Light Infantry Division in Mid-High Intensity Conflict: Should it be Fought as aPure Force

摘要

This monograph analyzes whether the heavy corps should fight the light infantrydivision (LID) as a pure force in a mid-high intensity conflict (M/HIC). The monograph examines current doctrine from FM 100-5 down to division-level manuals. While doctrine states that the level of task organization is dependent on METT-T and the commander's estimate process, light infantry field manuals and field circulars fail to adequately address heavy/light operations. Next, two historical examples of infantry fighting in a M/HIC demonstrate the viability of fighting a pure LID in a heavy corps. The first example studies the German invasion of Crete, where the 5th Mountain Infantry Division fought as a pure force under the 11th Airborne Corps against a heavy/light Allied force. The second example reviews Egypt's use of dismounted infantry in its initial assault across the Suez Canal during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War.