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G.I. History Handbook
Registrace 21. 05. 2017
The G.I. History Handbook is intended to be a primer on the WWII U.S. Army at the smallest levels. The aim is to dive a little deeper into this one corner of military history for those interested in the practical nuts and bolts.
Tactics of the WWII U.S. Army Infantry Rifle Platoon – Attack
This video is a deep dive into the tactics, techniques, and procedures of the WWII rifle platoon in the attack. A platoon's-eye view of offensive combat covering everything from recon by fire to withdrawal, including a look at infantry replacements, ammunition load, and the "Four F's" of fighting.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:45 Historical Context
6:14 Platoon in Combat
7:15 Phase 1 - Contact with the Enemy Unlikely
7:47 Phase 2 - Contact Expected, But Enemy Location Unknown
9:59 Phase 3 - Enemy Presence Known
14:02 Phase 4 - Aimed Small-Arms Fire Encountered
23:52 Phase 5 - Enemy Located and Engaged (Platoon Maneuver)
38:19 Phase 6 - Assault, Pursuit by Fire, Reorganization, Pt. 1
41:17 How Much Ammunition did a WWII Soldier Carry?
43:22 Phase 6 - Assault, Pursuit by Fire, Reorganization, Pt. 2
52:33 Phase 7 - Continuation of the Attack
53:06 Phase 8 - Organization and Defense of Ground
54:59 Withdrawal
56:56 Conclusion
*Note: I have included this helmet-tapping arm-and-hand signal for the sake of completeness, though I am aware it may not have been used during WWII. This illustration was originally sourced from the 1 February 1946 edition of FM 22-5 (the first update to that manual since 1 December 1943). As late as February 1945 infantry leaders were being instructed to signal Cover the Advance (Withdrawal) with: "Commence Firing. Following any order for a movement, or maneuver, this signal automatically indicates that the designated squad (team) is to cover the movement of the remaining squads (teams) by fire." Sometime in the intervening year the arm-and-hand signal depicted in this video was adopted. It may have been introduced at the tail-end of WWII, or it may not have actually entered the U.S. Army's visual signals vernacular until 1 February 1946.
Minor Note: That word at 15:47 is obviously meant to be "alliterative"; I couldn't tell you what happened to the "-ive." As always, I only notice these kinds of things while working on the closed captioning AFTER the video has gone public...
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:45 Historical Context
6:14 Platoon in Combat
7:15 Phase 1 - Contact with the Enemy Unlikely
7:47 Phase 2 - Contact Expected, But Enemy Location Unknown
9:59 Phase 3 - Enemy Presence Known
14:02 Phase 4 - Aimed Small-Arms Fire Encountered
23:52 Phase 5 - Enemy Located and Engaged (Platoon Maneuver)
38:19 Phase 6 - Assault, Pursuit by Fire, Reorganization, Pt. 1
41:17 How Much Ammunition did a WWII Soldier Carry?
43:22 Phase 6 - Assault, Pursuit by Fire, Reorganization, Pt. 2
52:33 Phase 7 - Continuation of the Attack
53:06 Phase 8 - Organization and Defense of Ground
54:59 Withdrawal
56:56 Conclusion
*Note: I have included this helmet-tapping arm-and-hand signal for the sake of completeness, though I am aware it may not have been used during WWII. This illustration was originally sourced from the 1 February 1946 edition of FM 22-5 (the first update to that manual since 1 December 1943). As late as February 1945 infantry leaders were being instructed to signal Cover the Advance (Withdrawal) with: "Commence Firing. Following any order for a movement, or maneuver, this signal automatically indicates that the designated squad (team) is to cover the movement of the remaining squads (teams) by fire." Sometime in the intervening year the arm-and-hand signal depicted in this video was adopted. It may have been introduced at the tail-end of WWII, or it may not have actually entered the U.S. Army's visual signals vernacular until 1 February 1946.
Minor Note: That word at 15:47 is obviously meant to be "alliterative"; I couldn't tell you what happened to the "-ive." As always, I only notice these kinds of things while working on the closed captioning AFTER the video has gone public...
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Video
Formations of the WWII U.S. Army Infantry Rifle Platoon
zhlédnutí 98KPřed 5 lety
This video lays out the platoon's standard combat formations and movement techniques, as well as fundamental aspects of the approach march including measures of control, the maintenance of contact, and security. It also features an examination of the character and conduct of scouts. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:55 Platoon Column 2:21 Line of Squads 3:43 Platoon Wedge and Platoon V 5:53 Eche...
Organization of the WWII U.S. Army Infantry Rifle Platoon
zhlédnutí 460KPřed 5 lety
This video introduces the platoon's basic composition and weapons. It concentrates primarily on platoon headquarters but also takes a look at snipers, medics, and hand-held radios. Timestamps 00:00 Squad Organization 3:55 Platoon Headquarters 4:14 Platoon Leader 11:53 Platoon Sergeant 13:55 Platoon Guide 16:36 Messengers 17:26 SCR-536 Radio 21:11 M1903A4 Sniper Rifle 24:03 Platoon Sniper 29:01 ...
Tactics of the WWII U.S. Army Infantry Rifle Squad - Attack
zhlédnutí 650KPřed 6 lety
This video covers some of the fundamental tactics, techniques, and procedures of the rifle squad in offensive combat. It presents the conduct of a squad attack, including the approach march, fire fight, fire and movement, assault, consolidation and reorganization. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:50 The Approach March 3:01 Actions on Contact 5:04 The Fire Fight 10:46 Advancing the Attack (Fire ...
Formations of the WWII U.S. Army Infantry Rifle Squad
zhlédnutí 88KPřed 6 lety
This video illustrates the squad’s basic approach march formations and movement techniques. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 1:40 Squad Column 2:36 Skirmishers 3:18 Squad Wedge 3:54 Diamond Formation 5:31 Formation Transitions 6:48 1945 Changes 7:50 Squad Movement Techniques
Organization of the WWII U.S. Army Infantry Rifle Squad
zhlédnutí 264KPřed 6 lety
This video breaks down the infantry's "smallest tactical unit," introducing its basic composition and weapons, plus an examination of squad teams and the Buddy System. It all starts here. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:28 Squad Organization, Ranks, and Weapons 7:02 Additional BARs and SMGs 9:50 Squad Teams 17:38 The Buddy System Notes: 1. After further research I was able to pinpoint the impl...
I clicked cause i thought it was a real army training film from way back. Whoops, my mistake.
Honestly, this content is top class. You could come back to YT and start a series on Combat Mission BFN
We still use phaselines, even at the JAGIC/DIVARTY/Arty BN+Divison ops level
I was in the USMC from '62 until '66. During my time in the infantry, The squad began as a 13-man unit: 3 fire-teams and a squad leader. By it time I became a squad leader a M-79 grenadier was added to the squad. He served directly under the squad leader. Each fire-team had one M-14 with a fire selector switch (we called him the "AR man"), and 3 riflemen. The squads were not always T.O., often short a couple of men, sometimes an entire fire team.
Man, does this sound like what we heard in basic. Wish we had been given manuals to study but there were lots of guys who were border line illiterate.
Weird to think that till the 21st century no tarif served as a GI
The British deployed the Bren Gun in pairs so the while one fired the other reloaded. In that way they kept a near constant heavy automatic fire.
1:50 Cover but not concealment is provided by rocks, terrain features like limited depression or fences or waist high walls... and much more
I hate that guns were invented.
This is some incredible just info about WW2. Never knew about 400% casualty rate.
THANK YOU for the emphasis on pronunciations. I remember these notions being hammered into me when I was a heavier reader of actual books.
Who else is here because they want to get better at Hell Let Loose? 😅
If you can get a squad of randos in that game to actually communicate, let alone cooperate, then you're a God of war at that point.
Still one of the best historical and tactical series ever placed on youtube. With excellent narration.
If you think the Commando Kelly story of Pfc to T/Sgt is crazy I’ve got another one like it. Private Douglas Schaffer of Huntington, WVa went from Pvt to T/Sgt in four weeks with 2/116 29th ID in November 1944 in the Rhineland. That stuff happened and it always blows my mind to some degree
The best way to attack as a squad is line of skirmish or two shallow fire teams, generally abreast, using buddy team fire and maneuver to close with and kill or capture them and destroy his means and will to fight. A rifle squad do not have the ammunition to use flanking maneuver and the only enemy a squad should be attacking is a LP/OP or a small team of scouts that decided to die in place in the attempt to screen a larger unit.
Using this for hell let loose
Great. Can anybody recommend a set of miniature wargaming rules that really can capture this kind of fire and maneuver? The closest I've come is NUTS! I'm going to try a version of GURPS 3E next.
Envelopment is different than a flank.
Though the two have been distinct forms of maneuver in modern US Army doctrine, that was not the case during WWII. According to FM 100-5 (1944): "Attack maneuvers are classified as envelopments and penetrations." Other maneuvers were regarded as variations of the two. (For example, that manual describes a turning movement as a type of envelopment.) The following definitions are from TM 20-205 (1944): "envelop, attack one or both flanks of the enemy, usually attacking his front at the same time." "envelopment, attack made on one or both of the enemy's flanks or rear, usually accompanied by an attack on his front; enveloping attack. If the attack is made on both flanks at once it is called a double envelopment." Regarding current doctrine, the decade of flank attack and envelopment being separate forms of maneuver is over. The recent FM 3-90 (2023) notes that "flank attack" is "no longer used as a defined Army term." It also updated the definition of envelopment: "Envelopment is a form of maneuver in which an attacking force avoids an enemy's principal defense by attacking along an assailable flank. An envelopment avoids the enemy force's strength-the enemy's front-where the effects of enemy fires and obstacles are generally the greatest and attacks the enemy to the flank or rear."
@@G.I.HistoryHandbook very interesting thank you!!
Let's play Advanced Squad Leader!
No, you pronounce carbine correctly.
Thanks for the videos
For what it is worth for many years, Motorola marketed a series of radios they were in a series called HT. HT was an abbreviation of 'Handy Talkie.'
#68 Infantry medic most of your video is still used today (ie. envelop enemy position by using the letter "L" manuever) #awesomeVIDEO
25:58 - "Bayonets will be fixed for the final assault - yes. But when we think of killing, we must think of bullets fired at point-blank range.The bayonet is the final threat and last reserve". That's an excellent and balanced summary of the use of the bayonet in modern warfare, with a hint on its psychological effect on the enemy. A weapon that may be used and instill the soldier for offense, but not actually the main player at close-range anymore.
Wow. So much wisdom in here. What an underrated video.
💥Hell let loose💥 {player}... Nice channel 💯
Looking forward to your film of the entire company.
The US Army rifle squad of world war two was a bad organization too many soldiers and not enough fire power.
Great video, but Audie Murphy did not “win” the Medal of Honor, he earned it with his actions.
I know that particular phraseology can grind gears, but "win" and "earn" can be synonyms. (Along with "secure, gain, achieve, attain," etc.) "Win" has several definitions, and one of them is: "to obtain by work: EARN." For example: a "breadwinner" earns the money that supports their family. When people speak of "winning medals" I assume that is the meaning intended; not that they received it as a prize in a raffle.
Damnn complicated as fuck 🤯
I've heard carbine pronounced both as KAR-BEEN and KAR-BEIN. I use the KAR-BEIN pronunciation in my own speech. But I've never been bothered by either pronunciation and I've never heard of anyone being bothered by either pronunciation. I'm sure one or the other pronunciation may eventually prove more popular while the other slowly fades out of the language. But for the moment at least, both pronunciations seem to be equally correct.
Oh, there are some people in the comments with VERY strong opinions on the matter...
I am just discovering this channel and it is very interesting. I am a recently retired infantryman and it is amazing to see the differences from WWII until now. It also is kind of cool to see the things that have not changed. Some tactics are still used today and some have changed as we have learned from our past. This is good stuff.
To think that so many died so that we can now play Army Men better. It is so sad...
17 x 5-day work weeks is just about 90 days.
Do you know what the structure/organization of a cavalry reconnaissance troop (mechanized) either was or is?
Your videos are well put together. Russia, China and North Korea thank you.
To stay much more up to date, the US Army publishes the most recent versions of these manuals online. You can download them for free from their website.
@@G.I.HistoryHandbookI know it isn’t just your videos that are out there, I’ve seen dozens of them . They have ours and many other countries military tactics available to view online. It would be like the NFL posting their play book online and still expecting to win games!
@@martykerker9464nations knowing each other’s small unit tactics is so negligibly important to national security or any advantage on the battlefield compared to other factors. You should be far, far more upset about active duty / veteran gamers leaking technical details of weapons systems in War Thunder forums online
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You did not mention the Carbing rifle... From what I seen in shows it was mostly for LT and drivers, or was that Hollywood getting it wrong?
@jonathanbair523 The carbine is mentioned in the platoon organization video. There was only one M1 Carbine in the platoon's T/O&E and it was allotted to the platoon leader. There were many more carbines in the company as a whole, and they could find their way into the rifle squads, but "by the book" the Lt was the only man in a rifle platoon officially armed with one.
Please do one at the company level... Thanks!
What is the structure/organization of a U.S. army infantry battalion in world war war 2? What is a weapons company and how many mortars and MGs do they have?
36:10 "Scizzuhs, you got a pair of sharp scizzhuhs?"
Does anyone know if the marines had a similar structure for their tactical formations? I can’t find anything like this video for the marines in WWII
Thanks!
I had an Uncle Frank in WWII! He was in the 4144th Quartermaster Service Company. Landed at Utah Beach. Survived the war only to die in '47 in a car accident.