Hero or Coward

Elmar Dinter addresses the question of why some men fight well in war and others do not. He examines the factors and draws conclusions involving recommendations for new methods of personnel selection and new tactics, training and military education. Setting the scene; stress; pressures on the individual; injury and death; stamina and exhaustion; firepower; experiences of military units; experiences of commanders; summary of pressures; psychiatric casualties; summary of antidotes; effects on the commander; consequences for personnel selection, organization, equipment, training, education, leadership and tactics; future prospects; open questions. Appendices: introduction to the historical examples; the Battle for Calais; the Battle for Stalingrad; the Battle for Monte Cassino.