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In addition to its use in warfare, the bayonet has a long history as a weapon employed in the control of unruly crowds. [1] Prior to the advent of less-lethal weapons, police and military forces called upon for riot control were generally limited to firing live ammunition, or using bayonets or sabre charges.
It is particularly notable for being the most recent bayonet charge by the French Army, and for the fact that the officer who led the assault is currently the French Chief of the Defence Staff. It went through GAN a couple of years ago. Peacemaker67 (click to talk to me) 06:06, 3 November 2018 (UTC)
A French bayonet charge in 1913. Attaque à outrance (French for "attack to excess") was the expression of a military philosophy common to many armies in the period before and during the earlier parts of World War I.
The bayonet charge was a common tactic used during the Napoleonic wars. Despite its effectiveness, a bayonet charge did not necessarily cause substantial casualties through the use of the weapon itself. Detailed battle casualty lists from the 18th century showed that in many battles, less than 2% of all wounds treated were caused by bayonets. [44]
After some volleys were exchanged, officers would then use their judgement to determine the best time to charge the enemy with the fixed bayonet. After the thunder and casualties of close-range musket fire, the sight of a well-formed infantry unit approaching with bayonets fixed was often too much and a unit would flee the battlefield.
The heroic yet ultimately futile bayonet charge caught the Chinese by surprise. The Sikhs were able to disrupt the Chinese advance briefly before they were cut down by automatic fire. [12] It is believed that Joginder Singh single-handedly killed 56 soldiers. He was taken into Chinese captivity where he would later die. [11]
The ring bayonet reduced the effectiveness of the Highland charge, but it remained an example of shock tactics, with the key factor being psychological; the charge aimed at causing some enemy troops in the opposing line to break ranks thereby leaving openings which could be exploited to 'roll up' the rest. [9]
The Battle of the Golden Spurs had been seen as the first example of the gradual "Infantry Revolution" in Medieval warfare across Europe during the 14th century. [20] The Charge of the Light Brigade, a charge of British light cavalry against a larger Russian force, was made famous because of Lord Tennyson's poetic retelling of the events.