duct of a great battle depends on a
correct solution of this question--viz., How long can a
given command prolong its resistance? If this is incorrectly
answered in practice--the whole manoeuvre depending on it
may collapse--e.g., Kouroupatkin at Liao-Yang, September
1904.

when it may be regarded as decided, in such a way that the renewal of
the fight would be a new battle, not a continuation of the old one. To
have a clear notion on this point of time, is very important, in
order to be able to decide whether, with the prompt assistance of
reinforcements, the combat can again be resumed with advantage.

Often in combats which are beyond restoration new forces are sacrificed
in vain; often through neglect the decision has not been seized when it
might easily have been secured. Here are two examples, which could not
be more to the point:

When the Prince of Hohenlohe, in 1806, at Jena,(*) with 35,000 men
opposed to from 60,000 to 70,000, under Buonaparte, had accepted battle,
and lost it--but lost it in such a way that the 35,000 might be regarded
as dissolved--General Ruchel undertook to renew the fight with about
12,000; the consequence was that in a moment his force was scattered in
like manner.

(*) October 14, 1806.

On the other hand, on the same day at Auerstadt, the Prussians
maintained a combat with 25,000, against Davoust, who had 28,000, until
mid-day, without success, it is true, but still without the force being
reduced to a state of dissolution without even greater loss than the
enemy, who was very deficient in cavalry;--but they neglected to use the
reserve of 18,000, under General Kalkreuth, to restore the battle which,
under these circumstances, it would have been impossible to lose.

Each combat is a whole in which the partial combats combine themselves
into one total result. In this total result lies the decision of the
combat. This success need not be exactly a victory such as we have
denoted in the sixth chapter, for often the preparations for that have
not been made, often there is no opportunity if the enemy gives way too
soon, and in most cases the decision, even when the resistance has been
obstinate, takes place before such a degree of success is attained as
would completely satisfy the idea of a victory.

We therefore ask, Which is commonly the moment of the decision, that
is to say, that moment when a fresh, effective, of course not
disproportionate, forc