One of the more perplexing problems contemporary military planners face is that of conducting night operations. Psychologically, night has always been a realm of the unknown and the uncertain, magnified by imagination. While dealing with this psychological barrier to the conduct of battle at night, the soldier must also cope with a myriad of more tangible problems. Coordination of forces in battle at night tests the mettle of the most proficient leader and the most highly trained force. Yet, the fact is that those armies ...
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One of the more perplexing problems contemporary military planners face is that of conducting night operations. Psychologically, night has always been a realm of the unknown and the uncertain, magnified by imagination. While dealing with this psychological barrier to the conduct of battle at night, the soldier must also cope with a myriad of more tangible problems. Coordination of forces in battle at night tests the mettle of the most proficient leader and the most highly trained force. Yet, the fact is that those armies that can operate successfully at night have a marked advantage over adversaries who cannot Thus study examines the extensive experiences of the Soviet Army as it struggled to master the night. Driven by necessity to operate in the relative safety of darkness, the Soviet Army in World War II learned to capitalize on night operations and to exploit that capability in its quest for victory over the German Army. The Soviets have not forgotten that experience, and since the war, they have emphasized the advantages of night combat. As they train for night operations, they closely study the experiences of World War II in the belief that certain basic techniques and conditions of battle transcend time and the vagaries of technological change. Contemporary technology offers the soldier a growing array of equipment with which to overcome the barriers of darkness. An impulsive soldier might embrace new technology and consider the problems associated with operating at night overcome. A more thoughtful soldier will find that new tools and advanced technology provide only partial solutions and that experience, study, and practice cannot be ignored if one is to understand the essenceof night combat. I hope that this Leavenworth Paper will add to the reservoir of understanding the soldier needs to deal successfully with the complexities of night operations. JACK N. MERRITT Lieutenant General, USA Commanding
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