Night Combat Operations
Abstract
As the U.S. Army prepares to fight potential enemies around the world, across the scale of conflict intensity, it has to come to grips with operations after dark; it must recognize the fact that many potential adversaries will possess equal or greater firepower than the committed American forces, especially in any European conflict. We will be forced to use the dark properly, or we may very well fail. If day operations are denied because of enemy fire superiority, then most likely the typically American solution to maintaining control in a night attack -- the "illuminated night attack" -- will also fail. All that is left will be a choice between true night operations or defeat. Additionally, in any low- or medium-intensity conflict where we retain our accustomed fire superiority, the enemy will undoubtedly turn to the night for his movements and attacks. If American forces are to stop these acts, the cover of night has to be denied to the enemy. U.S. forces must be able to operate more proficiently than their foes to deny them the advantages of the dark. With that in mind, this study examines six examples of night combat. They are selected from World War II and Korea and depict a typical cross-section of good and bad experiences by American units of varying competency. The fifth example is an exception to the others in that it is both a British action and dates from the First World War. However, it so clearly demonstrates what can be done that it deserves inclusion in any study of night combat. The focus of this paper is at the level of battalion or higher; the study looks at three types of combat actions: attacks, defenses, and raids. The most common night action is reconnaissance, but as the American experience does not include reconnaissance actions by larger units, they will not be addressed. Repeatedly throughout a study of night operations, certain key influences surface: Leadership, Training, Planning, and Surprise.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 23, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA481547
Entities
People
- Andrew N. Morris
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College