the choice that was finally made consisted in throwing to the enemy as a sacrificial lamb one paratroop battalion which, by a determined rear-guard action, would draw upon itself the main effort of the enemy and would give time to the slower and larger units to fall back on the Black River. There was not the slightest illusion as to the chances of survival of the paratroop battalion; if it lived long enough to accomplish its mission, its expenditure would have been well worth it.
