Cavalry in the wars of the XX century (Gérard, webmaster)
1) 1914-1918
If 33 years later in 1914, the concept of modern war is more effective; this truth is
however not yet accepted. The year 1914 marks the most important turn of events on
horseback in this evolution of the war.
In the
minds of many cavalrymen they expected hostilities to be similar to those of the
Franco Prussian war: they believed they should have won and wished to carry it
on to victory: after all they were the most important branch and they felt they
had been suppressed. This can be seen in paintings such as
"Rezonville" by Aime Morot, which shows the glory, courage, and
national revenge gained from the victory. Feelings were accentuated by the loss
of Alsace and Lorraine(1870).
In 1914 the speed of the German invasion surprised everybody. If the French cavalry was
psychologically and tactically ready it was ill prepared. The use of red trousers instead of a color that
could not be readily
identified at distance was still maintened.(Proposition of 1912 to adopt the reseda color for uniforms
was refused). The lance was
still carried by some dragoon regiments and although suitable under lesser circumstances
was ineffective against the array of weapons then developed.
They
didn't realize that mobility is the horse's greatest asset.
They overburdened the animal by adding more weight
rather than lessening it. Although
in France the problem would not be so serious since the supplies for the French
forces would be forthcoming, in a hostile country the horse would be much
burdened by the rider having to be self-sufficient. The addition of supplies to
the horses' backs along with the increased harness would quickly exhaust the
animals.
It
is also necessary to consider the changes which occurred during the previous
century in the evolution of the equine race: breeding was directed towards
faster animals, more elegant and less rustic: The use of thatched roofs to feed
the horses during the Russian campaign of 1812 was no longer suitable without
destroying the animals (let us not forget that a horse never complains and that
it will run until complete exhaustion if its rider doesn’t take care).
General
Chambe, then a lieutenant in the dragoons, relates the attitude of many of the
Superior officers towards the use of the horse in his book "Adieu
Cavalerie". When a commander was asked for a rest to water the horses he
responded in a dry tone, " The horses will drink in the evening; we will
not stop for them".
What the German
army was not able to do the French headquarters had done in only a matter of
weeks. The French cavalry horses were suffering from festering sores on their
backs, wounds and a general lack of understanding towards the animals by those
directing the battles.
It is true that French headquarters did not live on horseback, nor did they live
close to the troops. According to Napoleon " a general who orders through
the eyes of another will never be a good general".
The tactics used were also from another era. The adage that one conceals cavalry
in the bottom of a valley was no longer relevant due to the advent of air
reconnaissance. Barbed wire and rapid firing weapons aided in the decline of
cavalry. In some cases officers failed to understand
the use of cavalry so that where an immediate surprise attack on the enemy could
have brought success they failed to give the order. Yet these same men would
send gleefully to their deaths hundreds and thousands of French and Senegalese
soldiers as at Verdun for no gain. Thus the mutiny of 1917.
Napoleon said " the war of
cavalry is a lieutenant's business", meaning that young impetuous men,
capable of appreciating the situation in seconds and acting upon it, with
courage and ardor and with more to win than lose would gain the victory.
Some exploits of cavalry, well
meaning though they were, such as the attack on a German airfield by a squadron
of the 16th Dragons was nothing but a sacrifice. Was it necessary? We can just
admire the courage of the lieutenant de Gironde (leading this charge) who said:
" I have the right to die in the saddle ".
On the German side the headquarters of Wilhelm II, although
questioning the efficiency of cavalry, used it in the manner of the Hussars
rather than that of the cuirassier. This meant using it to conceal manoeuvres
rather than direct attack. This was much more successful.
Nevertheless in 1914 at Haelen in Belgium the German cavalry
showed it was also vulnerable. The Belgian cavalry, although outnumbered, placed
their horses in a rearward position and used their superior firepower of the
mauser and machine-guns to destroy the enemy cavalry. Three of the German
regiments were armed with saber and lance and failed to penetrate the Belgian
lines.
According to Guderian who analyzed the military operations of 1914-1918 and drew
his conclusions from them, the commanders of cavalry had used to the letter the
obsolete principles of the regulations.:
" The attack with horse and sword which
alone gives
fast and decisive results is the principal mode of action of the cavalry."
However the cavalry can
be more useful in reconnaissance than in direct combat.
The cavalry was not the only branch to be poorly
led, both the infantry and armored divisions were also wasted. After some months
when it became a war of position (trench warfare} the use of cavalry became
almost extinct.
Belgian rider (author's father) about 1926. In contrast to the previous century, soldiers are no longer photographed with weapons. Even if the bearing remains soldier-like, the uniform has become functional: no more helmet with horsehair, no more lance. It is the man who is represented, not the warrior.
This text does not attempt to describe on only one page two
wars which lasted 4 years each and took place mainly in Europe and involved many
countries. Nor is it a criticism of the army of any particular country: The
facts are sufficiently well-known to be analyzed. Just like in 1815, the errors
and the courage were on each side!
More informations about The role of horse in World War One: W.W.I Horse
(English website)
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