| What is the spirit of the bayonet? How do more | | | | still come equipped with a bayonet lug and the |
| than over 1000 basic training trainees respond? | | | | weapon is still used in many armies. It is still a |
| Well, lets save that answer for later. Of course | | | | useful survival knife and has other practical |
| this may sound outrageous, but that truly was | | | | purposes. |
| part of the US. Army bayonet training. At least | | | | The most recent event that the bayonet was |
| when I had basic training it was. The bayonet is a | | | | used as a weapon in combat occurred with the |
| fierce survival knife. When it is mounted on the | | | | Sutherland Highlanders of the British Army during |
| end of your rifle it becomes a spear. Everyone at | | | | the second conflict in Iraq. After being ambushed |
| one time or another had to see a war movie | | | | in their land rovers by soldiers loyal to to cleric |
| showing how a bayonet was used in this fashion. I | | | | Moqtada-al-Sadr, the highlander troops fixed |
| am sure the sight of this in combat is quite | | | | bayonets to their rifles and charged the militiamen. |
| fearful. | | | | A total of 30 Iraqi gunmen were killed and 12 |
| On today's battlefield the use for a bayonet has | | | | were captured. This was the last time the |
| diminished although modern warfare still sees the | | | | bayonet was used in combat as a direct weapon. |
| use for close-quarter fighting. Training in the use | | | | Is it the last? I would say most of the war |
| of the bayonet was more used to increase | | | | experts would think so. But being an ex GI myself |
| desired aggressiveness in troops. It gave the | | | | I would have to disagree. Certainly conventional |
| troops a more prepared mind set for combat. | | | | warfare is not the same as it once was but this |
| Today bayonets are more used in combat for | | | | recent incident shows that the bayonet is still |
| controlling prisoners or as a last resort weapon in | | | | quite useful as a combat and survival knife. |
| emergency situations like if a soldier runs out of | | | | What is the spirit of the bayonet? To Kill!!! Yes this |
| ammunition or his rifle jammed or is damaged. In | | | | is the response the drill sergeants were looking |
| fact many of the modern assault rifles of today | | | | for. I know this is quite crude, but effective. |