The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-21
TERRIBLE MACHINE
IS GERMAN ARMY.
MILLIoNS OF MEN KEPT IN TIE
FINEST FIGHTING TRIM.
The Army Is Today the Most Efficient
Organization in the World 1t Con-.
sists of Four Million Soldiers, with
Six Million More as Reserves.
Worlds Work.

The German army OF today IS the
largest and most efficient fighting or
ganization that the world has ever
seen, and it has served as a model for
theFarmies of most other countries. The
Austrian army has been organized on
methods copied exactly from the Ger
man system. The Japanese army also
took it's methods in organization as
well as in strategy and tactics from
Germany and German officers. The
Chinese army has now adopted German
methods. Nearly all the smaller coun-
tries Of Europe with aspirations to mil
itary efficiency have borrowed officers
from the German army TO instruct
their troops. The Turkish army was
so organized.
In the recent war the largest forces
met which have ever. opposed one an
other in any conflict. The German
army, however, could put in the field a
perfectly equipped military force eight
times larger than the victorious Japan
ese army which gained the battle of
Mukden. 1t consists of more than four
million soldiers. But in addition to four
million trained soldiers, Germany could
enroll six million more men who, al
tho not trained for service in the fight
ing line, would nevertheless form a
valuable reserve for the protection of
lines Of communication and such duties.
A very large number of these reserves
have had at least some military train
ing, and in case of necessity, could also
be employed in active service after q
brief period of drill and military ex-
ercise. Thus the stupendous number of
10000 900 able-bodied men could be
mustered under the imperial banner Of
the German empire, so that the state
ment that all Germany is an EARNED
camp is justified.
The German emperor, who in times Of
peace, shares authority over the army
with his fellow German sovereigns, the
kings Of Bavaria, Saxony and Wur-
temberg, becomes in time Of war SUI
preme and command er-in- chief or "war
lord" of the entire military forces of
the empire. ~
The standing army Of Germany con-
sists approximately Of 100000 men.
Nearly half of this number pass out
of the standing army every year and
are replaced by AN equal number Of
fresh recruits. Germany thus produces
year by year more than a quarter Of
a million trained soldiers. The first re-
serve consists approximately of 1,100,-
600 men, and the 'slandwehr'' consists
of, 100000 men, of whom 100000 are
in the first class and 100000 are in the
second class. "Landsturm consists
of 100000 men, making a grand total
of 100000.
The organization of the army is as
simple as it is efficient. The unit of
organization in the infantry is the
section,'' consisting Of twenty men
under the command Of corporal. Two
sections form semidetachment,' or
forty men under the command Of a SER
geant. Two embellishments form a
9 detachment, of eighty men under
the command Of lieutenant. Three
detachments form a company of 24o
make a battalion of 900 men under a
major. Three battalions form a regi-
ment under a colonel; and two re- i-
ments form a brigade under the com
mand Of major general. The "army
CORPS which is the largest military
unit, consists of two or three divisions.