The Attack in Trench Warfare: Impressions and Reflections of a Company Commander

In Short

Captain André Laffargue’s classic 1916 military treatise analyzes the brutal tactical realities of World War I trench warfare. Drawing directly from his harrowing experiences as a French company commander during the 1915 Arras offensive, Laffargue details why early infantry assaults failed and outlines a revolutionary tactical system to break through enemy lines. The text covers artillery coordination, the necessity of specialized assault weapons, and the precise drill needed to maintain offensive momentum. It remains a foundational text in military science because it pioneered modern combined-arms tactics and small-unit assault doctrine.

The Story

The text opens by defining the fundamental challenge of modern war: the infantry assault has transformed into siege warfare. To succeed, an attack must break through three kilometers of deeply fortified defense systems—comprising continuous trench lines, heavily fortified villages, and interconnected centers of resistance—without allowing the enemy time to rally on secondary positions.

Laffargue systematically breaks down the absolute necessity of rigorous artillery preparation before any infantry move. He demonstrates that standard field guns are insufficient against deep underground German dugouts and argues instead for aerial torpedoes, heavy explosive shells, and gas rounds to neutralize defenders and isolate the battlefield from enemy reserves. Crucially, he identifies the enemy machine gun as the primary killer of advancing troops, insisting that light, mobile artillery pieces like the 37mm gun must accompany the very first waves of assault to destroy newly revealed firing nests instantly.

Moving from preparation to execution, the narrative lays out the precise mechanics of the infantry charge. Laffargue details the deployment of thin lines of expert skirmishers to suppress enemy fire, followed by successive waves of assault troops advancing in tight alignment. Once the first trench line is breached, the initial wave must push relentlessly forward without stopping to clear every pocket of resistance.

The narrative then addresses the crucial role of the second line—the "reinforcements." Laffargue explains why secondary attacks historically stalled: troops entering the unknown field behind enemy lines became paralyzed by sudden fire and long exposure to bombardment. To overcome this, he outlines rigorous training regimens to build automatic reflexes, strict discipline, and aggressive confidence. Soldiers must master dummy bayonet drills, quick-rush movements, and immediate aggressive responses to unexpected obstacles.

Finally, the text synthesizes these elements into a vivid description of a ideal tactical assault. As the artillery barrage lifts, disciplined waves of infantry advance from their parallels, supported by light guns, smoke, and gas barriers. By bypassing heavily fortified centers of resistance and exploiting open intervals between enemy strongpoints, the attacking force penetrates deep into the secondary defense lines before the enemy can reestablish a continuous barrier.

How It Unfolds

The problem defined Trench warfare is established as siege warfare, requiring a continuous, multi-kilometer breakthrough across deep networks of trenches and fortified strongpoints.

Artillery and chemical preparation Standard field artillery fails against deep underground dugouts, requiring aerial torpedoes, heavy shells, and suffocating gas projectiles to neutralize defenders and isolate enemy reserves.

Neutralizing the machine gun Enemy machine guns inflict the heaviest casualties, necessitating light 37mm cannons to advance alongside the initial infantry waves to destroy hidden nests immediately.

The mechanics of the assault Assaulting forces deploy expert skirmishers to suppress enemy parapets, allowing closely aligned infantry waves to rush the first line of trenches with lowered bayonets.

The crucial second line Secondary waves must avoid halting in captured trenches, maintaining rapid momentum forward through open intervals while light artillery and machine guns clear their flanks.

Forging the offensive spirit Rigorous training—including competitive bayonet drills in thick woods, close-order marching, and strict discipline—builds the reflexive confidence needed to overcome the paralyzing terror of battle.

The combined-arms synthesis A complete picture of the attack emerges: coordinated artillery curtains, mobile direct-fire weapons, aggressive skirmishers, and deep-penetration infantry waves overwhelming the enemy's defensive depth.

The People

Captain André Laffargue A seasoned French company commander in the 153d Infantry who uses his personal combat experience—including leading surviving troops at Neuville-Saint-Vaast—to formulate an entirely new tactical system. He seeks to eliminate the pointless slaughter of his men by replacing blind courage with systematic, practical combined-arms doctrine.

The French Infantryman The core collective subject of the treatise, whose survival depends on transformed habits and mechanical reflexes. Subjected to terrifying shellfire and machine-gun barrages, the soldier requires transparent leadership, solid companionship, and purposeful training to maintain the mental fortitude necessary to charge well-defended positions.

The Company Officers and Noncommissioned Officers The critical tactical leaders who must bridge the gap between high-command strategy and execution under fire. They are tasked with maintaining line discipline as file closers, identifying hidden enemy strongpoints, and making split-second decisions without waiting for distant higher commanders.

General F— A former Corps Commander whose direct, honest address to the officers prior to the offensive instills profound conviction. His willingness to speak candidly about the coming trial reinforces the soldiers' sense that their immense sacrifices serve a clear, vital purpose for their country.

In Its Own Voice

"The weapon which inflicts the heaviest losses on infantry is the machine gun, which uncovers itself suddenly and in a few seconds lays out the assailants by ranks."

— Laffargue highlights the single greatest tactical obstacle facing infantry on the modern battlefield.

"To take the first trenches is a task relatively easy; the artillery preparation is minutely regulated; the terrain is well known, and the attack is therefore free and open and is pushed through without reservation."

— The author explains why early offensive waves succeed initial breach points only to stall in the chaotic terrain beyond.

"The fight does not consist in getting killed but in getting out of it by thrashing the enemy."

— Laffargue summarizes his pragmatic philosophy that military preparation must prioritize effectiveness and survival over empty martyrdom.

What It's Really About

Beneath its technical manuals, battle diagrams, and tactical instructions, the book is a passionate argument against the wasteful misuse of human life in modern industrial warfare. Laffargue attacks the traditional military mindsets that treat infantry as disposable "cannon-fodder," demonstrating that courage alone cannot overcome barbed wire and unneutralized machine guns.

The text explores the psychological boundary between paralyzing terror and calculated aggression. Laffargue argues that true offensive spirit is not an innate, romantic fervor, but a carefully engineered set of physical habits, collective discipline, and mutual trust forged in the misery of trench life. At its core, the treatise asks how modern armies can preserve the agency, dignity, and survival of individual soldiers while operating within an overwhelming, highly mechanized system of mass destruction.

Why Read It Today

Tactical historians and readers of military history will find The Attack in Trench Warfare an extraordinary, primary-source window into the exact moment modern combat doctrine was born. Unlike grand historical overviews written decades after the armistice, Laffargue’s study offers the immediate, raw clarity of a frontline commander writing in the middle of the conflict. The text captures the terrifying reality of the Western Front with stark precision—the deafening silence when an artillery barrage lifts, the sudden rattle of hidden machine guns, and the grueling physical exertion of charging across mud-soaked, wire-choked battlefields.

While the manual is intensely technical and filled with period-specific military terminology, troop formations, and weapon designations, its concise structure makes it remarkably approachable. It reads not as dry bureaucracy, but as a urgent, deeply human effort to save lives through tactical clarity. What stays with the reader long after finishing is Laffargue’s profound respect for the ordinary foot soldier and his unwavering insistence that leadership requires meticulous preparation, absolute honesty, and a constant duty of care toward those sent into battle.