File:Seen in Germany (1902) (14597132087).jpg

Identifier: seeningermany00bakerich (find matches)
Title: Seen in Germany
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Baker, Ray Stannard, 1870-1946
Subjects: Germany -- Social life and customs
Publisher: London, Harper
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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of preliminary training, the re-cruit is given his rifle. He is required to learn every-thing about it, the purpose of each part, and how itshould be cleaned and kept. Then begins the longtraining in the manual of arms, a branch in which theGermans are especially proficient. The drill is car-ried even to practice with the bayonet and bayonettournaments, the bayonets, of course, being renderedharmless by a clot of cloth wound around the point.1 have seen two men, shielded with breast paddingand cage masks, fight with much vigor and precision,and give each other some pretty vigorous thrusts. Ifa modern battle should by any remote possibilityreach the point of a face-to-face bayonet struggle,these big German soldiers, trained as they are, wouldunquestionably make short work of their adversaries. And now comes the drill in formation, which isnot unlike that in other countries, except, probably,in its minute thoroughness. Indeed, thoroughnessis the very essence of the German training. Not
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Bayonet Practice yS Seen in Germany long ago I read a criticism in an Knglish paper, anentthe South African war, to the effect that the KngHshcommissioned officers left too much of the prelim-inary training, and indeed of regular drill work, totheir subordinates, the sergeants and the corporals.In the German army this is not the case; the com-missioned officer is never far off, and he is constantlyat work with his men, teaching and training them.A familiar sight on a German drill ground is a cap-tain or a lieutenant talking to his company to thelength almost of a lecture, advising and instructing.The casual visitor in a German city, who sees theGerman officers strolling about of an afternoon intheir fine uniforms, with their sabre scabbards mirror-bright in the sunshine and their spurs clinking, isquite likely to set these men down as tin soldiers,rich mens sons who have found an easy and showycareer in the army. But if this visitor takes pains toinquire, he will find that most of the

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