General Raymond Davis and the Principles of War
Abstract
The principles of War provide an Operational Framework that can assist the Commander in planning combat operations. This paper demonstrates how Major General Davis, as the Commander of the 3rd Marine Division in Vietnam, skillfully applied the proper principles of War in Combat operations to achieve success over the enemy. Prior to General Davis taking command in the spring of 1968, the Third Marine Division found themselves tied down in fixed positions along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Vietnam. The Division's offensive actions were extremely limited as they were tasked to focus their main effort on building and manning a defensive barrier system along the DMZ. The Marines had all but lost their offensive spirit with General Davis assumed command. General Davis' aggressive utilization of the principles of war proved instrumental in rejuvenating the morale of his division and created a tactical advantage over enemy forces which he skillfully exploited to ensure success on the battlefield. His application of Air Mobile tactics through combined armed units gave his division the tactical advantage needed to defeat NVA Forces with the Quang Tri Province.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA401259
Entities
People
- Albert T. Conord
Organizations
- Marine Corps University