Some features of the combat training Japanese troops at the end of XIX - early XX centuries

The article describes some of the features of Japanese combat training of troops and their display in the wars of the late XIX - early XX century in connection with using of bladed weapons. Despite decreasing one’s role in modern warfare, much attention was paid to training bayonet fighting techniques and fencing swords. A British officer, F. Norman after a long learning Japanese fencing wrote about considerable superiority of Japanese swords and fencing systems. During the Russian-Japanese war 1904-1905 there were widely used bayonets and sabres (swords, broadswords) in the melee, but more often the bayonets were used. Most memoirs celebrate excellence in the Russian bayonet attacks. The fall of the role of the cavalry is not only sharply increased role of firearms, but also with the preparation of engineering positions. Combat training of reserve forces in Japan and Russia also differ significantly. According to General A. Kuropatkin, the Japanese reserve units sometimes were fighting better than the field troops. There is widely spread opinion in the scientific literature that the Japanese soldier was physically strong and hardy, brought on unquestioning fulfillment of all the requirements of command. Military reporter D. Yanchevetsky, who observed the actions of the Japanese troops during the march to Beijing in 1900, wrote that the Japanese are brave in the battle, but not endurance in the campaigns. They are dangerous and impetuous only in the first impact, but quickly weakened, and for the next blow they did not have enough strength and energy. They were pass long distance on the march and were ready to fight at the place of arrival.