April 19th, 1915

- Today Joffre circulates a memorandum to his army commanders outlining the proper conduct of offensive operations.  The objective of a major attack, writes Joffre, is to achieve a break through, and that once an assault has begin it is to be continued until the the German line has been decisively ruptured.  This is to be done via continuous attacks, whereby pressure on the Germans is to be maintained by constantly sending more units into the attack until the strain becomes so great that the line breaks.  The memorandum also compares the proper conduct of an offensive to a symphony, in which a wide range of parts have to work together harmoniously under the direction of the commanding officer if success is to be achieved.