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The assumptions upon which the example shown in Figure 3 is based are: ( A ) One man can direct about six subordinates if the subordinates are chosen carefully so that they do not need too much personal coaching, indoctrinating, etc..

( B ) A message runs too great a risk of being distorted if it is to be relayed more than about six consecutive times.

( C ) Decisions of a general kind are made by the central command.

And ( D ) all action of a physical kind pertinent to the mission is relegated to the line of men on the lower rank.

These assumptions lead to an organization with one man at the top, six directly under him, six under each of these, and so on until there are six levels of personnel.

The number of people acting as one body by this scheme gives a surprisingly large army of 55,987 men.