The Charge of the Light Brigade
Lord Alfred Tennyson
Cecil Woodham-Smith wrote The Reason Why to document the circumstances that led to one of the most disastrous military ventures in history: the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. I read it on the recommendation of David Halberstam, who said it made history come alive for him, and found it to be an excellent metaphor for leadership – in any field.
1. Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
“Charge for the guns!” he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
First and foremost, the British system of purchasing commissions led to the ill-fated Charge. Undeserved promotions were given to those who could afford to pay the most, instead of those who were the best qualified. The British generals, Lord Raglan, Lord Lucan, and Lord Cardigan, were wholly incompetent and had a deeply dysfunctional working relationship, leading to a stream of horrendous decisions.
During their careers, especially Cardigan’s tenure in the army, countless skilled soldiers left their regiments or faced court marshal. The three also looked upon officers who had served overseas with contempt, scorning their expertise and the information that they provided.
Pragmatic, accurate evaluation of talent would have put the right people in the right places. An open mind would have allowed the generals to use all of their resources to their fullest potential.
2. “Forward, the Light Brigade!”
Was there a man dismay’d?
Not tho’ the soldier knew
Someone had blunder’d:
Their’s not to make reply,
Their’s not to reason why,
Their’s but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Few British troops sought to take responsibility for the Charge and other failures earlier in the Crimean War, rather pointing the fingers at each other and casting blame. Consequently, there was a fair amount of resentment among the officers, rather than respect. Soldiers did not understand decisions made by their commanding officers, a disconnection that fuelled a poisonous environment.
3. Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley’d and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.
Commanders micro-managed to excess, focusing on details like uniform trim or precise formations on the battlefield. Troops died of exposure and others were weakened as a result of spending nights outside, in formation. The brisk weather of the Balkans was perfectly suited to an adjustment in British tactics. The big picture – winning the Crimean War – was not nearly as important as looking good whilst doing so.
Jon Gruden, Lane Kiffin, and numerous other coaches devote too much time sweating the little things. The main objective of statistics is to identify what factors are closely tied to success on the field so that the most time and resources can be apportioned towards those key areas.
4. Flash’d all their sabres bare,
Flash’d as they turn’d in air,
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder’d:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro’ the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel’d from the sabre stroke
Shatter’d and sunder’d.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.
The British were quite arrogant while preparing for the Crimean War, underestimating the size and skill of their Russian opponents and the commitment required to achieve victory. They were also unaware of specific troop movements and reinforcements throughout the conflict. Better information would have resulted in better decisions.
5. Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley’d and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro’ the jaws of Death
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
Flexibility is a leadership attribute often derided. Politicians who adjust their policies are deemed to have “flip-flopped” but isn’t adapting one’s strategy to changing circumstances a sign of best practices? It’s certainly the main objective of timeouts and the half-time intermission.
The British army did not utilize all available information because intelligence was ignored due to the prejudices of the aristocratic commanders towards their Turkish and “Indian” soldiers. Had any of those commanders considered the reports from the field earnestly or thought to alter their tactics to better suit fighting in the Crimea, the Battle of Balaclava would have resulted in an opposite outcome.
In military disasters throughout history, intransigence and a refusal to recognize change have led to countless casualties that could have been prevented.
6. When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made,
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred.
The author, Woodham-Smith, feels that the loss of the Light Brigade inspired the United Kingdom to modernize their armed forces. Most notably, service academics improved the expertise and experience of officers whilst innovation and technology brought the army into the twentieth century. Often, a complete calamity, such as the Battle of Balaclava, a bankruptcy, a blowout on the court, or the New York Mets’ 2007 September collapse is the perfect time to re-evaluate every aspect of an operation in the name of progress.