US interwar infantry tactics question

[commissarmoody]

I was wondering if any one might know, or at least be able to point out to me a place to find out what how US army tactics changed daring the interwar years.
Also when did the army change from the huge squad and platoon structure of the great war to the smaller World war to version

[Arlequín]

The change to the 'triangular' structure were done over a period of time, beginning in 1935 iirc, but not being completed until around 1942. This coincided with the introduction of new equipment and increasing mechanisation.

Some light reading for you...

http://www.history.army.mil/books/AMH-V2/PDF/Chapter02.pdf
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Infantry,_Part_I:_Regular_Army_/Between_World_Wars,_1919-1941
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/ARMOR-CAVALRY:_Part_1;_Regular_Army_and_Army_Reserve/Tanks_between_the_World_Wars
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/ARMOR-CAVALRY:_Part_1;_Regular_Army_and_Army_Reserve/Cavalry_between_the_World_Wars
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Evolution_of_Divisions_and_Separate_Brigades/A_Prelude_to_the_Past,_a_Look_to_the_Future

 

[commissarmoody]

Thanks for the light reading 

[CorvetteK225]

I am not sure what you mean by huge squad and platoon. In WWI, the squad was only eight men as compared to the triangular formations as mentioned above. In WWII triangular formation, the US Army was built around an 11 man squad. Yes, the divisions did shrink as they lost an infantry regiment, but this does not fit in with smaller echeloned commands associated with 15-28mm gaming scales.

As a side note, the French squad/platoon/company structure of 1918 was amazingly similar to the US WWII era 11 man squad. I don't have my notes here with me, but if I remeber correctly it was 10 men including: a two man chauchat team; three man rife grenade team; 4 man maneuver element; and of course a squad leader. Truly revolutionary!

As far as tactics between the wars, the US infantry had the same drills and formations. Don't be confused with trench warfare thrown in there as this was non-standard to the drill manuals of the day. Entire separate books cover these tactics, and were often either French translations, or by Commonwealth authors. I have a decent sized library of manuals ranging from 1912-1945 (again not here in Korea with me :-/) and love talking on this subject. :-)

[Arlequín]

So you are saying that Pershing's reorganisation of the AEF in 1917 was applicable 'just in France' and probably drawn from the advice (perhaps) of the French? Which makes sense.

That disregarded though, the actual paper strength of a rifle platoon in the AEF was the same 44 men (-ish) as in a WW2 rifle platoon, although organised slightly differently. Offhand though, the only army I know of that substantially reduced the size of its rifle platoons was Britain and that was due to manpower shortages, not tactical considerations.

I also like this sort of stuff... especially as I am frequently reminded that I know so little.

[commissarmoody]

I am not sure what you mean by huge squad and platoon.

I think maybe my readying might only pertain to trench warfare then. Because I was reading that the platoon was shaped into 4 sections, each task orated. With a 12 man grenadier section, 9 man rifle grenadiers section, 17 man rifle section and a 15 man automatic rifles section.