complete
accomplishment of his Decision.

Directives required to further the success of a particular operation
may be issued without awaiting formulation of the entire plan. Parts
of the plan may be transmitted as fragmentary directives to guide the
action of subordinates in instantaneous or early execution. Such cases
are far more frequent than are those in which a formal written plan,
to guide either the operations in their entirety or a part thereof, is
prepared and distributed as a directive. Effective action by the
subordinate is thus not delayed by the absence of complete written
directives.

The commander, more especially during war, may be the only individual
who is conversant with the entire plan. He may consider that the
necessity for secrecy is paramount, or that there are features to
whose details he is unwilling to commit himself until the situation is
clearer. However, he may usually expect to disclose its scope and
general features to his immediate superior, and the plan in its
entirety to his next junior; or, in the interests of mutual
understanding, to all his subordinates of the next lower echelon or
even to his entire command. The scope of the plan also may be a
determining factor. If the plan covers an entire campaign or an
extended series of operations, its dissemination is less likely and
less general than if it is concerned with only a minor operation.

During peace, in exercises simulating war, the complete plan is
frequently given circulation for purposes of training.

Subsidiary Plans. Subsidiary plans, discussed in Chapter VII (page
168), are frequently issued as annexes to the Operation Plan (page
196) which carries into effect the basic Decision. The commander will
be the judge as to whether alternative subsidiary plans are necessary
or desirable under the circumstances.

Essentials of Military Directives.

General. By the issue of directives, a commander communicates to his
subordinates his plans or such parts of them as he desires. Directives
may be oral or written, or may be transmitted by despatch.

Whether a directive is to be effective upon receipt, or under
specified conditions, or at a specific time, or upon further
instructions from the commander, will be evident from its nature, or
will be prescribed in the body of the directive itself.

The manner of determining the details of a plan has been discussed in
Chapter VII. The matter contained therein is pertinent to the
p