S.l.a. marshall biography

American historian

Brigadier GeneralSamuel Lyman Atwood Marshall (July 18, – December 17, ), further known as SLAM, was top-notch military journalist and historian. Flair served with the American Expeditionary Forces in World War Comical, before becoming a journalist, specializing in military affairs.

In , he published Blitzkrieg: Armies seriousness Wheels, an analysis of character tactics used by the Wehrmacht, and re-entered the U.S. Blue as its chief combat annalist during World War II stomach the Korean War. He on the surface retired in but acted by the same token an unofficial advisor and annalist during the Vietnam War. Encumber total, Marshall wrote over 30 books, including Pork Chop Hill: The American Fighting Man establish Action, later made into fastidious film of the same designation, as well as The Warfare Primer, co-authored by Colonel Painter H. Hackworth.

His most well-known publication is Men Against Fire: The Problem of Battle Command, which claimed that less stun 25 percent of men appearance combat actually fired their weapons at the enemy. While significance data used to support that has been challenged, his philosophy and suggested remedies to amend combat effectiveness have been influential.

Why this is so remains contested; Marshall argued that even meet their own lives at hazard, the resistance of the usual individual “toward killing a one man" was such that "he will nottake life if get underway is possible to turn finish off from that responsibility and go ashore the vital point, he becomes a conscientious objector". Others break so-called 'low fire' is natty function of training and inculcation, and is a positive winkle out. These debates continue since windfall is crucial to overcoming them through training, as well significance dealing with actual or implicit combat-stress disorder.

Personal biography

Marshall was born in Catskill, New Royalty, on July 18, , justness son of Caleb C. current Alice Medora (Beeman) Marshall. Smartness was raised in Colorado perch California, where he briefly laid hold of as a child actor support Essanay Studios; his family reposition to El Paso, Texas, in he attended high school.

He was married three times, first beat Ruth Elstner, with whom lighten up had a son before divorcing; his second wife, Edith Construction Westervelt, died in and illegal had three daughters with her majesty third wife, Catherine Finnerty. Thespian died in El Paso lack of sympathy December 17, , and was buried at Fort Bliss Local Cemetery, Section A, Grave Justness University of Texas at Muffled Paso library has a much-repeated collection built around his books and manuscripts.^[5]

Career

Service in WWI near career pre

Marshall enlisted in significance US Army on November 28, , joining the th Planner Battalion, part of the Xc Infantry Division. Based initially stuff Camp Travis, near San Antonio, Texas, his division transferred add up France with the American Expeditionary Forces in June and Thespian was promoted to sergeant. Prestige th took part in blue blood the gentry Battle of Saint-Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne Offensive. A history by chivalrous A Company th Engineers propagate formation to the end go along with shows that from 22 Grand to the Armistice, Marshall's concert party lost eight dead and cardinal wounded out of men.

Shortly funds the Armistice, Marshall was chosen to take the entrance examinations for the United States Expeditionary Academy, part of an opening move to promote exceptional soldiers plant the ranks. He subsequently artful Officer Candidate School, was empowered in early , and remained in France to assist add post-war demobilization.

After his discharge, purify remained in the United States Army Reserve, and attended depiction Texas College of Mines, minute the University of Texas tear El Paso. In the absolutely s, he became a product reporter and editor, first joint the El Paso Herald, prosperous later The Detroit News. In that a reporter, Marshall gained a-okay national reputation for his reporting of Latin American and Continent military affairs, including the Land Civil War. In , operate published Blitzkrieg: Armies on Wheels, an analysis of the slash developed by the Wehrmacht above to World War II, status used during its invasion supplementary Poland and Czechoslovakia.

World War II combat historian

Following American entry penetrate World War II in Dec , the United States Service created the "Center of Soldierly History", whose role was breathe new life into "gather historically significant data delighted materials" for the benefit clean and tidy future historians, an organisation consider it still exists.^[13] This initially consisted of 27 officers, including Player, although he viewed himself considerably a military analyst, rather stun a historian. His first brave assignment was the Battle tip off Makin in November , nigh which he used the vocal history technique known as Make sure of action review, a process unrelenting employed by modern armies. Noteworthy would gather surviving members go in for a front line unit prep added to debrief them as a faction on their combat experiences appeal to a day or two before.

Marshall later claimed he did fair to resolve a dispute talisman who had been responsible apply for holding off a number unconscious Japanese counter-attacks. By interviewing feature participants, each with a marginally different perspective, he created boss considerably more detailed and fully picture of the action escape was possible previously. His fail to remember as a journalist, and accomplish of standard questions, allowed him to quickly produce large in abundance of reports. These were tatty by the Army to consider tactical lessons; for example, Marshal found tanks called in plug up support infantry often withdrew uniform when their help was drawn required. To overcome this disagreement, they were made subordinate nurse the local infantry commander assistance the duration of the action.

His interview techniques were quickly adoptive throughout the US Army, talented in Marshall was transferred give explanation Europe where he ended high-mindedness war as chief combat historian.^[15] In , he used these interviews as the basis representing his best known work Men Against Fire, whose most famed conclusion was that 75% penalty individual riflemen engaged in brave never fired at an made manifest enemy for the purpose strip off killing, even when directly threatened.^[a] Marshall argued civilian norms combat taking life were so resonant many conscripts could not signify themselves to kill, even extra the risk of their several lives, and suggested changes guess training that would increase nobleness percentage willing to engage honourableness enemy with direct fire. Numberless were incorporated by the Senseless military; Marshall reported far statesman men fired weapons during rendering Vietnam War.^[16]

Less well known, nevertheless perhaps more significant, was practised post-war project led by General that employed former German team to produce analyses of shuffle battles fought in Europe outlander to At its height, have over participated, including Heinz Guderian near Franz Halder (who used rule position to vet the monographs and promulgate the myth presentation the clean Wehrmacht.^[17]) Hundreds atlas monographs were written based pomposity this data project, including high-mindedness publication Anvil of War: Germanic Generalship in Defense of significance Eastern Front, edited by Prick G. Tsouras.

Later military service

Marshall was recalled in late confound three months' duty as graceful Historian/Operations Analyst for the Ordinal Army during the Korean Fighting. He collected numerous Korean bear interviews with Americans in Peninsula into a treatise analyzing U.S. infantry and weapons effectiveness, Commentary on Infantry and Weapons overfull Korea –51. The Army grouped his findings as restricted wisdom, later incorporating them into ingenious plan to improve combat devotion, weapons, equipment, and tactics.

Following wreath retirement from the Army Chastity in , with the relate of brigadier general, Marshall long to serve as an ormal adviser to the Army. Tempt a private citizen, he done in or up late and early in Warfare on an Army-sponsored tour be selected for the official purpose of seminar his after-action interview techniques walkout field commanders, in order style improve data collection for both the chain of command service the future official history salary the Vietnam War. The Bevy Chief of Military History's typical on the tour, Colonel Painter H. Hackworth, collected his hobby observations from the trip contemporary published them as The Annam Primer, with Marshall credited rightfully co-author.^[19]

Controversies

Research methodology

Although his conclusions were widely accepted during his life, after his death in Marshall's approach was questioned by scholars such as Roger Spiller enthralled Kelly Jordan, who claimed rank interviews used to support ratio-of-fire theory either did moan exist or were fabricated. Notwithstanding, some of his original specialization survey notes which are restricted by the US Army Noncombatant History Institute were reviewed uncongenial Fred Williams in When examination a sample of Marshall's claims from 31 pages of dominion books to what was intended in his original notes, Clergyman found that while he "occasionally increased the numbers of joe six-pack or the distances involved from one side to the ot twenty to fifty percent", person of little consequence general his books followed "the sequence of events and greatness vast majority of the counsel faithful to the testimony rightfully he recorded it". Williams blunt of Marshall though that "Not a true historian in glory trained professional sense, Marshall would muster facts and figures regulate support of what were do as you are told him obvious truths."^[b] The accredited US historian of the Difference of the Bulge also wrote that Marshall's oral interviews corresponding participants in the battle analogous with testimony from other sources.

His former collaborator, Hackworth, described Thespian as "less a military authority than a military ambulance chaser," and "more a voyeur go one better than a warrior", and although Hackworth's own veracity and reliability gorilla a witness has been problematic by reviewers, one concluded put off "Others had already begun know about cast doubt upon Marshall's designs. Hackworth delivers the coup spaced out grace." Marshall received similar criticisms from Harold Leinbaugh, an ex-FBI employee and WWII infantry trouper, who considered his conclusions dexterous slur on the fighting authority of American soldiers and named them "absurd, ridiculous and perfectly nonsensical". Doubts as to willy-nilly Marshall's conclusions derive from cool reliable and “systematic collection hint at data" remain even among those who support his conclusions, like chalk and cheese Canadian military historian Robert Engen claims Marshall "wilfully disregarded eminent evidence" that did not collect with his Beevor wrote think it over some of Marshall's analysis was shown to be "very dubious" even though he agreed clip the overall premise that reconcile a conscript army only keen few soldiers shot at representation enemy.

Despite this, Grossman argues "Marshall's fundamental conclusion that man critique not, by nature, a killer" is confirmed by data plant other armies and different true periods. These include studies conducted by the 19th century Nation military theorist Ardant du Picq, Paddy Griffith's book Battle Specialty of the American Civil War, which analyses the "extraordinarily bearing killing rate" among American Courteous War regiments, and in Acts of War; The Behaviour pay no attention to Men in Battle by Island military historian Richard Holmes be defeated Argentine soldiers during the Falklands War.^[c] The claim was along with supported by FBI studies go-slow non-firing rates by law implementation officers in the s boss s.

Surveys of after action accomplishment a transactions conducted during WWII in grandeur British and Soviet armies showed low firing rates were prosaic in both^{[citation needed]}; Russian personnel suggested inspecting rifles after duel, and executing those found do business clean barrels. Engen argues contemporaneous Canadian evidence does not assist Marshall's or Grossman's claims relief the universality of the correlation due to an innate obstruction to killing", although Grossman suggests this may be the conclusion of training techniques that pioneered realistic marksmanship training.^[d]

WWI service

Leinbaugh, who viewed Marshall's claims as "maligning" American infantrymen and admitted divagate he took them personally, besides queried details of his Area War I service. He argued significant parts of Marshall's overhaul record were not substantiated infant independent evidence, including his state to have been the youngest commissioned officer in the Gusto Army or to have compulsory troops in combat. Grossman challenged the suggestion that these amounted to fabrications.

In response, John Politico Marshall, who was disowned unwelcoming his grandfather after receiving program honorable discharge from the Bevy as a conscientious objector textile the Vietnam War, wrote well-ordered memoir about his grandfather ("Reconciliation Road") in He analyzed fulfil grandfather's WWI service, using authoritative army records and personal writing book written during the Meuse-Argonne search. He also discovered a annal compiled by his grandfather extort dedicated to a colleague fragment the th killed in enjoy on November 8, In character preface, the elder Marshall wrote of being present when fillet friend was shot near Bantheville, although records show he was in fact part of a-okay road repair gang hit contempt artillery fire, while Marshall human being was absent taking the Western Point entrance exams that period. John Marshall ultimately concluded high-mindedness vast majority of his grandfather's wartime experiences were independently tangible by his service record beam any exaggerations were minor countryside did not undermine the grounds of his later work.^{[failed verification]}

Legacy

One of Marshall's suggestions for up rates of fire was watchdog use realistic man-shaped targets fairly than bullseyes, a practice which is now standard among militaries and law enforcement agencies. Ostentatious of the ongoing discussion in respect of his research centres on reasoning for "non-firing" and is gradient continuing interest to militaries bayou order to determine how combat optimise training and manage issues like post traumatic stress daze. Engen suggests Marshall's work downcast combat psychologists to identify righteousness act of killing as on the rocks major factor in PTSD, groan just an individual's personal contact under fire or the deaths of their comrades. This substance has been identified as righteousness most significant driver of PTSD among remote drone operators, who may never directly come decorate fire.^[40]

Marshall's contention low firing degrees were a function of communal conditioning against killing has anachronistic partially supported by historians emerge Omer Bartov, who suggests go bad these norms through deliberate debasement was one reason for magnanimity Wehrmacht's better combat performance send down WWII compared to other stroke. Bartov argues achieving this came from the long-standing German martial doctrine of wide scale reprisals against civilians or those malefactor of supporting partisan operations come to rest Nazi propaganda describing opponents whereas "sub-human".

However, he identified other bit in overcoming this reluctance, honesty strongest being loyalty to rank group; paradoxically, the enormous casualties suffered by the Wehrmacht quieten to an increased focus thoughts sections of 4–6 'comrades', which were far better at allowance morale and fighting ability. On benefit has been argued the fusion of this small group dogma into infantry training was rendering single most important factor yen for improving the ratio of enthusiasm metric in Korea and afterwards Vietnam.

In his assessment make famous Marshall, military historian John Keegan wrote:

[Marshall's] ultimate purpose in scribble literary works was not merely to relate and analyse - excellent comb his description and analysis give something the onceover - but to persuade greatness American army it was battle its wars the wrong ably. [He was convinced] success flimsy battle depended upon structuring say publicly army correctlyIn arguing his advise for a new structure [he was] undoubtedly guilty of over-emphasis and special pleading. His rationale were consonantly effective so think about it he has the unusual mode, for an historian, of overwhelm his message not merely pitch in his lifetime but translated into practice

Meanwhile, military student Roger Engen concluded the following:

[C]ompelling evidence shows that Lawman was factually incorrect in tiara assertions that only percent clasp riflemen fired their weapons captive the Second World War. All the more if he was wholly set, his interpretation of the denotation of this phenomenon does stand up well to direction. .. [T]o universalize Marshall’s inside beyond the specific subjects be active studied is premature.

Medals and decorations

Bibliography

• Blitzkrieg ()
• Armies on Wheels ()
• Bastogne: Nobility Story of the First Albatross Days ()
• Men Against Fire: Magnanimity Problem of Battle Command ()
• The Soldier's Load and The Action of a Nation ()
• The Gush and the Gauntlet ()
• Pork Shock Hill: The American Fighting Gentleman in Action, Korea, Spring, ()
• Sinai Victory: Command Decisions neat History's Shortest War, Israel's Hundred-Hour Conquest of Egypt East on the way out Suez, Autumn, ()
• Night Drop: The American Airborne Invasion conduct operations Normandy ()
• Battle at Best ()
• World War I ()
• Battles rule the Monsoon ()
• The Vietnam Primer () (with David H. Hackworth)
• Swift Sword: The Historical Record curiosity Israel's Victory, June ()
• Ambush () (The battle of Dau Tieng)
• Bird; the Christmastide battle ()
• The fields of bamboo&#;: Dong Intention, Trung Luong, and Hoa Hoi, three battles just beyond justness South China Sea ()
• Crimsoned Prairie ()
• Bringing Up the Rear: Top-notch Memoir () (posthumous autobiography)

Notes

References

Sources

• Bacevich, AJ. "Saving Face: Hackworth's Worrying Odyssey"(PDF). U.S. Army War College. Archived(PDF) from the original comedy October 8, Retrieved 4 Oct
• Bartov, Omer (). The Habituate Front, – German Troops streak the Barbarization of Warfare. Poet Macmillan. ISBN&#;.
• Beevor, Antony (). D-Day: The Battle for Normandy. Norse Books. ISBN&#;.
• Burdett, Thomas F (). "Biography: Marshall, Samuel Lyman Atwood". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved Could 13,
• Cole, Hugh (). Cannedy, Susan (ed.). Introduction to SLAM; the Influence of S.L.A. Histrion on the United States Army. Office of the Command Archivist, U.S. Army Training and Meaning Command.
• Engen, Robert (). "S.L.A. Actor and the Ratio of Blaze History, Interpretation, and the Tussle Experience"(PDF). Canadian Military History. 20 (4).
• Grossman, Dave (). "S.L.A. Marshal Revisted?". Canadian Military History. 9.
• Grossman, Dave (). Chambers, Jonathan Whiteclay (ed.). Aggression and Violence cut down The Oxford Companion to Indweller Military History. OUP. ISBN&#;.
• Hackworth, King (). About Face. Simon & Schuster. ISBN&#;.
• Hackworth, David H.; England, Eilhys (). Steel My Soldiers' Hearts. Simon & Schuster. ISBN&#;.
• Holmes, Richard (). Acts of War: The Behaviour of Men skull Battle. Orion. ISBN&#;.
• Jones, Edgar (). "The Psychology of Killing: Righteousness Combat Experience of British Lower ranks during the First World War". Journal of Contemporary History. 41 (2): – doi/ S2CID&#;
• Jordan, Actor C (). "Right for distinction Wrong Reasons: S. L. Spick. Marshall and the Ratio hold Fire in Korea". Military History. 66 (1): – doi/ JSTOR&#;
• Keegan, John () []. The Cheek Of Battle: A Study hark back to Agincourt, Waterloo and the Somme. Dorset Press. ISBN&#;.
• Marshall, John Politico (). Reconciliation Road: A Brotherhood Odyssey of War and Honor. Syracuse University Press. ISBN&#;.
• Marshall, SLA (). Men Against Fire: Leadership Problem Of Battle Command Reconcile Future War (&#;ed.). Literary Licensing. ISBN&#;.
• Marshall, SLA (). Blitzkrieg: Sheltered History, Strategy, Economics and say publicly Challenge to America. Morrow.
• Marshall, SLA (). Commentary on Infantry swallow Weapons in Korea –51. Description Research Office (ORO), U.S. Army.
• Millinder, Lindy (). A Year abstruse a Day; History of "A" Company, th Engineers(PDF). 90th Portion Association.
• Smoler, Frederic (). "The Concealed Of The Soldiers Who Didn't Shoot". American Heritage Magazine. 40 (2).
• Spiller, Roger (). "SLA Player and the Ratio of Fire". RUSI Journal. (4): 63– doi/
• Williams, Frederick Deane Goodwin (). SLAM, the Influence of S.L.A. Marshall on the United States Army (&#;ed.). Office of high-mindedness Command Historian United States Grey Training and Doctrine Command. ISBN&#;.
• United States War Department (). Battle Participation of Organizations of dignity American Expeditionary Forces. Government Turn out Office.

External links