Leadership in Combat: An Historical Appraisal
Abstract
The OPMS study Group asked the History Department at USMA to study successful combat leadership to identify the trends and characteristics that should be institutionalized in the development of Officers. There were only two restrictions: that the actions studied be in actual combat and that it must clearly involve leadership not management. The characteristics found were indispensable to combat leadership, but not necessarily vital or sufficient to accomplish other essential military tasks. Preservice experience, and upbringing, education, and service record, physical condition, personal temperament and morality, and life following the incident were studied. There was surprising consistency among successful combat leaders regardless of historical period, country or condition of combat. There were five personal characteristics that were present in every case and disaster ensued in their absence. They were terrain sense, single-minded tenacity, ferocious audacity, physical confidence, and practical, practiced judgement.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA203571
Entities
People
- K. E. Hamburger