Army & Navy And Civilian Defense: Triangular Guards

The Army last week announced that it was turning its last remaining “square” divisions into “triangular” divisions. In plain English, a “square” division is made up basically of four infantry regiments (hence “square”) combined in two brigades, and three regiments of artillery combined in one brigade. A “triangular” division is made up of three infantry regiments (hence “triangular”), helped along by four battalions of artillery. Triangular divisions have fewer men (some 15,000) than squares (some 20,000), but they are more heavily armed, more mobile, much more highly mechanized.

Only remaining square divisions in the Army were the 18 divisions of the National Guard. Organized in hard-hitting triangles, they will lose a lot of their peacetime clumsiness.