Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1903-04-24
JAPAN'S WAR SCHOOL
Military STAFF College IN lnstitutioe
Long Established.
Pra0laoAt German O0eexu Hav1
Dosa IastraetoFs - ImDoetoak
Features Of the Currieulva
0ad Its Success,

The United States stan college lie
o 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 reatimprovements
effected by the present secretary Of
war, says a 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 q 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
it's 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 foundation and intro
duced Kriegsspiel and general STAFF
rides Of instruction, besides reorgaQ-
izing the entire Japanese army. He
was followed by the two German off,
cers who afterward roe to the rank
Of major general.
.Its directors have also been prom
inent men in the Japanese army;
among them. the present minister Of
war and governor generslof FormoAa.
the late Chief Of tho Gesersls STAFF
Kawakami, the present commanders
Of the Eighth and Ninth divisions, and
the present assistant chief Of the gen
eral star. ~ .*
The source II three years and,orig-
inally only IS ieutenants were admit
ted in . class. but this number has
been gradually increased, u0til to-day
so are admitted annually.
One Of the important features i 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-
hcations and artillery target practice
and OF battleships. At the end of tho
three years course all the studehts
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
hrt five or six are presented by the
emperor with . sword of honor.
Even the military instructors are or
dered to serve for q time with the ~
rious arms Of the service.
After q years service with troops
the best of the graduates are ordered
to duty in the general staff. and after
n or two years are permanently as
signed to the general staff corps.
The subjects Of study are tactics lin
Guiding naval tactics). military his
tory, general staff duty Organization,
maneuvers, mobilization, supply of
armies, transportation of troops, etc.),
military geography, artillery and
small 'arms, fo~rtifcations, 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 OF