READY FOR TODAY – EVOLVING FOR TOMORROW
Performing RSOM in the 16th
century
Negotiations and agreements. When
deployment is to be performed in
conjunction with third parties, it is essential
that such deployments be backed with
the proper diplomacy. For that reason,
the Philip II attached ambassadors to
Genoa and various Swiss provinces to
see to it that particular agreements were
established for passage.
Maintenance and control of the routes.
There was a system of fortresses all along
the Spanish Road, making possible the
control of the roads and various staging
areas. Apart from that, engineer work
was carried out to widen and keep the
road in good shape, contributing to the
success of the mission.
Need for contracting. The armies were
not able to produce for themselves all
the services they required. For that
reason, Spanish officers arranged
several contracts with wagon dealers in
Savoy and Lorraine, and took care of
balancing the business prices in order
to prevent any maladjustment within the
local economies. They also established
a system of midway storage and local
exploitation that avoided rapine and
generated confidence.
Local perception through passing
sites. Although no social media was
available in those days, other forums for
mass communication, such as churches
and pulpits, were the medium by which
the public received information from the
shapers of public opinion of the day. For
example, a failure of discipline resulting
in abuses to the local population could
jeopardise not only the success of
the movement on going, but also the
following ones.
Training and equipment. Spanish
Tercios, similar to regiments, were
recruited mainly in Spain and Italy.
Newcomers barely had time to
receive equipment and training before
deployment so it was during the
movement northward that they were
mostly trained. That gave increased
importance to the activities carried out
during staging periods and by the time
they arrived in Flanders, formations were
equipped, well trained and cohesive.
The ‘Sargentos’, auxiliary officers for
the commanders, directed the training
sessions. Traces of the Spanish Road
nowadays show where the compounds
used for staging purposes were and each
had enough room for such activities.
Medical assistance. Medical care was
performed at different levels for differing
sizes of formations. While marching
convoys were supported by barbers
(every 250 soldiers), as well as doctors
and surgeons (every 2,200 soldiers),
the general hospital was available at
Malinas (Flanders), acting as something
comparable to Role 4 facility.
When planning for
today´s deployments,
it is undeniable that
a realistic approach
is to be made, taking
into account the
tools and the right
framework, and even
current doctrine
is to be tempered
with more recent
experiences.
ALLIED RAPID REACTION CORPS
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