Cavalry: A Popular Edition of "Cavalry in War and Peace"

In Short

This foundational treatise on military theory re-examines the operational role, tactical deployment, and training of mounted troops in the era of modern firepower. Prussian general Friedrich von Bernhardi critically evaluates traditional charging tactics, advocating instead for flexible reconnaissance, dismounted rifle combat, and independent strategic operations. By contrasting historical campaigns with the emerging realities of early twentieth-century warfare, the text demonstrates how the cavalry arm must adapt or face extinction. It has endured as an essential historical artifact illustrating the military debate over horse-mounted forces right at the threshold of World War I.

The Story

The work opens with an urgent call to overhaul traditional doctrine, arguing that the rapid advancement of long-range rifles, machine guns, artillery, and modern communications has fundamentally altered the theater of war. Historical precedents from the era of Frederick the Great or Napoleon no longer apply directly to European conflicts. Instead, the text points to the American Civil War and recent conflicts in Manchuria and South Africa to show how mounted forces must take on entirely new responsibilities.

As the argument unfolds, the strategic focus shifts to the twin imperatives of reconnaissance and screening. To gather intelligence and veil friendly troop movements, large cavalry bodies must often advance in separate columns across broad zones rather than remaining tied to unwieldy tactical concentrations. Bernhardi details the intricate mechanics of pushing forward distant patrols and reconnoitring squadrons, emphasizing that intelligence must be systematically sifted and rapidly transmitted to higher headquarters. He calls for integrating modern reporting devices, light-signal apparatus, and cyclist detachments to keep communications intact across contested ground.

Moving into tactical engagements, the text breaks sharply with conservative military dogma regarding the mounted charge. While preserving the lance and sword for open-field single combat, Bernhardi argues that dismounted fire action using carbines is now a vital necessity. Cavalry units must be prepared to fight on foot to hold defiles, clear strong points, or dislodge entrenched enemies. However, he cautions against dismounting in a half-hearted manner or leaving led horses dangerously exposed, asserting that any dismounted attack requires full numerical commitment and tactical decisiveness.

In the final movements, the argument elevates to large-scale operations and peace-time training. Bernhardi examines how cavalry masses operate on the flanks of major army engagements, execute strategic raids against enemy lines of communication, and handle the delicate transition between offensive charges and defensive holding actions. He strongly criticizes the rigid, script-bound maneuvers of peace-time exercises, urging instead that officers be granted operational independence and trained under realistic, uncertain conditions—without reliance on excessive maps or unhindered transport. The text concludes by asserting that only flexible, highly trained, and mentally resilient horsemen can survive and decisively influence the outcome of future wars.

How It Unfolds

The mandate for reform The opening pages establish that modern long-range weapons and technical advances have rendered traditional cavalry tactics obsolete, necessitating a complete re-evaluation of the arm's role.

Establishing the screen The focus turns to strategic reconnaissance, detailing how independent columns and relay posts must advance across broad fronts to gather intelligence while maintaining secure lines of communication back to headquarters.

The mechanics of the patrol Bernhardi lays out the practical details of patrol organization, explaining how small detachments must be systematically instructed, relieved, and trained to navigate unfamiliar territory while avoiding unnecessary clashes.

Dismounted combat and fire discipline The argument shifts to tactics, urging cavalry leaders to adopt dismounted carbine fire when encountering heavy resistance, while offering a sharp critique of official regulations that limit dismounted firepower.

Securing the passage The text explores specialized tactical problems, such as seizing defiles or occupying strong points, demonstrating how machine guns and artillery support can cover the deployment of main bodies.

Operational raids and flank attacks The focus broadens to large-scale operations, analyzing how mobile forces can strike enemy railways and supply lines or deliver decisive flank attacks during major fleet or field battles.

Testing doctrine at maneuvers The concluding sections critique peace-time training exercises, calling for realistic field conditions, limited map distribution, and greater independence for commanders to reflect the true friction of war.

The People

• Friedrich von Bernhardi: The author and distinguished Prussian cavalry general who serves as the central voice of the text. He seeks to modernize cavalry doctrine by discarding rigid parade-ground traditions in favor of dismounted fire action, independent reconnaissance, and tactical flexibility.
• Sir John French: The British Field-Marshal who provides the book's preface. He endorses Bernhardi's practical insights, validating the critical need for cavalry forces to adapt to modern combined-arms battlefields.
• Major G.T.M. Bridges & A. Hilliard Atteridge: The translator and editor who adapt the text for an English-speaking audience, aiming to extract the core strategic lessons while removing superfluous German parade details.
• General von Seydlitz: A historical Prussian cavalry commander cited by Bernhardi to illustrate the ideal relationship between high command and field officers, demonstrating the power of independent tactical timing during battle.
• The Cavalry Officer / Patrol Leader: The collective archetype examined throughout the text, who must embody independence, sharp judgment, resourcefulness, and exceptional horsemanship while operating under the stress of modern warfare.

In Its Own Voice

"Left far behind in the march of military progress, in tactics as well as reconnaissance, it has been led so far from the right way that it would have been unable to stand the test of serious war."

— Field-Marshal Sir John French highlights the dangerous gap between traditional cavalry training and the harsh realities of modern battlefields in his opening preface.

"A patrol's instructions must be short and clear, and must leave no room for doubt in the patrol leader's mind as to what is expected of him."

— Bernhardi stresses the absolute necessity of precise, unambiguous communication when launching independent reconnoitring units into contested territory.

"Making suitable dispositions from the rear, with hardly anything but reports to go by, is quite a different matter from conducting the fight from the front, where a clear view of the situation can be got."

— The author admonishes commanders who rely on artificial peace-time visibility, demanding that leaders train themselves to direct engagements strictly through written intelligence.

What It's Really About

Beneath its technical manuals and tactical diagrams, the book is a fundamental argument about adaptation versus institutional inertia. It explores how ancient military traditions struggle to survive when confronted by rapid technological change. Bernhardi argues that clinging to romanticized visions of glorious mounted charges is a form of professional negligence that invites total disaster.

The core tension lies between mobility and firepower. The text continuously wrestles with how to preserve the cavalry's unique gift—rapid strategic movement—without sacrificing the heavy defensive and offensive fire capacity needed to survive modern rifles and artillery. Ultimately, it contends that true military effectiveness requires intellectual independence, operational flexibility, and a willingness to break with official regulations when reality demands it.

Why Read It Today

This volume offers a compelling, eyewitness glimpse into European military thought on the very eve of World War I. For readers of history and military strategy, it provides a lucid, unvarnished look at how theorists attempted to solve the impossible tactical puzzles introduced by industrial warfare. The prose is clean, direct, and authoritative, written with the clear-eyed precision of a seasoned commander who values battlefield truth over institutional fluff.

While modern readers will encounter technical jargon regarding squadron formations, horse-holding protocols, and rigid rank structures, these period details add to the book's authenticity. The text captures the tragic friction of a transition era—where noble chargers and lances were about to collide with barbed wire and machine-gun fire. Reading it today provides a profound sense of how fast the world was changing, making it an essential, thought-provoking study for anyone interested in leadership, institutional reform, and the history of conflict.