MOBILIZATION, the act of bringing an army to a war footing, before the concentration for war, which consists in the distribution of troops along the hostile frontier in such a man ner that they may be available for action. Mo bilization consists in the call for men and the requisitioning of animals, the assembly of men and animals in mobilization camps and their division into field, depot and garrison troops. The mobilization of the German Army in 1870 is typical of the processes involved. In the first place, a plan of mobilization was drawn up for each year, and all the superior officers were supposed to keep on file all orders necessary for carrying this plan into effect. Tables of trans portation were also kept in readiness, and on the declaration of war nothing was necessary but to carry the orders and tables into effect. Since the disposition of recruits and the dis tribution of the various forces at points of mo bilization was determined in advance, it was Possible to mobilize much faster than the enemy and to gain the advantage of the first blow. When the order of mobilization was issued, it was to be immediately telegraphed to the com manders of districts, from which the landwehr battalions were recruited. The landwehr sol diers, according to the scheme, were imme diately notified to report within 24 hours. By the end of five days they reached the points of mobilization. By that time the purchase of remounts was accomplished in a similar man ner. The distribution and equipment of troops consumed another day or two, and by the seventh day of mobilization, the infantry and cavalry were ready to take the field. The artil lery and the train were ready by the eighth day. Instructional organizations were preserved as as possible. This was the plan of mobili
zation: the result was that infantry regiments Were mobilized in from seven to nine days; cavalry, in from 9 to 11 days, and the other services in 15 days.
It will be seen that speed and system were the two guiding principles of the German mo bilization of 1870. This method of a rapid mobilization according to schemes prepared in time of peace has been adopted by all the armies of the world, and most especially by the great conscript armies. Armies such as the British and American were at the beginning of the Great War require a much longer and con sequently more dangerous process before they can enter the field. The United States could only avail itself of its regular army for any thing like immediate use, and even that did not enter the field for over six months. The mili tia had to be recruited up to strength, reorgan ized and trained. There was not a sufficient supply of officers, and so officers' training camps for civilians were opened. Ammunition, ordnance, uniforms and other equipment had to be manufactured. Large bodies of civilians were drafted and trained in great cantonments. At the end of a year the mobilization was only partial and did not seem likely to be completed for a considerable period. This is to be con trasted with the German mobilization in 1914, which rendered 1,850,000 men ready for service in six days, the French mobilization, which pro duced an army of 1,380,000 men in two weeks, and even with that of Russia, which increased the regular army of 1,200,000 by 650,000 men in a month. Consult the field service regula tions of the various great armies of the world.