Bayonet

In the 17th century, European infantry regiments consisted of musketeers and pikemen to protect musketeers while loading and provide close-quarter combat. The flintlock musket was developed, allowing soldiers to be armed with a missile weapon and a close-combat weapon. The socket bayonet solved the loading problem, and the musket/bayonet combination became the universal infantry weapon until the 1870s. Shorter rifled firearms saw the attachment of short swords to rifle barrels, but the perfection of the small-bore magazine rifle in the 1890s saw the bayonet lose its tactical importance. Assault rifles predominated from the 1950s onwards, and the bayonet became a weapon of last resort. Its psychological impact was its greatest use, as it was a symbol of fear and intimidation for the enemy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 80 pages
Publication date: 15 April 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Although muskets delivered devastating projectiles at comparatively long ranges, their slow rate of fire left the soldier very vulnerable while reloading, and early muskets were useless for close-quarter fighting. Consequently, European infantry regiments of the 17th century were composed of both musketeers and pikemen, who protected the musketeers while loading but also formed the shock component for close-quarter combat. The development of the flintlock musket produced a much less cumbersome and faster-firing firearm. When a short knife was stuck into its muzzle, every soldier could be armed with a missile weapon as well as one that could be used for close combat. The only disadvantage was that the musket could not be loaded or fired while the plug bayonet was in place. The socket bayonet solved this problem and the musket/bayonet combination became the universal infantry weapon from c. 1700 to c. 1870. The advent of shorter rifled firearms saw the attachment of short swords to rifle barrels. Their longer blades still gave the infantryman the ‘reach that contemporaries believed he needed to fend off cavalry attacks. The perfection of the small-bore magazine rifle in the 1890s saw the bayonet lose its tactical importance, becoming smaller and more knife-like, a trend that continued in the world wars. When assault rifles predominated from the 1950s onwards, the bayonet became a weapon of last resort. Its potential usefulness continued to be recognized, but its blade was often combined with an item with some additional function, most notably a wire-cutter. Ultimately, for all its fearsome reputation as a visceral, close-quarter fighting weapon, the bayonet's greatest impact was actually as a psychological weapon.

Featuring full-colour artwork as well as archive and close-up photographs, this book explores the history and development of the bayonet, from its early use in medieval warfare to its modern-day counterparts. It also examines the psychological impact of the bayonet on soldiers and the role it played in shaping military tactics and strategy.

Weight: 260g
Dimension: 185 x 247 x 8 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472845368