Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-02-14
WITH
BAYONET5 TAKE:
/. FIRST PLACE IN
BATTLE, ASSERT
Aircraft Tanks, Bombs, Ma
chine Guns, Cannon,
Merely Valuable AuxiIiar-
les for the Infantryren,
CONCLUSION FOLLOWS
EXHAUSTIVE SURVEY
Cold Steel is Held to Be the
Ultimate Arbiter of Bat
tIei Man Can't Be Re-
placed By Instruments,

(By The Associated PressJ
Washington, Feb. 13.-The
"doughboy" with a bayonet still Is
"the basic combatant' unit In
battle in the virtually unanimous
judgment OF the American army,
officially rendered in cold post
war analysis Aircraft, tanks,
bombs, machine guns, cannon,
merely are valuable auxilIaries for
the infantrymen "in the bulk"
armed with rifle ana bayonet and
each foot soldier armed only by
his "own agility" and steel helmet.
For battle is normally deter
mined by physical encounter with
the bayonet or the fear thereof"
the official conclusion Of the army
made public today asserts. 1t is
based on answers to a widespread
QUESTIONABLE" sent recently
through the war department bu-
reaus and out through corps and
divisional areas, even down to the
commanders of regiments, to lay
the ground work for the doc
trlnes of tactics and training" on
which postwar building of the
army shall proceed.
Answers UnmistakabIe.
The answers were unmistakable.
There has been no change-sol-
diers who fought in France be-
lieved in the age-old gospel Of
'cold steel in war. As it was
with Cromwells grim host bidding
for victory with push Of pike"
with Napoleon's old guard that
dies but never surrenders." with
"Picketts flower of the south" at
Gettysburg, so It was with Per-
shing's "buddies" in France. Cod
steel was the ultimate arbiter OF
battle.
The conclusion follows "an ex-
haustive study OF ts1e influence
that modern scientific develop
ments will have upon the tech
nique of warfare, especially with
regard to aviation. motor transport
and tanks" Chiefs of all combat
branches had their say on the
questionnaire, designed ito bring
out the best present military
| thought" both on basis principles
| and as to changes in fighting tech
| nique necessitated by new weap-
ons.
The departments statement ad-
mits that the latter phase was ex-
pected to show that specialists OF
any kind, particularly in newly
discovered agencies, will. in their
enthusiasm, make some claims for
their speeialties not safely to be
accepted, except after the proof.
either of the results of war or spe-
tests under stimulated war con-
ditions."
Tests VIII Be Made.
The expectation was realized
and as the research work goes on,
tests will be made ''to solve the
debatable questions" Among these
is that of 'the comparative value
OF bombing planes and fixed heavy
guns in sea coast defense"
1T is possible at this time" the
statement added, ito announce the
conclusion of the war department
result from the answers to the ba-
sic question as to which there was
substantially unanimous agree
ment 1t is concluded. and doc
trines of tactics and Of training
will be based accordingly:
That man remains the funda-
mental instrument in battle, and
as such cannot be replaced by any
imaginable instrument short of
more perfect thing than the hui
man body, including the mind.
That man in the bulk-meaning
the greater portion OF the armed
forces-fights with greatest free
dom OF action and with greatest
efficiency when on foot, not on
horseback, in tank in an airplanc.
in fixed fortification. etc; that to
achieve decisive action he is best
armed with the rifle and bayonet;
that man is rendered least vulner-
able when merely clothed against
the weather and armored by his
own agility and steel helmet.
That battle is normally deter
mined by physical encounter with
the bayonet or tne fear thereof; all
other agencies of destruction, as
artillery, machine guns and air
craft, are auxiliary in their effect,
however potent, and serve to make
possible the advance of the foot
soldier TO hand to hand encounter.
Infantry Is Basic Arm.
THAT infantry is the basic COM
batant arms upon whose success
normally depends the success of
the army; the primary duty of
other arms, when associated with
infantry is to assist the infantry to
achieve its mission by protecting
and aiding it in every way and by
destroying enemy resistance to its
efforts.
THAT no arm except infantry
can be expected under normal corE
.ditions to destroy an approximately
equal force of enemy infantry
armed with rifle and bayonet.
THAT while infantry is normally
the basic arm of war under certain
conditions or during certain. phases.
cavalry may replace it as the basic
arm for example, in operations
against mounted forces or against
foot troops whose efficiency is be-
low normal for any reason"
misconceptions arise in the pub
lie mind. the statement said, as to
the possible effect of new agencies
of war and in making public re-
suits of its studies, the war depart
ment "hopes to insure that the
heresy shall never become implant'
ed in the country that any material
means can ever replace in war the
individual soldier who is willing
and able to fight"
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