| "Throughout
history, the role of the infantry has been to occupy terrain. Whether an
army is attacking or defending, the infantryman is the key figure. All
other combat arms and service support elements exist basically to assist
him in accomplishing his mission. His demise has been predicted many times
by so-called `experts' whose knowledge of military affairs has been somewhat
lacking. Modern warfare has shown that even in an age of electronic technology,
the infantryman remains the central figure on the battlefield. He cannot
be supplanted by armour, artillery or battlefield electronics. Indeed,
when carried to the final analysis, all modern military technology exists
so that the infantryman can take and/or hold ground."
--"Jane's Infantry Weapons 1998-99" |