hey did what officers are paid to do.
They took a risk based upon their judgement.
In this case it didn't pay off.
This has happened throughout history in all endeavours.
Some you win, some you lose, and in the military sphere losing means death to some poor buggers.
Officers have always sent men to their deaths based upon risk assessments.
Tourist, I commend to you the very famous book by Norman Dixon "On the Psychology of Military Incompetence".
It may balance things a little...or maybe not. Anyway, it's a good book.
I'm out.