Reconstructing the Defence-in-Depth Doctrine: The Challenge of Vimy Ridge

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  • The terrain at Vimy Ridge made it difficult to accomplish a complete reconstruction based on the new defence-in-depth doctrine.
  • The Germans relied heavily on machine guns for defence at Vimy Ridge, given the inherent weaknesses of the ridge defences.
  • The German divisions responsible for the immediate defence of the ridge had significantly fewer men than their paper strength.
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Little reconstruction based upon the new defence-in-depth doctrine had been accomplished by April 1917 because the terrain made it impractical. The topography of the Vimy battlefield made defence-in-depth difficult to realize. The ridge was 700 metres (2,300 ft) wide at its narrowest point, with a steep drop on the eastern side, all but eliminating the possibility of counterattacks if the ridge was captured. The Germans were apprehensive about the inherent weakness of the Vimy Ridge defences. The German defensive scheme was to maintain a front line defence of sufficient strength to defend against an initial assault and move operational reserves forward, before the enemy could consolidate their gains or overrun remaining German positions. As a result, the German defence at Vimy Ridge relied largely on machine guns, which acted as force multipliers for the defending infantry. Three line divisions, with seven infantry regiments between them, were responsible for the immediate defence of the ridge. The paper strength of each division was approximately 15,000 men but their actual strengths was significantly fewer. In 1917, a full-strength German rifle company consisted of 264 men; at Vimy Ridge, each rifle company contained approximately 150 men.

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>Little reconstruction based upon the new defence-in-depth doctrine had been accomplished by April 1917 because the terrain made it impractical. ⇒新しい深部防御理論に基づく再建は地形のせいで非実践的とされ、1917年4月まではほとんど達成されなかった。 >The topography of the Vimy battlefield made defence-in-depth difficult to realize. The ridge was 700 metres (2,300 ft) wide at its narrowest point, with a steep drop on the eastern side, all but eliminating the possibility of counterattacks if the ridge was captured. The Germans were apprehensive about the inherent weakness of the Vimy Ridge defences. ⇒ヴィミー戦場は、地形のせいで深部防御を認識するのが難しくなっていた。尾根は、最も狭いところが700メートル(2,300フィート)幅で、東側が急に落ち込んでいるので、もし尾根が占領されると、反撃の可能性がほとんどなかった。ドイツ軍は、ヴィミー・リッジ防衛力の固有の弱点を心配していた。 >The German defensive scheme was to maintain a front line defence of sufficient strength to defend against an initial assault and move operational reserves forward, before the enemy could consolidate their gains or overrun remaining German positions. As a result, the German defence at Vimy Ridge relied largely on machine guns, which acted as force multipliers for the defending infantry. ⇒ドイツ軍の防御計画は、最初の攻撃を防御するのに十分な力をもつ前線防衛力を維持し、敵が彼らの獲得を強化したり、残りのドイツ軍陣地に詰めかけたりできる前に作戦行動予備軍を前に動かすことであった。その結果、ヴィミー・リッジのドイツ防衛軍は主に機関銃隊に頼って、それが防衛歩兵連隊のための増強軍団として働いた。 >Three line divisions, with seven infantry regiments between them, were responsible for the immediate defence of the ridge. The paper strength of each division was approximately 15,000 men but their actual strengths was significantly fewer. In 1917, a full-strength German rifle company consisted of 264 men; at Vimy Ridge, each rifle company contained approximately 150 men. ⇒3本の前線にいる師団が、彼ら師団間の7個歩兵連隊をもって尾根の直接防御を受け持っていた。各々の師団の数字上の勢力はおよそ兵士15,000人だが、実際の勢力はそれよりかなり下回っていた。1917年ではドイツ軍のライフル1個中隊は最大限264人の兵士から構成されたが、ヴィミー・リッジの各ライフル中隊は(1個中隊あたりわずか)150人ほどの兵士を含むだけだった。

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