regiment is given a new task and the direction of continuing the offensive is indicated.

The regiment's battle formation in an oncoming battle should ensure a strong initial blow. It is built, as a rule, in one echelon with the allocation of a strong combined arms reserve.

A tank regiment (a separate tank battalion) and a motorized rifle regiment on infantry fighting vehicles are used, as a rule, on the main direction to strike on the approaching flank or in the shortest direction in order to dismember and destroy the enemy in parts.

A motorized rifle regiment of a tank division (a motorized rifle regiment on the vehicles of a motorized rifle division) is usually used in a pinning direction or for joint actions with tank regiments in the direction of the main attack.

A tank battalion of a motorized rifle regiment is, as a rule, assigned to motorized rifle battalions by company. Sometimes he can act in full force in the direction of the main attack.

A motorized rifle battalion of a tank regiment is usually attached to tank battalions or can operate in full strength in the vanguard (advanced detachment) of the regiment.

Before the enemy can deploy and launch a strike, reconnaissance of all types must promptly reveal: the composition of the enemy, the deployment locations (coordinates) of nuclear and chemical attack weapons, high-precision weapons systems, their readiness to strike; army aviation base sites (airfields); the direction of movement of the main enemy forces, the time they passed certain lines and the beginning of deployment; the nature of the terrain in the area of ​​the upcoming oncoming battle, as well as the approach of enemy reserves from the depths.

The defeat of the enemy in order to disrupt his advance and organized entry into battle, as well as to create conditions for defeat in parts, begins with preemptive fire strikes at extreme ranges. As the parties get closer, the impact on the enemy increases.

A counter battle of a regiment begins, as a rule, with a battle of the forward detachment or vanguard, whose actions are supported by air strikes and artillery fire from the main forces, the landing of a tactical airborne assault on the enemy’s advance route and the destruction of his airborne assault forces, airmobile and sabotage and reconnaissance groups. Sometimes, during the development of an offensive, a regiment may begin a counter battle with the enemy delivering a counterattack (conducting a counterattack), a battle of first echelon units.

The forward detachment quickly captures the line assigned to it, defeats the opposing enemy with fire of all means, ensures the advancement and deployment of the main forces and prevents the enemy from attacking the flank and rear. Subsequently, he acts in accordance with the assigned task, usually in the first echelon of the regiment. If the enemy has forestalled the advance detachment in reaching the designated line, then the advance detachment quickly goes out to strike the enemy’s flank, quickly deploys, boldly attacks him and completes the assigned task.

In the event that it was not possible to capture the designated line, the forward detachment through active actions restrains the enemy at other advantageous lines, ensuring the advance and maneuver of the main forces to strike the flank and rear of the enemy.

When landing a tactical airborne assault force in the direction of operations of the forward detachment, the commander of the forward detachment takes measures to connect with it as quickly as possible and carry out the assigned task with decisive joint actions.

The vanguards of the leading regiments (the vanguard of the regiment) with a swift attack destroy the enemy's marching guards on the move, break through to his main forces and pin them down with daring decisive actions, ensuring the maneuver and deployment of the main forces of the regiment, and also cover their flanks from enemy attacks. If the enemy, with superior forces, forestalls the vanguard in deployment, they, having taken an advantageous position, pin down the enemy with fire of all means and ensure the deployment of the main forces.

When a battle begins with an advanced detachment or vanguard, the regiment commander immediately moves forward, based on the results of the battle of the advanced detachment or vanguard, personal observations and intelligence data, he clarifies his decision, communicates the specified tasks to the units, and, if necessary, the order of interaction.

The approach of the main forces of the regiment to the enemy and their deployment into pre-battle and combat formations are carried out with maximum speed.

The lead battalions secretly, along the shortest routes, advance to the directions indicated to them, and, using the results of attacks from the missile unit, aviation and artillery fire, as well as the results of the battle of the forward detachment and vanguards, they attack the enemy on the move, without waiting for the arrival of all their forces, and rapidly develop an attack to the full depth of the assigned combat mission and in cooperation with a battalion operating in a constraining direction and a tactical airborne assault destroy it. Open flanks and gaps in the enemy's battle formations are used to strike in order to dismember and destroy him piece by piece.

Motorized rifle units attack the enemy together with tanks, usually in infantry fighting vehicles (armored personnel carriers).

The regiment (battalion), operating in the constrained direction, defeats the enemy with fire of all means, prohibits its organized deployment and ensures the maneuver and exit of the main forces of the regiment to strike the flank and rear of the enemy; subsequently he advances in the direction indicated to him.

The success achieved by the first echelon battalions is developed by the introduction of a combined arms reserve into battle, as well as by all available forces and means to prevent the enemy from organizing a defense or regrouping his forces.

A counter battle of a regiment usually ends with the transition to the pursuit of defeated enemy units. The pursuit begins by the battalions on their own, as a result of which the enemy’s attempt to withdraw troops from the attack must be thwarted.

In the event of an unsuccessful outcome of the oncoming battle, the regiment must gain a foothold on the achieved line and use all means of fire, as well as counterattacks, to pin down the enemy’s actions until other units approach. During a temporary transition to defense, it is created, as a rule, in a short time using barriers of all types.

The technical support and rear units of the regiment, with the initiation of a counter battle by the forward detachment (vanguard), stop along the roads (on movement routes), and with the deployment of the main forces for the counter battle, they go to their assigned areas and provide technical and logistic support to the units. In this case, first of all, medical centers and collection points for damaged vehicles are deployed.

The regiment commander controls units in an oncoming battle - from a command post deployed in the direction of the main attack; in the regiment - at a distance of 1-2 km from the line of battle formation of the first echelon units.

Meeting engagement occurs when both sides solve the assigned tasks with an offensive. Moreover, it is necessary to defeat the advancing enemy in a short time, and for this it is necessary to seize the initiative and thereby create favorable conditions for further actions. An encounter battle can take place in various conditions: during a march, during the development of an offensive, as well as during counterattacks in defense. During the Great Patriotic War encounter battles took place during a collision between parties moving towards each other in a marching formation.

Thus, the conditions for the occurrence of a counter battle in a future war may be very diverse. In an offensive, for example, when units, having broken through the defense, develop success in depth or pursue the enemy, and he puts forward his reserves; in defense, usually when conducting a counterattack. Often this battle begins when units meet on the march, when both sides move forward for active action. And this is especially characteristic of modern conditions, in which the widespread use of maneuver has made the march an integral element of combat activity.

But no matter what conditions arise meeting engagement , he always has such features as

• limited time for its organization;
• rapid rapprochement of the parties and their entry into battle on the move;
• intense struggle to gain time, seize and retain the initiative;
• sudden and frequent changes in the situation;
• the deployment of combat operations on a wide front and their transience;
• freedom of maneuver and the presence of significant gaps and open flanks.

The most important conditions for achieving success in an oncoming battle are: timely organization of active and in-depth reconnaissance;

• timely decision-making and communication of tasks to subordinates;
• quick maneuver to capture an advantageous position;
• forestalling the enemy in fire damage;
• deploying and going on the attack and delivering a sudden and strong blow to him, as a rule, in the flank and rear;
• quickly seizing the initiative and maintaining it during the battle, reliable control and maintaining continuous interaction between units in battle.

Fulfilling these requirements will allow you to achieve success in an oncoming battle and defeat not only an equal, but also a superior enemy. Thus, success is achieved by those who act boldly and decisively, quickly seize the initiative and maintain it during combat operations. In a counter battle, the count is not by hours, but by minutes and even seconds. The winner is the one who, having discovered the enemy, quickly deploys and attacks faster, who is the first to open real fire.

One of the most important conditions achieving success in an oncoming battle is to forestall the enemy in opening fire with artillery, capturing advantageous positions, deploying the main forces and going on the attack. It is no coincidence that they say: whoever forestalled, won! Therefore, the actions of commanders must be imbued with constant desire to preempt the enemy. At the same time, it is necessary to avoid premature deployment, which could lead to a decrease in the rate of approach and limitation of maneuver capabilities.

The basis for maneuver in an oncoming battle should be the desire to dismember his column or battle formation with a blow to the enemy’s flank and rear, in order to subsequently destroy him piece by piece with decisive actions.

ACTIONS OF MARCHING SECURITY IN COUNTER COMBAT

A motorized rifle company, operating as part of a marching guard, using open flanks and gaps, has the ability, with part of its forces, the head patrol of a motorized rifle platoon, to pin down the enemy’s actions from the front and, by striking the majority of forces and means to the flank and rear, to defeat an enemy of equal strength. A company can capture an advantageous position, ensure deployment and maneuver to the flank and rear by the vanguard (main forces) to defeat superior enemy forces.

If we turn to the tactics of foreign armies, then according to the views existing in the armies of the United States and Germany, on the march, in anticipation of an oncoming battle, an advanced marching group consisting of reinforced infantry fighting vehicles (tb) is sent from the main forces as a marching guard. To ensure its own safety, the advanced marching group sends out a leading marching outpost (GPZ). It may include motorized infantry units ranging in strength from a platoon to a company, reinforced by tanks, observers from artillery units, and, if necessary, sappers and dosimetric patrols. The distance of the main marching outpost from the main forces of the marching guard depends on the situation and the nature of the terrain and can reach 5-7 km. The head marching outpost, in turn, sends out a head patrol of up to a platoon force for reconnaissance and immediate security, the distance of which can reach 1-3 km.

Taking into account the above, we will consider the tasks performed by motorized rifle, tank, artillery and engineering units in an oncoming battle.

Tanks assigned to marching guards move at the head of the column and, when meeting the enemy, quickly deploy and open fire, destroying his tanks and other military equipment, and the marching guards are deployed together with tanks on maximum speed attacks and destroys the enemy. A tank platoon attached to the GPZ, as a rule, operates as part of the main forces on the approaching flank with the aim of delivering a strong initial blow.

A motorized rifle company operating in the GPZ destroys the enemy marching guard of the GPZ, boldly breaks through to the main forces of the advanced marching group, with active and decisive actions and fire of all means, fetters their actions, ensuring the deployment and maneuver of the main forces of the battalion (vanguard).

Artillery units assigned to marching guards, when meeting the enemy, immediately take up firing positions and immediately open fire on him and his approaching columns, destroy and suppress artillery, anti-tank weapons, support the battle of the gas defense zone, as well as the advancement, deployment and battle of the main forces of the battalion. First of all, artillery fire is concentrated on enemy artillery (mortars) and units interfering with the deployment of the company or trying to reach the flank.

Anti-aircraft weapons, while in combat formations, move behind the attacking units in constant readiness to fire at air targets on the move or from a short stop.

Engineering units assigned to the head outpost can perform the following tasks: conducting engineering reconnaissance (sapper department); arrangement of crossings over obstacles using MTU-20; expansion and marking of passages in minefields (after making rut passages with trawls).

COMBAT MISSION AND COMBAT ORDER OF A COMPANY IN AN COUNTER COMBAT

A company can fight independently, operating in the head (side) marching outpost or as part of the main forces of the battalion. In an oncoming battle, the company is given the immediate task and the direction of further advance is indicated. The immediate task of a company operating in the GPP is to destroy reconnaissance and security units, capture an advantageous position and ensure the deployment of the battalion's main forces.

The immediate task of a company operating as part of the battalion's main forces is to defeat the enemy in the direction of advance of the enemy's lead units, destroy and capture artillery and capture a line that provides favorable conditions for the destruction of suitable reserves and development of the offensive.

Is the company capable of performing the specified tasks? The answer to this question can be obtained by analyzing the combat capabilities of the company in an oncoming battle and the balance of forces and means.

Let's consider the capabilities of a company in the GPP to combat enemy tanks.

A. When conducting a counter battle.

The company has 12 infantry fighting vehicles; the combat effectiveness coefficient of each infantry fighting vehicle is 1.5 (12 x 1.5 = 18).

The company has 9 RPG-7 (RPG-16) hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers, the combat effectiveness coefficient is 0.2 (9 x 0.2 = 1.8).

The company, as a rule, will be reinforced by a tank platoon - 4 tanks, the combat effectiveness coefficient is 1 (4 x 1 = 4). Total: 24 enemy tanks.

B. When holding a captured line.

BMP -12x1.5=18.

Tanks - 4x2 = 8.

RPG-7 -9x0.2=1.8

A total of 28 enemy tanks,

Calculations were made at 100 percent. company staffing level.

Company capabilities to engage the enemy with fire small arms allow you to create a density (12600:1000 m) of 10-12 bullets per linear meter, and when operating at a front of 1500 m, the density will be 7-8 bullets per linear meter.

Maneuverability allows the company to quickly move on the battlefield, act quickly and at a high tempo.

Indicators of the company's maneuverability in an oncoming battle:

• deployment to pre-battle formation - 2.5 minutes;
• deployment into a battle formation from a column - 3 min;
• combat attack speed (on infantry fighting vehicles) - 10-15 km/h;
• deployment of the company at the -5 min.

An analysis of combat capabilities and the balance of forces and means show that in a meeting battle, the GPZ will have to conduct combat operations with an enemy of equal strength. The success of the battle will depend primarily on preemption in opening fire, capturing an advantageous position, maneuvering to the flank and rear, as a result of which superiority over the enemy can be achieved and conditions for more effective use of weapons and equipment.

The company's combat formation in an oncoming battle should ensure a strong initial blow. It is built in one echelon and consists of combat formations of platoons and fire weapons assigned to the company. In an oncoming battle, as a rule, an armored battle formation will be used.

The position of the platoons in the battle formation can be in a line, a ledge to the right, a ledge to the left, an angle forward or an angle back - this position of the units in the battle formation ensures the participation of all forces and means in destroying the enemy and covering the flanks and rear of the company's battle formation.

The composition and purpose of all the listed elements of the battle order in an oncoming battle are the same as in an offensive.

The company commander, who is part of the main forces of the battalion, having received the task of defeating the advancing enemy in an oncoming battle, understands it, assesses the situation, makes a decision, assigns tasks to units and reinforcements, organizes interaction, control and support of combat operations. Subsequently, he clarifies these issues on the ground.

The company secretly reaches its direction at the maximum permissible speed, deploys into battle formation, quickly attacks the enemy and develops an offensive in depth.

When the enemy tries to go on the defensive at an advantageous line, the company, with fire and a decisive attack on the move, dismembers its battle formation, destroys the enemy, captures this line and continues to carry out the assigned task.

From the characteristics of the oncoming battle that we have considered and the conditions that ensure success in the oncoming battle, the skillful actions of the commander of the lead outpost and the rapid actions of the units will play a large role. Therefore, knowledge of the characteristics of an oncoming battle, the company’s tasks during counter battle will allow the company commander to quickly make the most appropriate decision, set combat missions in a short time and successfully complete the assigned task.

(M. Tatarsky)

Opponents, simultaneously attacking, repelling enemy counterattacks, or introducing reserves during a defensive battle to neutralize breakthroughs in the front line, each strive to seize the initiative, defeat the attacking enemy, and achieve strategic goals through high activity and decisive action.

An environment conducive to the formation of numerous oncoming battles, is the beginning of a war, when opposing armed forces separated by distance move towards each other with maximum determination.

For oncoming battle characterized by the speed of rapprochement between opponents, as well as the introduction of troops into battle on the move.

Opinions

Meeting engagement For now, we interpret it according to the work of Andogsky. This work is good, but it is based on examples from Suvorov’s campaigns. Also good campaigns, but they were in a completely different environment and other armies carried them out. Therefore, as we have established, this type of combat also needs to be reviewed now.

Report of the Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army, General of the Army K. A. Meretskov, “Results and tasks of combat training of the ground forces, air force and operational training of senior command personnel,” RGVA, f. 4, op. 18, no. 55, l. 3 - 45.

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Notes

see also

Bibliography

• A. I. Andogsky. Meeting engagement. A strategic and tactical study of the methods and techniques of conducting oncoming combat in the modern era based on military-historical examples. Petrograd, 1918.
• Tatarsky M.(Russian) // Army collection: magazine. - 2009. - January (vol. 176, no. 01). - pp. 19-21.
• Kramarenko P.(Russian) // Army collection: magazine. - 2013. - October (vol. 233, no. 10). - pp. 11-13.
• Vorobyov I. N.(Russian) // Army collection: magazine. - 2014. - August (vol. 242, no. 08). - pp. 11-19.

Links

• Meeting engagement- article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia.

Excerpt characterizing the Counter Battle

That same evening, Pierre went to the Rostovs to fulfill his assignment. Natasha was in bed, the count was at the club, and Pierre, having handed over the letters to Sonya, went to Marya Dmitrievna, who was interested in finding out how Prince Andrei received the news. Ten minutes later Sonya entered Marya Dmitrievna’s room.
“Natasha definitely wants to see Count Pyotr Kirillovich,” she said.
- Well, how about taking him to her? “Your place is not tidy,” said Marya Dmitrievna.
“No, she got dressed and went into the living room,” said Sonya.
Marya Dmitrievna just shrugged.
- When the countess arrives, she completely tormented me. Just be careful, don’t tell her everything,” she turned to Pierre. “And I don’t have the heart to scold her, she’s so pathetic, so pathetic!”
Natasha, emaciated, with a pale and stern face (not at all ashamed as Pierre expected her to be) stood in the middle of the living room. When Pierre appeared at the door, she hurried, apparently undecided whether to approach him or wait for him.
Pierre hurriedly approached her. He thought that she would give him her hand, as always; but she, coming close to him, stopped, breathing heavily and lifelessly lowering her hands, in exactly the same position in which she went out into the middle of the hall to sing, but with a completely different expression.
“Pyotr Kirilych,” she began to speak quickly, “Prince Bolkonsky was your friend, he is your friend,” she corrected herself (it seemed to her that everything had just happened, and that now everything is different). - He told me then to contact you...
Pierre silently sniffled, looking at her. He still reproached her in his soul and tried to despise her; but now he felt so sorry for her that there was no room for reproach in his soul.
“He’s here now, tell him... so that he can just... forgive me.” “She stopped and began to breathe even more often, but did not cry.
“Yes... I’ll tell him,” Pierre said, but... – He didn’t know what to say.
Natasha was apparently frightened by the thought that might occur to Pierre.

Meeting engagement

a type of combat operations by troops in which both sides strive to solve the assigned tasks by attack. V.b. can arise at the beginning of a war as a result of a collision of troops that simultaneously went on the offensive, during the development of an offensive when repelling counterattacks or counterattacks of the enemy, as well as in defense when advancing second echelons and reserves to fight the enemy who has broken through. V.b. is usually characterized by a rapid rapprochement of the parties, insufficient clarity of the situation, frequent and abrupt changes, the transience of combat operations, extremely limited time for their organization, the entry of troops into battle on the move, the presence of open flanks and freedom of maneuver.

The most characteristic methods of action of troops in military warfare. are the delivery of pre-emptive fire strikes against the enemy, the use of advanced detachments and airborne assaults, the rapid entry into battle of the main forces and their strikes on the flanks and rear of the main enemy group with the aim of dissecting and defeating it in a short time. If, according to the conditions of the situation, one of the parties refuses a further offensive, V. b. develops into other types of combat operations - into defense for one side and an attack on the defending enemy for the other, or into withdrawal and pursuit. V.b. can also develop into a counter battle, which is waged by operational formations and is characterized by the same features as military warfare.

A. O. Khachatryan.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

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1. BATTLE, battle, with battle, about battle, in battle; pl. fights, fights; m. 1. to Beat and Beat. Careful seal fight. Beat someone to death. (very cruel). 2. Armed conflict between the warring parties; battle. Offensive battles. Air, tank battle. Sea battle … encyclopedic Dictionary

Books

• Meeting battle (RR-42), Highlander Alexander. Do not break formations, hold the blow, push back the enemy. Two commanders and only one winner! IN THE BOX: - 17 cards of the army of the North - 17 cards of the army of the South - 17 cards of the army of the West - 17 cards of the army...

The general looked through the stereo until his eyes hurt. In the artificial, repeatedly reflected and refracted world of optics, everything seemed flat and unnatural, and the rainbow film that occupied the eastern part of the viewing area was irritating with fairground colors.

- I do not see! - he said angrily. - They chose enpe, there is nothing to say! Where are Kolymasov's tanks?

“To the left of the bridge, Comrade General,” the little reconnaissance captain who equipped this observation post for the corps commander quietly explained.

The general looked up from the eyepieces and straightened his cap, which had been knocked onto the back of his head.

“Push forward,” he said. - So that I can hear the engines. Have you chickened out at the end of the day, scouts? “He looked mockingly at the captain with eyes reddened from lack of sleep and easily jumped onto the parapet. - Communication, keep up!..

The general walked to where the battle was muffled, covered by tight clouds of a bluish-gray mixture of smoke and fog. He walked upright, not ducking from random projectiles, putting his hands in the pockets of his quilted jacket and shivering. An adjutant and two machine gunners glided silently behind him.

It was cool, and the barrels of the machine guns were covered with tiny drops of dew. The sun could not get over the mountains, in the lowlands it was still gloomy like night, and only high up in the rare clearings of fog a brightening sky could be seen.

“Three seventeen,” said the general, looking at his watch. — It’s getting late here.

The general was first overtaken by scouts led by the captain, and then by signalmen carrying reels and a backup radio.

- Let the connection work! - the general shouted after him.

- That's right, Comrade General! — the signal lieutenant responded automatically and ran, bending down at times and laying the wire more comfortably.

There were six scouts - in quilted jackets, belted with belts, with machine guns over their shoulders, knives and grenades on their belts. Six silent soldiers, accustomed to communicate more with signs than with words, who had gone through the war. They equally silently, slightly bent down, followed in the wake of the captain, and with their professionally light, leisurely and calculating gait, they could be mistaken for infantrymen, if not for the traditional black helmets that everyone wore in tank troops, even rear guards, repairmen and signalmen .

“It didn’t work out,” the reddish young scout grinned when they overtook the general. -Can you deceive him?

“But apparently this is the last battle,” sighed the tall sergeant, who was carrying a stereo tube. “If some random fool picks it up, it’s a shame...

They weren't talking about themselves. They talked about the general - the commander of their tank corps. He unraveled the naive trick with which they hoped to protect him in these last hours of the war. To say that they loved him, as soldiers love brave and successful commanders, would mean to say little and usually, because they did not just love him - they were proud of him, as brothers are proud of the most talented and happiest in the family. We were proud in front of the soldiers of other corps, in front of familiar and unfamiliar officers and generals, we were proud in front of our families, and military censorship was sometimes stumped when it came across enthusiastic phrases about ours in soldiers’ letters. He was called this way in conversations: “ours said”, “ours ordered”, “ours ordered”. Everyone named him - both soldiers and officers - and no one knew when this warm, almost family-like attitude towards the corps commander arose. And “ours” was no softer, no kinder, no more warm-hearted than any commander. Quite the contrary: he was harsher than many, did not tolerate contradictions, and in battle sometimes showed inflexibility bordering on cruelty. He never fell for the soldier jokes that were common in the conversations of many generals, he was reserved, and few in the corps could boast that they saw a smile on his face.