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""The soldier is unknown often to his closest companions. He loses them in the disorienting smoke and confusion of a battle which he is fighting, so to speak, on his own."" Although not much is known of his life, Colonel Ardant du Picq (1821 - 1870) 's small corpus of writings has earned him a place in the ranks of great military theorists. His "Etudes sur les combat: Combat antique et moderne," often referred to by its common English title Battle Studies, was published in part in 1880 posthumously, and the complete text did not appear until 1902. Du Picq was the first military scientist to write extensively on the psychological aspect of war. He died prematurely in the early stages of the F...
"Battle Studies: Ancient and Modern Battle" is a seminal military history book written by Charles Ardant du Picq, a colonel in the French Army who was killed in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War. The book is divided into two main parts. In the first part, Ardant du Picq discusses the psychological and emotional aspects of warfare, such as courage, fear, and morale. The second part of the book examines the tactics and organization of ancient armies, with a focus on the Roman legions. Ardant du Picq draws on his extensive knowledge of ancient history to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of different types of units, such as infantry and cavalry, and to offer insights into the tactics and strategies that were most effective in ancient warfare. The final section of the book focuses on modern warfare and the challenges faced by modern armies. Moreover, "Battle Studies: Ancient and Modern Battle" is a highly influential work that offers valuable insights into the nature of warfare and the factors that contribute to success or failure in battle.
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Yet the answer is simple. The value of the book of Ardant du Picq lies precisely in the fact that it contains not alone the unmistakable forecast of the defeat, itself, but a luminous statement of those fundamental principles, the neglect of which led to Gravelotte and Sedan. Napoleon has said that in war the moral element is to all others as three is to one. Moreover, as du Picq impressively demonstrates, while all other circumstances change with time, the human element remains the same, capable of just so much endurance, sacrifice, effort, and no more. Thus, from Caesar to Foch, the essential factor in war endures unmodified. And it is not the value of du Picq's book, as an explanation of the disasters of 1870, but of the triumphs of 1914-18, which gives it present and permanent interest. It is not as the forecast of why Bazaine, a type of all French commanders of the Franco-Prussian War, will fail, but why Foch, Joffre, Petain will succeed, that the volume invites reading to-day.
A classic of military thought that merits a place alongside the works of Clausewitz and Sun Tzu, Battle Studies was first published in Paris ten years after the death of its author, French army officer Charles Ardant du Picq (1821–1870). Updated to provide a more complete and accurate biographical and historical framework for understanding its meaning and import, this edition—deftly translated, introduced, and annotated by noted military historian Roger Spiller—offers a new generation of readers the benefit of Ardant du Picq's unique insight into the nature of warfare. Nothing, Ardant du Picq asserts, can be prescribed wisely in an army “without an exact understanding of its ultimate...
In Charles Jean Jacques Joseph Ardant du Picq's 'Battle Studies; Ancient and Modern Battle', the author delves deep into the intricacies of warfare, comparing and contrasting battle tactics from ancient to modern times. Through meticulous analysis and detailed descriptions of historical battles, Ardant du Picq sheds light on the psychology of combat, emphasizing the importance of morale, discipline, and leadership on the outcome of war. Drawing on his experience as a French Army officer, the author provides valuable insights into the dynamics of military strategy and the human element in battle. His elegant prose and insightful observations make this book a classic in the field of military h...
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David Herrmann's work is the most complete study to date of how land-based military power influenced international affairs during the series of diplomatic crises that led up to the First World War. Instead of emphasizing the naval arms race, which has been extensively studied before, Herrmann draws on documentary research in military and state archives in Germany, France, Austria, England, and Italy to show the previously unexplored effects of changes in the strength of the European armies during this period. Herrmann's work provides not only a contribution to debates about the causes of the war but also an account of how the European armies adopted the new weaponry of the twentieth century ...
We present to the public the complete works of Colonel Ardant du Picq, arranged according to the plan of the author, enlarged by unpublished fragments and documents. These unpublished documents are partially known by those who have read "Studies on Combat" (Hachette and Dumaine, 1880). A second edition was called for after a considerable time. It has left ineffaceable traces in the minds of thinking men with experience. By its beauty and the vigor of its teachings, it has created in a faithful school of disciples a tradition of correct ideas. For those familiar with the work, there is no need for emphasizing the importance and usefulness of this rejuvenated publication. In it they will find new sources of interest, which will confirm their admiration for the author.