Combat Lessons Number 1: Rank And File In Combat: What They're Doing, How They Do It

This is not a typical war book. It's something more urgent and more honest: a collection of voices from the front lines of WWII, recorded while the fighting was still happening. Published by the Army War College in 1942 with General George C. Marshall's endorsement, it gathers candid testimonies from enlisted men and officers about what actually happens in combat. The format is simple and devastating: subject, soldier's name, location, then the quote itself. These are not polished recollections but immediate reflections on firefights, leadership, fear, decision-making under pressure, and the gap between training and real battle. Some lessons are tactical, about positioning and weapons. Others are psychological, about what keeps men going or breaks them. The language is raw and includes terms that were common in wartime but are deeply offensive today. This is a primary document, not a history of the war, but a window into how soldiers experienced it. Essential reading for anyone interested in military history, the psychology of combat, or the gap between what armies train for and what soldiers actually face.