Triple-Quote: On Giving Orders
From General der Panzertruppe Herman Balck
“Even my largest and most important operations orders were verbal. After all there wasn’t any need for written orders. As division commander, I forbade the use of written orders within my division.
To lay on a division attack, I preferred to meet my regimental commanders where we could look over the critical sector and have a terrain discussion, I would tell them, “All right, now we’ll do such and such.” Those would be my verbal orders for the attack and that was the end of it.
I always prized most highly those commanders that needed to be given the least orders — those you could discuss the matter with for five minutes and then not worry about them for the next eight days. Manteuffel, who served for quite a while as a division commander in my corps, was one of this type.”
About General J. Lawton Collins
“‘Today’s GOs could emulate MG Lightning Joe Collins, CG VII Corps in WW II and one of America’s best corps cdrs, who used to brief his corps OPORDs personally, and that oral briefing was the official OPORD. Most of his written OPORDs have a statement at the heading, “Confirming verbal orders of the CG issued [date of verbal orders, usually 2–3 days before the written OPORD]’
Additionally, he rarely issued orders at his corps CP; he often issued the corps OPORD at the forward main effort division CP. If he lacked time to bring his major subordinates together, he issued his OPORD to his main effort division first, then went from division to division issuing the order to each in succession.
In issuing his OPORD verbally, he allowed discussion, but only on matters of coordination. He did not intend to convene a council of war. In keeping with Mission Command, his orders included one task per major subordinate, with a follow-on task. He trusted his subordinates to fill in the blanks themselves (no backbriefs necessary).”
From Major General Yeshayahu Gavish
“There is no alternative to looking into a subordinate’s eyes, listening to his tone of voice.”
-LM
