With large armies, if the commander has no idea what his far-flung forces are doing, he cannot exercise any control. If he has radio communications, he may exercise excessive control. Napoleons reliance on the official or formal process of upward reporting from his subordinate commanders, coupled with his use of vertical liaison through his hard-riding adjutants, perhaps gave him the optimal level of awareness and control. I recall that Colonel Elting in his book on the Grande Armee, has good anecdotes and detail about these young officers and their importance to the Emperor.
The radio can free the Commander but enslave his subordinates.
With large armies, if the commander has no idea what his far-flung forces are doing, he cannot exercise any control. If he has radio communications, he may exercise excessive control. Napoleons reliance on the official or formal process of upward reporting from his subordinate commanders, coupled with his use of vertical liaison through his hard-riding adjutants, perhaps gave him the optimal level of awareness and control. I recall that Colonel Elting in his book on the Grande Armee, has good anecdotes and detail about these young officers and their importance to the Emperor.