The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1903-12-26
JAPAN'S WAR SCHOOL
Military Staff College an Institution
Long Established.
Prominent German Omcers Have
Been Instructors - Important
Features Of the, CurriculUn
and Its Success.

The United States staff college is
now an established part of our mill
tary educational system, and in the
opinion of the army it is one of the
greatest of all the great improvements
effected by the present secretary of
war, says Washington report.
In this connection it is interesting
to note that Japan, in spite of the fact
that she entered the international
arena in competition with the worlds
great nations only within a decade or
two, has possessed a staff college
since 1882.
1t was modelled originally after the
Prussian staff college, and has had
some prominent German officers on
duty as instructors. Three years after
its organization the great German au-
thority on tactics, Maj. (now Maj.
GEM Nickel came in that capac-
ity and remained for four years, dur
ing which time he placed the institu-
ton on a firm founda ton and intro
duced kriegsspiel and general staff
rides of instruction, besides reorgan-
izing the entire japanese army. He
was followed by the two German Off
GERS who af1erward rose to the rank
of ma jor general.
Its directors have also been prom
inent men in the Japanese army;
among them, the present minister of
war and governor general of Formosa,
the late Chief of the General Staff
kawakami. the present ommanders
Of the Eighth and Ninth divisions, and
the present assistant chief of the gen.
eral staff.
The course is three years and orig
inally only IS lieutenants were admit
ted in a class, but this number has
been gradually increased, until to-day
SO are admitted annually.
One Of the important features is the
return of staff officers and students to-
line duty. The course each year begins
on December and ends early in June,
but from August till the end of Octo-
Der the students are sent to the va
rious arms of the service to learn the
duties of branches other than their
own and to take part in the fall ma
neuvers, besides doing duty at forti-
fications and artillery target practice
and on battleships. At the end of the
three years course all the students
take part in the general staff rides of
instruction, and are then ordered back
to their own arm of the service.
The graduates receive a medal worn,
like an order. on the uniform, and the
first five or six are presented by the
emperor with sword of honor.
Even the military instructors are or
dered to serve for time with the va
rious arms of the service.
After years service with troops
the best Of the graduates are ordered
to duty in the general staff. and after
one or two years are permanently as
signed to the general staff corps.
The subjects of study are tactics I'm
Guiding naval tactics), military his
tory, general staff duty (orga nizat ton,
maneuvers, mobilization. supply of
armies. transportaticn of troops, etc J,
military geography, artillery and
small arms. Notifications, attack and
defense of Notifications. administra-
ton. military hygiene, law, riding,
languages, general history, general
geography. mathematics and topog-
raphy. and sketching.'
The general staff rides cover 40 or
so miles.
The interest taken in this school is
evidenced by the fact that, although
only officers of at least two years serv-
ice with their regiments are eligible,
and then only upon the recommends
tion Of their immediate superiors, at
least 100 come up annually for the en-
trance examinations, although only Is
can enter.
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