Organization: How Armies are Formed for War

"Organization: How Armies are Formed for War" by Colonel Hubert Foster is a military treatise written in the early 20th century. This work systematically examines the principles and structure underlying military organization, focusing particularly on how armies prepare for war. It aims to provide a clear understanding of the various units, formations, and administrative structures that enable effective military command and operations. The beginning of the book introduces the author’s motivation to compile a comprehensive account of army organization due to the lack of existing systematic literature on the subject. Foster emphasizes the primary objectives of war organization, namely command and administration, while arguing that both elements are interrelated and essential for the effective functioning of an army. He delineates the foundational concepts such as the chain of command and units of troops, setting the stage for subsequent chapters that will explore the organization of fighting troops and the evolution of military methods over time.