In "The Guns of August," author Barbara W. Tuchman highlights the tense relationship between military and civilian sectors during wartime. Field officers in the army looked down on Staff officers, deeming them intellectually inferior and socially inept. However, both factions shared a common disdain for civilian ministers, whom they referred to disparagingly as "frocks," reflecting their frustration with outside interference in military affairs.

Conversely, civilians viewed military personnel as "boneheads," indicating their own skepticism towards the military's decisions and intellect. This mutual contempt illustrates the deep-seated divisions and lack of cooperation between military and civilian authorities, which ultimately impacted strategic decision-making during the conflict.