WAR DEPARTMENT .. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF. SECOND (MILITARY INFORMATION) DIVISION, GENERAL STAFF. No. 8. REPORTS OF MILITARY OBSERVERS ATTACHED TO THE ARMIES IN MANCHURIA DURING THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR. (DECEMBER 1, 190G.) PART III. Report of Major JOSEPH E. KUHN, Corps of Engineers. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1906. OCT t4 M1 WAR DEPARTMENT, Document No. 273, Office of the Chief of Staff. 2 NOTE. General maps of the region in whici the war occurred are found in Part I of these reports. 3 REPORT ON RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR. CONDENSED ITINERARY. I left Manila March 2, 1904, and reached Yokohama March 19. After delaying here four days to procure a necessary outfit of warm clothing, I proceeded to Tokyo on March 23 and reported to the United States minister on the following day. Permission to go to the front was withheld by the Japa- nese war office until July 20, 1904, on which date I left To- kyo by rail for Shimonoseki, and thence for Liushutun, Dalny Bay, where I landed July 27. Marching overland, I reached the headquarters of the Second Japanese Army, General Oku, at Haicheng, on August 8, 1904. I remained with this armly during the battles of Liaoyang and the Shaho until October 30, when, in obedience to cabled instructions from the United States minister at Tokyo directing my re- call, I set out to return to Japan, spending four days, No- vember 1 to 4, with the Third Japanese Army before Port Arthur and reaching Tokyo November 13. On November 19 my orders were countermanded by cable, and I was reas- signed to duty as a military observer. After a tedious delay, due to diplomatic negotiations, I left Tokyo by rail December 18 for Osaka, whence I embarked on transport for Dalny, where I arrived December 24. On the following day I reached the headquarters of the Third Japa- nese Army, General Nogi, to which I was now assigned, and witnessed the closing incidents in the siege of Port Arthur. Under special permission I remained at Port Arthur until March 3, 1905, for the purpose of studying the Russian de- fenses. On March 3 I departed by train for Liaoyang to join General Nogi, and reached his headquarters on the night of March 8 during the battle of Mukden. I remained with the Third Army during its movements after Mukden and until the conclusion of hostilities. On September 17 I started to return from the front, reaching Tokyo September 29 and Washington, D, C., November 11, 1905. 5 6 REPORT ON RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR. THE JAPANESE INFANTRY. Being a poor nation, Japan's principal reliance in time of war is on the infantry, which has, accordingly, received more attention relatively than the artillery or cavalry arm. The Japanese infantry has been frequently referred to as incom- parable, and, judging by its achievements in the Russo-Japa- nese war, it is not too much to say that it can undoubtedly hold its own against the infantry of any other nation. Highly intelligent, brave to the degree of recklessness, quiet and orderly in his habits, the Japanese infantryman pos- sesses all the qualities sought for in a soldier under modern conditions of warfare. Japan has indeed reason to be proud of her superb infantry, whose achievements attracted the attention of the civilized world. At the outbreak of the war the minimum height prescribed for the infantry recruit was 5 feet 3 inches. As the number presenting themselves annually under the conscription laws far exceeds the requirements of service with the colors, only the strongest and most robust are selected. A finer set of soldiers physically than the first-line troops of Japan would be hard to find. Although small of stature, they were un- usually sturdy and stocky and capable of great endurance. These splendid troops, however, gradually disappeared as the war progressed, owing to the heavy casualties, and the general appearance of the men after Mukden was markedly inferior from a physical standpoint to those seen during the first summer of the war. An edict by the war minister in the spring of 1905 reduced the limiting height for infantry recruits 1 shun (about one-tenth of a foot), indicating that the previous standard was too high to secure the necessary number of conscripts called out to make good the losses in battle and for the organization of the new divisions. The period for service in the second reserve (Kobi) was also ex- tended five years, with the result that many soldiers approx- imating 40 years of age appeared in the ranks. Generally speaking, the physique of the officers was below that of the men, there either being no limiting standards of physique in their case or these standards being considerably lower. The infantry is organized into regiments of 3 battalions, 1. JAPANESE INFANTRY SOLDIER. 2. JAPANESE COMPANY KITCHEN. JAPANESE INFANTRY. 7 each battalion having 4 companies of 3 zugs, or platoons, which latter are subdivided into 5 subsections, or squads, each under a noncommissioned officer. The strength of a company is 5 officers, 30 noncommissioned officers, and 200 privates. The privates are graded as second class, first class, and superior soldiers, the grades being indicated by one, two, or three narrow yellow bands on the bottom of the sleeve. The total combatant strength of a regiment is 2,854, and of a brigade of two regiments 5,716. Each regiment is equipped with 12 bicycles, but owing to the wretched roads little use was found for them except for messenger service in the larger towns. Each company of infantry carries 94 portable tools, viz., 5 hatchets, 67 spades, 17 picks, and 5 folding saws. In constructing intrenchments the soldiers are divided into two reliefs, each working thirty minutes. At a whistle signal the relief at work drops its tools and steps out of the trench, being immediately succeeded by the second, which has been drawn up in line in rear. The' soldier's kit weighs 42½ pounds without rifle, which weighs 9 pounds 81- ounces with the bayonet-a heavy load. considering the Japanese soldier's stature and weight. This does not include the special articles of winter clothing issued for the winter in MaInchuria. The kit includes a rawhide knapsack with the hair side out, a red blanketa dark-blue overcoat, canvas haversacl, aluminum mess can, water bottle and cup, shelter-tent half and 2 poles, belt with 3 cartridge pouches, and elongated cotton bag. The knapsack contains 1 pair spare shoes, strapped on out- side, 1 pair socks, 1 shirt, 1 pair drawers, 2 days' emergency rations (tinned meat and biscuit or desiccated rice), 2 card- board packets containing 30 rounds of ammunition, and a housewife containing comb, scissors, thread, needles, etc. Certain spare parts of the rifle are also carried in the knap- sack, such as striker, bolt head spring, cocking piece, etc. The shelter-tent half is a piece of brown waterproof carl- a Toward the end of the war blankets of a grayish-brown color were issued, a decided inmprovement over the brilliant red pattern. 8 REPORT ON RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR. vas, 4 feet 10 inches by 5 feet 2 inches, with a wide hem, having eyelet holes along two adjacent edges and cord loops along the other two edges. The shelter-tent poles are 17.1 inches long, one having a socket at one end and point at the other and the other pole being pointed at both ends. By an ingenious arrangement the pointed end can be securely locked in the socket end, giving a strong and rigid pole. If desired, three or more poles may be coupled together. Generally the shelter halves are assembled along their edges to make a large fly to cover a number of men instead of forming " dog " tents for two men as practiced by us. The soldier carries on his person 150 rounds of aminuni- tion, of which 120 are contained in the 3 belt pouches, the two front ones having 30 each and the one behind 60 rounds. The remaining 30 rounds are carried in the knap- sack. When going into action the soldiers usually discarded their knapsacks, which were piled up at some convenient point in rear and left in charge of a guard. The elongated cotton bag would then be filled with such necessaries as reserve rations, ammunition, etc., and worn like a blanket roll in battle. Company officers also carried knapsacks, but of a different pattern from those of soldiers. In summer the uniform was of khaki with a khaki cap cover. In winter the blue uniform was worn, the color being concealed by the voluminous brown overcoat especially issued for this war. The special articles of winter clothing consisted of the over- coat above mentioned, an armless khaki vest lined with sheep- skin, heavy knit cotton and woolen underwear and socks, knit finger gloves, Balaklava caps, felt boots, and straw bootees. The overcoat is loose and baggy, with a high goatskin collar and long sleeves' falling below the hands. It is in addition to the regulation blue coat and was worn over the latter. With the overcoat comes. a detachable hood and pair of mit- tens made from the same cloth. If need be, the soldier could clothe himself in heavy underwear, blue cloth blouse, arm- less sheepskin vest, regulation dark blue coat, and, finally, over all, the special brown winter coat. Having worn the Japanese winter clothing, I can say that it met the require- mnents of the climate excellently, and it is no wonder that the JAPANESE INFANTRY.