New War Tactics.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18642, 21 May 1932, Page 11 (Supplement)

New War Tactics.

Those who in opposing war assert that in future conflicts there will he improved methods of warfare will find support for thoir contention in a remarkable article which appears in the “Japan Magazine,’ by Major K. Katayama: Thanks to the present Sino-Jnpanese conflict, the Japanese Army has learned some valuable lessons in the art, of war. First, it has been proved that cavalry, which lias heretofore boon regarded as rattier poor in combative power, being able to display its activities only in communicative connection and reconnoitring the enemv’s position, is capable of becoming a preponderant lighting force, provided it is properly formed. One of Ihe most remarkable examples was cavalry roeiment commanded by Lieuten-ant-Colonel Wakamatsu in Lieutenant-Gen-eral Turnon's Army Division which was fighting in the direction of Tsitslkhar. .\ s cavalrymen are mounted, they arc as n rule hardly able to co-operate with tnfanfrv but now, not merely arc they able to take action side by side with infantrymen, in ~r tp C ars bv negotiating steep mountainous nasscs which may be crossed on horseback, Jf !t arc able to shower the foe with missiles by taking i! in Hank, making (lie most ot their own speed. _ Motor Truck Tran.port.

llillierto there has been no other means than arinv trains or by marching afoot for moving troops. Now. by loot speedy action is scarcely to tie expected, while by rail not onlv is it impossible to mobilise a large hodv of men at one lime, in the event oi •('mitering the enemy force halfway, hut oiijo ineonveiiience is liable to occur in innrcliiug. owing to a preceding tram he:ryg lieUl-up. causing congestion of at! the for-

in wine I rains. In ‘order to avoid this defect, an experiment of transporting troops by motor trucks on a large scale realised splendid success on ni e occasion of the grand expedition against bandits near Chinehow. That js. mow*

Japan’s Modern Methods.

than 50 motor-trucks, each full of soldiers, ran parallel to the military trains loaded with men, under command of LieutenantGeneral Muro, along the Peiplng-Mukden line. In that case there was not a single straggler among the trucks led by Captain Nakashima.

More than that, the Nakashima detachment was conspicuous by being the first to ride into the enemy’s castle at Chlnchoxv by protecting the trains running alongside. Furthermore, those trucks are so made as to he quickly equipped with wireless apparatus, If required, so they arc able lo be always on the alert for communicative connection by conferring on xvlreless xvitli the Division Headquarters and friendly troops whenever and wherever necessary.

Particularly when connection xvilh the forces in the rear is found difficult, as has often been the case In the present war, there is no alternative but by wireless activities, since the action of military telephone service by a telegraphic corps may hardly be expected because of the xviros being cut immediately on their being laid. There is another important innovation. A military railway carriage which can be immediately transformed into a motor-truck has lately'been Invented; in case a railway line lias been blown up by the enemy while an army train is running, and it takes much time •for men from a railway corps to repair the destroyed part, lyres which are installed in a special device arc immediately lltled to the cars.

Uso of Light Aeroplanes

Then the quickly transformed motorears xvill pass across the damaged track, and when they arrive at a point where the rail is in perfection condition, the tyres are dislocated and the ears are. again transformed into ordinary railway ears so as to advance further along the line.

Major Katayama also refers to the effectiveness of light aeroplane warfare, all of which goes to prove that future wars will indeed be full of “horrors'' beyond imagination.