What is the Purpose of a Bayonet? An Answer and Brief History of the Use of Bayonets.

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[Its_shiki_time]

I personally think armies should keep a bayonet training course to help train agression. The worst position for infantry to be is the place where accurate fire can be sustained. To train them to keep pushing into CQB bring your odds back to 50% and forces the enemy to not use his artillery. Its been said that the inexperienced aggressive fighter is the scariest. Awesome video again

[ronbarracuda]

Don’t forget about crowd control. Bayonet is pretty effective in keeping captured enemy in line.

[shawnr]

Fixed bayonets used for slicing the shoulder on the soldier in front of you when you pass out as a heat casualty at the Division chain of command ceremony on the Parade field in a 100 degree heat and 90 percent humidity of Ft Polk La. in June.
Yes this happened twice. Once during rehearsal and once during the actual event.

[richardbennett]

The British Army can recruit men and women at 16 with their parents consent.Part of their training still involves bayonet training for aggression and determination .Good informative video

[byutube]

“DoNt BrInG a KnIfE tO a GuNfIgHt!”
Uh, that’s the concept of bayonets.

[Schwarzvogel]

If I recall correctly, shortly before the time that bayonets were first introduced, pike and shot tactics were the norm for European armies. I imagine that the bayonet came about because some wise fellow wondered about getting the benefits of pike and shot without the pikes (since the guys carrying the pikes weren't really contributing to the overall firepower of the unit, and in the absence of cavalry threats, they were more or less just moving targets).

As for contemporary use of bayonets, I wouldn't be surprised if they were used en masse during the Iran-Iraq War. That was essentially WWI during the 1980s, with trench warfare, poison gas, and all the horrific trappings of the Great War, along with combat helicopters, MBTs, and jet aircraft. As the Iranians were using human wave attacks during that conflict, it seems likely that at least a few of them would have had something pointy on their rifles.

What fascinates me most about bayonets though is that they apparently didn't cause that many casualties on the battlefields even during the heyday of their use (only 2% of casualties, according to some French studies of the Napoleonic era). It's curious that men who would stand up to shot and shell would turn and run at a bristling hedge of steel moving toward them. I guess that bladed weapons evoke a more atavistic response in people, since we've had to deal with bladed threats for _a lot_ longer than firearms. That makes me wonder why no armies during the 18th and 19th centuries bothered to provide their troops* with basic protection against bladed weapons when compared to Renaissance era militaries in which most soldiers did have some sort of PPE. Even a gambeson will provide some protection against sabre cuts and bayonets which were still significant threats on the battlefield. I'm guessing it was a matter of cost and weight, since the armies of the Napoleonic era were much bigger than those of any previous era except perhaps the Roman Empire.

*The French did give their heavy cavalry cuirasses that would stop pistol rounds, but I don't know of any army during that era that had standardized PPE for the poor bloody infantry. I haven't heard of any cases of individual soldiers improvising their own armor either.

[ezduzittt]

Makes a lot of sense on how they were used and why the styles changed through time.Thanks Mike.

[therainenetwork]

Glad to see the M48 bayonet on display. Such an underrated gun.

[nick]

Thanks for making this video. Good breakdown and it is appreciated.

[Southernguitar]

In a nutshell, continuity of fire made the bayonet almost obsolete. Good video. Interesting subject and well informed.

[iansmith]

Bayonets exist because they don't run out of ammo, unlike the rifles they're mounted on. :)

[Cristian-nnjj]

Every since i've known what a bayonet was i've wanted to see someone throw a rifle with a bayonet like a spear. Also please don't forget the legendary 'chainsaw bayonet'.

[joshuacolbert]

Love the bayonet stuff! Great video thanks for making it!

[BRBMrSoul]

Studied this time period and specifically that type of warfare talking about in 1700’s(ish)

Just wanted to say this is a good primer video on the topic.

[rileyfarrell]

Havent watched yet but i gonna guess to defend against cavalry charges and back with single shots if your close combat u olny get one shot

Edit i was right mike you should give me your olny fans as a reward

[militariacollectablesbelgium]

Very good video !!! You have a solid channel my man!

[akillerpacman]

The US decided to keep their original 1905 style bayonet for the Pacific because the Arisakas bayonet was longer then the shortened version. My Garand has a 16 inch bayonet dated 1943.

[the_gaming_rabbit]

The U.K military launched 2 bayonet charges. One in 2004 and one in 2011. I think in the right circumstances it could still be effective today

[jayw.]

Hey, Mike. As far as I'm aware, the last time that bayonets were used in a modern setting was in 2001(?) (I could be very wrong on the year) by the United States Marine Corps in Fallujah. Like you said though, the last MAJOR conflict they were used in was the Korean War.

[nicholasmaugeri]

Love bayonets...great video! Hey do u own a Galil/ Golani? If so you should do a video on that.