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Military History Monday: Battle of Kasserine Pass

Welcome back to Cogitations of a Semi-Pro Wordsmith and my weekly column Military History Monday! Today’s topic is the World War 2 Battle of Kasserine Pass, 19–25 February 1943. This battle represented the first US taste of combat against the forces of the Wehrmacht of Germany. Allied forces included the UK’s 6th Armoured Division and elements of the US Army’s II Corp. The US II Corps consisted of the 1st, 9th, and 34th Infantry Divisions, along with the 1st Armored Division. The Axis forces primarily included the German 21st and 10th Panzer Divisions, commanded by the “Desert Fox” Irwin Rommel.
Precursor
Leading up to Kasserine Pass, things in North Africa had become tenuous for the Axis forces. Montgomery had already defeated their forces at El Alamein and had pushed through past Tobruk and taken Tripoli. US and UK troops had landed in Algeria and Morocco, behind the Axis forces in Tunisia, threatening to cut off the Axis forces in Africa from their supplies. Italian and German troops shifted from Sicily into Tunisia, and Rommel reoriented some of his forces to the west after the Allies gained a foothold on the eastern side of the Atlas Mountains.
Battle
On 19 February, Rommel sent two attacks against the Allied positions. The 21st Panzer division attacked to the north, against the UK 6th Armoured and their attached units, with most of the 10th Panzer attacking against the US 1st Armored at Kasserine. The attack of the 21st faltered, but the 10th saw success over the first two days, initially slowly but overnight between the 19th and 20th overran two US defensive positions and on the 20th inflicted heavy casualties on US defenders. Eventually, the Allied forces were displaced some 75–80 km to the West. On 21 February US defenders near Djebel el Hamra including elements of the 1st Armored and 1st Infantry Divisions held against a relentless attack by German and Italian forces. The next day, a counterattack by Allied forces pushed the Axis back. Over the next couple of days, Allied commanders mounted a defense against an Axis attack toward Thala, which resulted in heavy Allied casualties but prevented the Axis from taking the town and cutting the Allied defenders in half. Axis commanders including Rommel recognized their attack would be unsuccessful and elected to pull back to their original positions and concentrate their efforts against Montgomery’s 8th Army in Tripoli.
Outcome & Aftermath
The immediate outcome of the battle was that Axis and Allied forces essentially returned to the same positions they had been in on 18 February. Tactically, the battle revealed enormous problems with US military command structure, leadership, equipment failings, and troop training. Aside from casualties, which were very high, the US Army learned valuable lessons and relieved most of the senior commanders. Some of these lessons included training soldiers to not silhouette themselves at the tops of ridge lines, emphasizing that leaders perform personal recon of the terrain when possible, and a heightened focus on integrating infantry, artillery, armor, and tank destroyer units as combined arms forces.Ultimately, the costly defeats suffered by the US forces at Kasserine resulted in a markedly improved fighting force, one that Rommel himself later would note had made drastic and positive changes in a relatively short period of time. In addition, the replacement of senior commanders resulted in a new commander and deputy commander of the US II Corps, in George S. Patton, Jr. and Omar Bradley. These two soldiers would be instrumental in improving the combat effectiveness and tactical flexibility of US forces in Europe.
Further Reading
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-the-kasserine-passhttp://www.nationalww2museum.org/see-hear/collections/focus-on/kasserine-pass.html
http://www.history.army.mil/books/staff-rides/kasserine/vol-i-part_1.pdf

More new poetry: "Undeserving"

To paraphrase a quote by William B. Sprague (and recently revived in my memory by my writing buddy @BAWilsonWrites), sometimes you heat the iron, then strike it; and sometimes, it heats because you strike it. For me, occasionally, writing anything opens a floodgate of other writings. Tonight, apparently, it's one of those nights. Insomnia helps, as well.


Undeserving
—Bacil Donovan Warren
I sat alone, a wayward soulAnd thought about the pastThat time that heaven bent to help,And on its help I passed
I stood aloft, above the frayA giant towering highVicissitudes were beneath me thereUntouchable was I
I didn’t see, and never dreamedThe morass that I stirredWas wholly caustic just to think:The truth that I demurred
But when the spire I lived withinFinally rotted throughDestroyed by thoughts created byMy narcissistic view
I sank into the swamp I’d made—Which I’m still swimming in—And swore to hate the heavenFor not giving me my win
A win I thought that should be mineSimply for being meHer love should just appearAnd now, at long last, I can see
I absolutely don’t deserve and never will possessThe love she bears: that is reserved for men who aren’t a mess.

New Poetry: "Again it starts, again it finishes"

Just in time for midnight local time, a new poem.

Again it starts, again it finishes-- Bacil Donovan Warren
Terror gripsThe mind that slipsInto self-hating doubt
A thought renewedMy every feudIs within and without
Not only fearSeizes me hereBut something that I see
Into my viewComes someone whoOutclasses every me
I can’t competeWith younger heatI do not have the face
I can’t sustainFamilial gainI don’t possess the grace
He swoops in nowI don’t know howThe better choice is clear
What I suspectMy life, a wreckAway from me she’ll steer
And as it always has before, I lose another oneMy heart reveals, another steals, and I am come undone.

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Teaser Thursday: A short entry from *With Honor, and with Courage*

Teaser Thursday returns! Today, here's a short sample from a work-in-progress, a novel about a US Army tank crewman in Lithuania with his unit, when the (almost) unthinkable happens: a deliberate attack against the US and NATO units in Lithuania by Russian forces. The novel is tentatively titled With Honor and with Courage, and I'm hoping to have it ready in 2017.

I looked at my watch. Almost time to go REDCON 1. I tapped sergeant Beach on his arm, and said over the intercom “sar’nt, I’m gonna check the turret one last time.” He nodded and I hopped out of my hatch. I checked both side sponson boxes, closed and latched. I double checked the tarp and the bustle rack, to make sure the fold covered all our crap and was tied down, but still accessible: check. I leaned over and checked the hatches on the back deck, which were all closed and secured. The crosswind sensor was upright and latched. I checked the TC’s .50: locked & loaded; same with my Mark-19 grenade launcher. I slipped back down inside the turret, and made sure the coax was locked and loaded, then popped open the ready ammo door just to visually record the layout. I stowed the knee switch and the door closed with that satisfying thunk it always made. We were ready for war.At exactly 08:10 zulu, the LT gave his short count over the radio. At the end of the countdown, Dock started the engine. I turned the radio back on, and assumed my standing position: facing the left rear of the tank, observing for enemy helicopters and aircraft. I left the grenade launcher oriented up and front instead of spinning it around like I normally would, at least until we got clear of the AA and started heading to the LD. I knew myself and that weapon well enough to know I wouldn’t accidentally discharge it, but there’s no sense in even looking like you’re tempting fate. She’s a stone-cold bitch like that, and will fire off a grenade from your launcher just for thinking about traversing it early.We sat in our troop coil, waiting for … I don’t know exactly what. Bodacious, my magnificent tank, only had the one radio and it was tuned to the 1st platoon frequency. Although technically each platoon has its own frequency, we often shared one or the other between the tank and scout platoons, to make it easier for the platoon leaders to share information. Since we can only monitor one frequency on this tank, we kept it on the platoon frequency, which meant we couldn’t hear any of the other chatter at the troop or higher level.Finally, after what seemed like a half hour we heard the scout platoon sergeant on the radio: “Red and White elements, prepare for movement. Red elements line up on Red 1 and Red 4.” The Strykers pulled out of their positions in the coil, and started heading out toward the road 500 meters ahead that served as the Line of Departure.“Alright Dock, slow and easy back hard left.” SSG Beach wanted to pull back first, to line up in the direction of movement rather than pull straight out from our coil position. It’s a trait of tankers borne out of the necessity to never pull forward of a firing or other stationary position, lest the enemy be waiting on you.I heard the whine of the engine as Dock put it in reverse, and the metallic THUD of the transmission engaging, then felt a slight jerk as he slowly applied power. I crept up a little bit, standing on the edge of the turret ring rather than on my loader’s seat/platform, to get better eyes behind the tank. SSG Beach was also directing his eyes rearward, over the right side of the turret.“Okay, straighten out, back up about fifteen more meters.”Dock leveled out the handles, and gave it a little bit of gas. I grabbed the skate ring for support, and stepped back down onto the standing platform. I look a last look around with my bare eyes at the deep green of the forest and grass around us. I pulled down the goggles to cover my eyes and pulled up my “tanker’s kerchief”—really, just a bandana in the US Army’s “scorpion” camouflage pattern—to keep the dust out of my mouth and nose. It gets a little hard to breathe occasionally, especially when it’s humid like this, but it’s better than digging dirt out of your teeth and nose for a year afterward.“Got it Dock. Pull out.” Dock slowly applied the brakes, then I felt and heard the THUD of the tranny dropping into gear. With a slight wobble, we began moving forward about 10 mph or so. I resumed my rearward facing guard position, but this time I traversed my magnificent Mark-19 grenade launcher. Sometimes, I miss the machine gun, but right now is not one of those times. I could see the TOC and the rest of the troop combat trains getting assembled behind us to our left rear, about 300 meters, and the CO’s tank pulled over toward the main village road. Blue and Green platoons were over on the other side of the village doing the same thing we were, barely visible through the slight haze from the dust of our movement. I could see Green 3, roughly on line with us now, before they pulled forward of the edge of Kazimieravas and became obscured by the foliage.
“Good to go Dock, hold here.” SSG Beach looked over and lined us up with the rest of White platoon, and we waited again.

Military History Monday: the Zulu Buffalo Horns

Welcome back to Military History Monday! Today’s topic is the Zulu Buffalo Horns formation largely credited to the Zulu chieftain Shaka. While the buffalo horns formation was used as a hunting tactic prior, Shaka is usually noted as having adapted it to a military one. It was used to great success even against the technologically superior British forces at Isandlwana on 22 JAN 1879 during the Anglo-Zulu war.
Zulu and southern African tactics before Shaka
Before Shaka’s rise, the vast majority of conflict on the African plain was usually small-scale raids. There was occasional direct conflict between forces. Such conflict often involved stylized formations, taunts, even celebratory gatherings. These rarely resulted in large-scale slaughters or high casualties.
As Shaka rose to power in the Zulu clan, he began making changes to how his warriors fought, as well as which tools they used. He modified the existing spear (the assegai), creating a shorter spear with a wider blade point (the iklwa), and improving the shields they used. In addition, he changed their tactics to employ the buffalo horns (impondo zenkomo) formation in battle, among other changes.
Details of the Buffalo Horns
The impondo zenkomo formation consisted of three main elements:
    ⁃    The “Chest” (in essence, the main body)
    ⁃    The “Horns” (the left and right encirclement elements)
    ⁃    The “Loins” (a final, reserve force)In the short, here is how the formation worked:
The main body, or “chest” of the Buffalo would engage and pin the enemy force. The encirclement forces, or “horns” would then come around the enemy force on the left and the right, attacking them from the sides and rear while the main force continued to attract the majority of the enemy’s attention. The reserve, or “loins,” would wait until needed and would plug any parts of the formation that needed reinforcement.
The “chest” would be the best warriors, the strongest and most capable fighters. They would need to be able to charge into the enemy and stay engaged while the “horns” made their move around the flanks.
The “horns” would be the newest, and often youngest, warriors. They had to be fast. They were expected to move quickly around the enemy flanks and encircle them.
The “loins” would be the oldest and most experienced warriors. They were often hidden or had their backs turned toward the battlefield so that they wouldn’t get overeager and attack prematurely.
Though the formation itself was not invented by Shaka—encirclements as a tactic had a long history in other military forces—the Buffalo Horns formation was notable for Shaka’s focus on training his warriors to use it.
Successes
Once Shaka’s Zulu forces began using the Buffalo Horns formation routinely, they were able to subjugate several nearby tribes. Eventually, the Zulu became the most prominent and dangerous tribe in eastern south Africa. They were dangerous enough in battle against other, similarly equipped tribal forces, but also succeeded against a technologically superior force of British regulars at the Battle of Isandlwana, slaughtering the British force with their spears, cowhide shields, and Buffalo Horns formation even against the Martini-Henry rifle-equipped 1st of the 24th British Foot soldiers.
Aftermath

During Shaka’s reign, the Zulu transformed from one of the many tribes in the eastern part of south Africa, in the modern areas of Swaziland, southern Mozambique, Lesotho, and eastern South Africa, to the predominant tribe in the area. Although the Zulu were eventually defeated in war by the British, their military prowess under Shaka’s influence—including the use of the Buffalo Horns—led to significant change in the power and prowess of the Zulu. 
References and further readingBBC History page on the Buffalo Horns formationEZines Article on Shaka and the Buffalo HornsWikipedia Article on Shaka and the Buffalo Horns

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Military History Monday: Bannockburn

Starting this week, I'm opening up a new entry in my blog: Military History Monday. Each Monday, I will discuss a topic relating to military history. It might be a weapon, a strategy or tactic, a formation, or a particular battle.

This week's topic is the 1314 battle that is often considered as the most important win in Scotland's first bid for freedom, the Battle of Bannockburn.

Background & Setup
England’s king Edward I had won significant battles against the Scots, who had won some battles of their own during the late 13th and early 14th Centuries. In 1306, Robert the Bruce became the king of Scotland and reignited the earlier war between the Scots and the English, and in 1307 Edward II succeeded his father to the English throne. After several years of attacking and conquering English castles throughout Scotland, King Robert brought a Scottish force of around 7,000–8,000, of which about 500–600 were horsemen, to Stirling Castle in February of 1313 and besieged it. After about a month, the English commander of the castle offered terms to King Robert, asking to send a request to the English throne for relief. Should the relief force not arrive within a few miles of the castle by June 24, 1314, the castle would be forfeit and would surrender to King Robert’s army.

King Edward II received the request, and assembled an army to march against King Robert; despite the request, many prominent noble families refused to provide forces to the English king. Ultimately, King Edward II assembled a force of about 15,000—16,000, of which some 2,000–3,000 were cavalry. This figure includes several thousand Welsh archers as well. As the relief force arrived near Stirling Castle, King Robert drew up his defense.

The Scots chose a battlefield southeast of the castle proper, between a wetland that surrounded the Bannock stream (Bannockburn is the Scots term for “Bannock stream”) and a wooded area called the New Park. They prepared the battlefield before the arrival of the English by digging and concealing pits along the front of their own position, as well as near the bank of the Bannockburn, to force the English cavalry into head-on attacks.

Day 1 (23 JUN 1314)
Early on June 23, an advance force of the English knights happened upon a small contingent of Scottish defenders between the river and the woodland. Among these defenders was the King, Robert the Bruce, and the English knights recognized him. An English knight, Sir Henry de Bohun, charged the field toward the Scottish King. King Robert is reported to have dodged the English knight’s lance when they approached very closely and then stood up in his stirrups and clove the Englishman’s head twain with his battle-ax. After this single combat, and upon seeing their King so handily defeat the English knight, the Scots charged the remainder of the English cavalry. Owing to the battlefield preparation by the Scots, as well as the existing terrain—marshlands on both banks of the Bannockburn severely hindered the approach of the English army—the cavalry forces were bunched up on the road and couldn’t maneuver. The Scots slaughtered them there, with only a few of the knights escaping back to English lines.

Day 2 (24 JUN 1314)
During the evening, the English commanders decided to make sure that the majority of their forces were on the west bank of the Bannockburn to avoid the clustering problem that plagued the cavalry on the road. During the night, the force forded the stream. Much of the English force was deeply bothered by the events of the day, and a large contingent of them broke into the wagon trains and drank throughout the night.

In the morning, the English force assembled on the north side of the road to Sterling, facing south against the deployed Scottish schiltrons. This formation by the Scottish foot soldiers was similar to the ancient Greek and early Roman/Etruscan phalanx, in that it consisted of a shield wall, through which their spears protruded.

The ground beneath the English forces was a soggy marshland, lying between the Bannockburn and another stream (the Pelstream). The Pelstream converged into the Bannockburn behind the English formation, forming a triangle with the road to the south. With the English hemmed in by the two streams beside and behind them, and the road with the Scots in front, the Scots started to advance against the English formation. This unexpected attack forced the English to respond, and some of their cavalry charged into the schiltrons and suffered heavy casualties. English and Welsh bowmen initially responded, but a charge of Scottish light horsemen dispersed them. As the English force continued to take casualties and their cavalry found it more and more difficult to maneuver, the English royal guard withdrew King Edward for his own safety. With the English king no longer commanding, the English force routed, and most of them were cut down or drowned in the marshes.The English king and his guard made it to the gates of the castle, but the commander of the castle recommended to Edward that he escape entirely. Otherwise, he would likely be taken prisoner when the castle was forced to capitulate. He agreed and made his way to safety via Dunbar.

Outcome & Aftermath
In the immediate aftermath, the Scottish army was able to march essentially unopposed on several towns in the north of England and eventually was able to successfully invade Ireland. Long term, the success at Bannockburn enabled the Scots to force a treaty (the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton) whereby the English formally recognized Scotland as an independent nation with Robert the Bruce as its king.

Besides the political outcome, the battle demonstrated that Scottish King Robert was a capable military commander. King Robert’s use of the schiltron as a mobile formation, rather than a static one, enabled the Scottish forces to resist the vastly superior numbers of the English force, particularly their heavy cavalry. The Scottish preparation and selection of the battlefield is often also credited largely to King Robert and was a major factor in the success of the Scots in the battle.
With the ratification of the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton in 1328, the Kingdom of Scotland was officially recognized and remained a separate, independent nation until the Treaty of Union, in 1707. For Scotland, the success at the Battle of Bannockburn resulted in nearly 400 years of independence.


Further Reading:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/scotlandshistory/warsofindependence/battleofbannockburn/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bannockburn
http://www.britishbattles.com/scottish/battle-bannockburn.htm

With It or in It reviews

Reviews from readers for With It or in It are starting to come in. Here's the first:


"Amazing insights into the American tank crewman's life during war!" says A. Davis. (5*)

With It or in It now available!

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