Source: U.S. War Department "Handbook On German Military Forces" (Mar'45)
Officially released from restricted status by the U.S. Army Center For Military History.
c. THE INFANTRY DIVISION IN THE ATTACK.
(1) General principles for employment.
German teaching envisages infantry divisions being employed to
make a penetration in the enemy defensive positions through which
armored and mechanized formations can pass. During the course of
this war, however, no major attack has been carried out by infantry
divisions without the support of Panzer divisions. In fact, more
major attacks have been carried out by Panzer Divisions with only
a minimum of ordinary infantry elements. Infantry divisions have
been employed almost entirely in a role of consolidation, following
up the armored and mechanized formations, systematically eliminating
centers of resistance by-passed by the latter, or exploiting the
latter's success by mopping up demoralized enemy defenses to the
flanks of the armored breakthrough - in short, consolidating
and holding the ground won by the mechanized formations.
In view of the unspectacular role allotted to the infantry
division it is difficult to give information about other than
minor infantry tactics, such as attacks on a small scale.
(2) PREPARATION FOR THE ATTACK
The method of forming up for an infantry assault on a prepared
position is similar to that employed by the Panzer division. While
the infantry is in assembly positions, the artillery makes all
preparations for the support of the attack. It draws out hostile
artillery fire and executes counterbattery fire against known
enemy batteries. Large troop concentrations and especially
important targets are taken under fire at great ranges. In order
not to betray their full strength and intentions, the Germans
withhold a portion of their batteries from these missions. They
also try to deceive the enemy as to their intentions by covering
other sectors simultaneously with fire. When possible,
preparation for an attack is avoided during the day in order
to prevent Allied observation. Occasionally, to obtain a success
by surprise, the Germans launch attacks without artillery
preparation. Surprise attacks are also launched under cover
of darkness or fog.
The Germans normally occupy their line of departure by means
of infiltration in order to avoid losses. Their orders direct
what actions have to be taken when companies run into enemy
defenses; when enemy fire is opened from the flank; when an
enemy counterattack is launched; when objectives are reached;
when companies appear to be getting dispersed; when part of a
company pushes too far ahead of neighboring units or is held up.
The heavy machine guns of the rearward company and some of the
mortars and heavy mortars are assigned to deal with enemy
flanking fire.
The commander of the heavy company is normally at the battalion
headquarters, from which he can control the fire of the infantry
heavy support weapons.
(3) DEPLOYMENT
a) FIRST STAGE.
The Germans carry out deployment in two stages. They call the
first stage Entfaltung or "shaking out", which is equivalent
to the deployment of a march column according to U.S. procedure.
In the first stage, an infantry regiment normally deploys down
to battalions, although the procedure may go down to companies
if a high state of preparedness is necessary. Features of the
first stage of deployment are as follows:
Companies retain their combat vehicles until their weapons
and equipment arrive at the off-carrier position, which is
located as far forward as the situation permits.
The Germans often place only one company forward, the main
strength of the battalion being kept under control of the
battalion commander as long as possible so that he may deploy
it in the most advantageous direction for the attack.
If the condition of the terrain and the enemy fire cause a
change in intervals between units, the normal intervals are
resumed as soon as possible.
Support weapons are used to cover the "shaking out" phase
of deployment and the subsequent advance, the weapons being
kept within the march column between companies or behind the
battalion.
After the first stage of deployment has been carried out,
the leading elements of the battalion may be ordered to seize
important tactical features.
When deploying by night or in woods, a careful reconnaissance
is made, routes are marked, and strong protection is placed
forward. Intervals between units are shorter.
After the first stage of deployment has been completed, the
battalion commander marches with the leading elements and
normally will send reconnaissance patrols ahead or reconnoiter
the enemy position himself. The commanders of support weapons
accompany him, reconnoitering for firing positions.
(b) SECOND STAGE.
The second stage, called Entwicklung (development), is
deployment in detail, which is the final action of the company
extending itself down to platoons and squads. Features of
the second stage of deployment are as follows:
The companies deploy in depth as soon as they come in range
of artillery fire. An advance in columns of files is considered
desirable because it affords a small target and the company
is easier to control, but before adopting this formation
the danger of enfilade fire is weighed.
If enemy fire and difficult terrain necessitate further
deployment, the companies disperse in depth by sections. Reserves
and support weapons also adopt open formations, but they remain
far enough behind to avoid coming under the fire directed at
their leading elements.
When the rifle companies are deployed, they exploit all
possible cover as they advance, employing column-of-file
formations with irregular distances. The leading elements are
not extended until they are to engage in a fire fight.
The elements that follow continue advancing in file.
In determining when to deploy, the Germans take into
consideration additional physical strain placed on men when
they march cross country.
(4) TECHNIQUE OF ATTACK.
The infantry attack on prepared positions is made in the same
sequence as that of the Panzer division, namely penetration,
breakthrough, exploitation by the reserves. In the infantry
attack, however, the first phase is a series of local attacks
by so-called assault detachments (Stosstrupps) with the aim
of overcoming key points in the enemy defenses, so that wedges
into the enemy's forward positions can be established from
which the attack can be driven forward into the depth of
the enemy position, or rolling up the positions on either
flank of the wedge.
Assault detachments normally are composed of infantry with
engineers attached. A typical assault detachment consists of the
following: one officer; obstacle clearing party, consisting of
two to six men for each lane to be cleared, equipped with
small arms, wire-cutters, and bangalore torpedoes and other
explosives; embrasure-blasing party consisting of three or
four men equipped with grenades and demolition or pole charges.
This party may also include, though it may work independently,
a flame-thrower party, consisting normally of two men; covering
parties, normally two or three parties of varying size from
three men with one light machine gun to full platoons;
smoke party consisting of two or three men equipped with smoke
candles or grenades; supply party, carrying reserves of
equipment and ammunition, their strength depending on the size
of the assault detachment.
Attacks most often are made at dawn, and are preceded normally
by heavy artillery preparation, one purpose of which is to make
shell holes which afford cover for the advancing assault
detachments as they move forward. When the latter reach the
wire obstacles surrounding the enemy position, Very signals
are fired, calling for available artillery fire to be
brought on the position to seal it off from flanking positions.
If, by reason of proximity of the assault detachment to the
artillery's danger zone, the former cannot be protected
by covering fire, the smoke party may lay a smoke screen.
The obstacle clearing party then cuts one or more lanes through
the wire, using wire-cutters or bangalore torpedoes. The
embrasure-blasting party passes through and attacks the
embrasures. Flame throwers, if employed are not intended
by themselves to cause the surrender of the position, but to
cover the advance of the embrasure-blasing party with it's
explosive charges which are considered the decisive weapon.
Antitank guns may be used to give close support to the
embrasure-blasting party, being manhandled from cover to cover.
They will attack the embrasure with armor-piercing ammunition,
and also give protection against possible tank-supported
counterattacks.
It is probable that several such operations will be in
progress on any one sector at any one time before an attack,
in the first place to probe for weak spots, and in the second
place to keep the enemy in uncertainty as to the final point
of main effort of the attack. German feint attacks have
often been delivered in such strength or with such violence
as to be indistinguishable from the main attack.
Once a wedge has been firmly established in the enemy positions,
the second phase of the attack begins. Troops so far held in their
assembly area, or slowly making headway under cover of the
artillery fire supporting the first phase of the attack,
advance to cut the enemy position in two and to roll up the
positions flanking the wedge.
Because the Germans anticipate enemy defenses organized
in depth, and because these are unlikely to be fully disclosed
until after the beginning of the attack, they do not make detailed
plans for close-support covering fire, which would be hard to
work out in advance, but tend to decentralize their support
weapons and artillery for the second phase of the assault, in
which reinforced battalions, companies, or platoons fight their
own way forward, independently of their flanking units, until
they have gained their final objective.
Attack on lightly defended positions is more similar to the
conduct of the attack by the Panzer division. The first phase
is likely to be a deployed attack on a two-regiment front, the
third regiment in reserve.
The Germans believe that in the advance extended formation
of units is advantageous because it forces the enemy to
scatter his fire.
To counteract the overwhelming Allied superiority in artillery
and planes which frequently knock out the attack before it is
under way, the Germans have been known to use the following
method: Small groups of less than platoon size infiltrate
mainly at night over a period of three to four days into the
hostile battle position or at least well behind the advanced
positions. During the day the infiltrated groups conceal
themselves, but if caught pass themselves off as ordinary
patrols to avoid raising suspicion. When the actual attack
is launched these units try to give the impression that
the defender is surrounded and often cause great confusion.
When the Germans go over from the attack to the defense,
even if only temporarily, they concentrate the supporting
weapons around the commander of the unit that is to be
supported, so that he can control the fire plan.
(5) INFANTRY-ASSAULT GUN COORDINATION
The assault guns are organized in assault gun battalions
and are under the control of the division commander.
The Germans regard their self-propelled assault guns as the
decisive weapons to be employed particularly at the point
of main effort. In cooperation with infantry they facilitate
the penetration and breakthrough. These weapons, the Germans
believe, complement artillery fire by their ability to follow
the infantry right up to an objective. Their use for small
actions before an attack is forbidden, so as not to betray
their presence. Surprise is sought by bringing them into
position by night and camouflaging their assembly area.
Used primarily to neutralize enemy support weapons at close
ranges over open sights, assault guns are preferably
employed in concentrations; to employ them singly or in
comparatively small number is frowned upon by the Germans.
German assault guns advance with or just behind the infantry;
they never go ahead of the infantry. When an objective is reached,
the assault guns do not remain with the infantry while the
position is being consolidated but retire about 1,000
yards to await further assignment.
In close combat the assault guns are rather helpless and
therefore it is the task of the infantry to keep the enemy away from
the assault guns. Newly-organized assault gun escort batteries
have the same task.
(6) ARTILLERY
The Germans employ their field artillery in general support
(Allgemeine Unterstutzung), in the same manner as the U.S. Army.
The Germans consider the battalion as the firing unit.
Splitting up an artillery battalion into batteries and placing
batteries under an infantry battalion is the exception
justified only when the infantry battalion has an independent
mission (for example, flank protection) or when the terrain
does not permit unified fire control by artillery battalion
commanders. Single commitment of guns is against German
tactical doctrine.
Various recent reports, however, describe
deviations from the prescribed practice. Normally the
Germans do not employ single field artillery pieces for
direct fire, as, for instance, the Russians do. But much
use is made of roving guns (Arbeitsgeschutz), and of guns
firing from alternate positions to make identification
more difficult. Standing German orders call for the preparation
of alternate firing positions, which, however, are used
now only in cases of very heavy counterbattery fire, as
the gasoline shortage keeps all movements to a minimum.
The Germans often designate the number two piece as the
roving gun, and unlike the other pieces, it normally
is not dug in. It frequently changes it's position, which
is about 250 to 300 yards from the rest of the battery.
The German artillery often engages a target from a lateral
position. This deception, particularly identified with
longer range weapons, is extended by employing another gun,
often of lighter caliber, in a carefully coordinated attack
on the same target. Flash simulators also increase
the difficulty of visual location of active guns.
The first step to obtain infantry-artillery coordination
is taken in the attack order and is assured by direct
contact between the commanders, artillery liaison units
(Artillerievebindungskommando), and direct contact
between artillery observers and infantry units.
The Germans also employ forward observers (Vorgeschobene
Beobachter), who have the same task as their U.S. counterpart.
The signal equipment necessary for communication between
units, liaison units, and observers is only partly organic.
The Germans keep most of the signal equipment centralized
in the division signal battalion, which allots equipment
as needed to the various units.
In the attack the greater part of the artillery supports the
main effort. The remainder of the artillery is assigned the
mission of flank protection against possible enemy
counterattacks.
(7) MEETING ENGAGEMENT. (Begegnungsgefecht)
In the meeting engagement the Germans believe that the
advantage lies with the side which succeeds first in making
effective preparation for the attack and thereby deprives
the enemy of his freedom of action. When both adversaries
attack immediately from march columns, the decisive factors
are the initiative of the junior officers and the efficiency
of the troops. The senior commander quickly coordinates
the functions of the various officers, while the advance
guard secures for him freedom of action and the opportunity
for a speedy deployment of his troops.
(8) PURSUIT.
U.S. and German tactical doctrines on pursuit are very much
alike. Pursuit begins when the enemy is no longer able to
maintain his position and abandons the combat area with the bulk
of his forces. The object of the pursuit is the complete
annihilation of the retreating or routed enemy. Effective pursuit
requires great initiative from commanders of all echelons of
command, who must not hesitate to start pursuit immediately,
even when their troops are exhausted. The enemy must be given
no time to pause to reorganize his forces and reconstitute
his defense.
The pursuit is conducted on a broad front by means of fire
and movement. When making for distant objectives every effort
is made to get around the enemy's flanks and effect a surprise
attack in his rear. However, care must be taken that enemy
attack on one's own flank does not cause deflection from the
original direction.
Fast-moving troops are used in the pursuit. These troops often
are organized into pursuit or advance sections. The infantry
scatters the enemy and by-passes resisting enemy Strongpoint,
leaving their destruction to units following in the rear.
Part of the artillery places concentrations at the avenues of
retreat, while the remainder displaces forward in echelon,
providing continuous support for the units in front. The Germans
emphasize that a pursuit without the necessary artillery support
may lead to disaster. Assault guns travel well forward with the
rapidly advancing infantry, their comparatively heavy armament
enabling them to crush quickly and decisively any enemy forces
attempting to make a stand. Combat aviation bombs routes of
retreat and strafes the hostile forces in direct support of
the ground attack. Combat engineers repair damaged roads,
facilitating the continuous flow of supply and troops.
Pursuit after a successful breakthrough, is regarded by the
Germans as an ideal mission for the Panzer division. Panzer
Grenadiers in armored half-tracks or in unarmored vehicles
and tanks supplement each other in pursuing the enemy.
During the advance on roads, the tanks form the point. However,
through wooded areas or larger villages the Panzer Grenadiers
take over the point. Tanks and Panzer Grenadiers stay close
together so that either, according to the situation, can be
committed as soon as enemy resistance is encountered. Tanks
are normally not used in units of less than company strength.
