Norwich bulletin., 1922-02-14
MAN THE FUNDAMENTAL
INSTRUMENT IN BATTLE

Washington, Feb. 13-The 'doughboy'
with a bayonet still Is the basic COM
batant' 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 valu-
able auxiliariesf 70 the infantry man,
armed with rife and bayonet and pro-
tected only by steel helmet and his own
agility.
The Judgment Is based on aswers to
Widespread ''questio Annaire" sent re-
Gently throughout the army by the war
department.
The answers were unmistakable. There
has been no change for the soldiers who
fought in France believe Il, the age-old
gospel of cold steel" in war. AS it was
with Cromwells grim host bidding for
victory with push of pike" with Ma
poneon's old guard that dies but never
| surrenders; with Pickatt's flower of the
south" at Gettysburgh. so it was with
| Pershing's ''buddes" in France. Cold
| steel WIS the ultimate arbiter of bat
| tie.
| The conclusion follows an exhaustive
| study of the influence that modern
| scientific developments will have upon
| the technique Of warfare especially with
regard to aviation, motor transport and
| tanks" Chiefs af all con1bat branch
es had their say on the questionnaire de
| signed ito bring out the best present
military thought both on basic princi-
| pies and as to changes in fighting TECH
nique recessitated by new weapons"
AS the research work goes on, tests
| win be made ito solve debatable uues-
TONS Among these is that of ''the
comparative value of bombing planes and
| fixed heavy guns in seacoast defenses' '
It is concluded, the statement added
and doctrines of tactics and of training
| will be based accordingly.
The man remains the fundamental In
| strument in battle. and as such cannot
be replaced by an ina aginable instrument
| short of one more perfect than the hui
man body including the mind.
That man in the bulk-meaning the
greater portion of the armed forces
fights with greatest freedom Of actor
and with greatest efficiency when OF
foot, not on horseback, in a tank, in az
airplane, in a fixed fortifica ton, etc
that to achieve decisive alton he is bes
armed with the rifle and bayonet; tha
man Is rendered least vulnerable wher
merely clother against the wea ther anC
armored by his own agility and a stee
helmet.
That battle is normally determined
by physical encounter with bayone
or the fear thereof; all other agencies o
destruction, as artillery, machine gun
and aircraft are auxiliary In their ef
feet, however potent, and serve to max
possible the advance of the foot soldfe
to hand-to-hand encounter"
That infantry is the basic cornbatan
arm upon whose success normally de
pends the success of the army the prir1
ary duty of other arms, when assodiat
ed with infantry is to assist the in
fantry to achieve its mission by pro
tecting and aiding 1t In every way an
by destroying enemy resistance to It
efforts
That no arm except infanrv can b
expected under normal conditions to de
stroy an approximately equal force @
enemy infantry armed with rife an
bayonet
That while infantry is normally tn
basel arm Of war under certain cond'
t tions or during certain phases, cavalr
. may replace 1t as the basic arm fo
: example. in operations against mount
ed forces or against foot troops who's
| efficiency is below normal for any rea
| son.
Misconceptions ARISE In the publ
| mind the statement said as to the DOS
sfble effect of new agencies OF wa
and in making public results of II
studies the war department hopes I
insure that the heresy shall never b.
i ! come implanted in the country that an
8 material means can ever replace in VIZ
$ tive individual soldier who is willing an
e able to fight.