In 1820, the Semyonovsky regiment became one of the saddest in Russian history. However, in the context of the current topic, we are not interested in the riot of the unit, but in the parade that came before it. During the solemn event, which was attended by numerous guests from abroad, the guardsmen lost their feet during the march. To which Emperor Alexander I sarcastically said: "These fools can only win in war!"
"Semenovtsy" were real heroes of 1812, and today the phrase of Alexander I may seem not only rude, but also devoid of any meaning. In the end, winning a war is much more valuable than being able to keep up. But in reality it is not so or not quite so. If only because in military affairs Alexander I was not the last person and perfectly understood the essence of the issue. The most important thing is that, being the son of his era, Alexander I knew how interconnected the ability of fighters to keep pace and win a war.
From the depths of history
The first drill appeared before our era along with the construction of the "phalanx". In those days, a close-knit, close formation, covered with shields and bristling with spears, was virtually invulnerable. A significant part of the ancient battle was reduced to "overcome" the enemy formation and disperse it. The loser was the one who was the first to lose the unity of the phalanx. The ancient armies were most often the militia, and therefore, on a systematic basis, they did not engage in combat training there. Most often, the fighters were just "trained" literally before the battle. Exceptions, of course, were, for example, in the army of Philip of Macedon (father of Alexander the Great) and, of course, in the legions of the Roman Empire, the utmost attention was paid to drill.
In the Middle Ages, drill as such was virtually absent, since until the "Autumn of the Middle Ages" the infantry did not play any important role on the battlefield. Only with the beginning of the development of the battle tactics of pikemen, drill began to return to military affairs. Finally, drill returned to the infantry thanks to the military reforms of Moritz of Orange and Gustav-Adolphus, when the battle tactics of fighting began to gradually give way to more complex - linear tactics.
It is noteworthy that both Gustav-Adolph and Moritz of Orange were inspired primarily by ancient phalanxes, adapting them for fighting with firearms. But, if in the ancient phalanxes of the Greeks, the turtles of the Romans, the Skjalborgs of the Vikings, the ability to keep the formation was necessary in order to provide reliable protection of each other with shields, then in the 17th century the ability to keep the formation was necessary in order to ensure sufficient density musket fire. And to create a good volley, without the ability to clearly follow commands and keep the line - it is impossible.
A new round of drill fell on the XVII-XVIII centuries, when the battlefields finally disappeared pikemen, which were previously used as a "living palisade", behind which they could hide from cavalry arrows. The musketeers received bayonets, but one bayonet was not enough to stop the cavalry. Here again, a dense formation is important, which will allow you to organize a wall of bayonets. And just as once more progressive (and complex in execution) columns and lines were replaced on the battlefield, lines were replaced by squares, which became the peak of the evolution of dense structures of musketeers.
Interesting fact: the infantry of modern times had to be able to endure artillery fire. For example, during the Battle of Borodino, the Semenovtsy stood for several hours in a dense formation under cannon fire. This is not stupidity at all. In the conditions of the then war, when after the first hour the battlefield was covered with smog from gunpowder volleys, the infantry could not afford "Lie down" or "scatter the formation", as there was always a risk of being caught off guard by enemy cavalry or an advancing square infantry. In that situation, artillery fire was the lesser evil
And to keep any formation, drill and the ability to keep pace were important. After all, people who have lost their feet, who have ceased to listen to the drum, will very quickly lose their tune. Having destroyed the formation, they will lose the density of formation, and with it - the effectiveness of a rifle salvo and at least some kind of protection in front of the cavalry.
Why drill today
The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 was the final nail in the coffin of old infantry tactics. The terrible losses that the infantry received in the usual formations from only one modern (at that time) artillery, again forced to rethink military affairs. The dense formations began to leave. By the beginning of the First World War, humanity will forget what a square is, and chains will replace lines and columns. World War II will break out very soon, and already in the 1950s, the development of automatic weapons will again change infantry combat tactics. But despite all this, even in the 21st century, drill training from the army is in no hurry to leave. Why is it so?
READ ALSO:Wooden and rubber bullets: What are such ammunition good for?
The French Legion is keeping pace, the American Rangers and the Marine Corps are walking, the Russian special forces are keeping pace. Motorized riflemen and special forces of all armies of the world still pay great attention to drill, not only to look beautiful in the parade.
>>>>Ideas for life | NOVATE.RU<<<
Today drill has finally lost its tactical value in terms of the ability to keep a tight formation (because they do not exist). However, the drill is still an excellent training for the soldiers' reaction, alertness and motor skills. Needless to say that all of the above is important in a modern war? In addition, drill helps maintain discipline as a tool of psychological and (including) physical influence on soldiers.
Finally, drill allows soldiers to feel a sense of solidarity. For those who have completed military service, this is not an empty phrase. Movement in a dense formation and the song's opus create a very special feeling for a person. And this, in turn, is important for maintaining the same discipline, developing attachment to each other among soldiers, and forming a military brotherhood.
Thus, the ability to keep pace is not at all some unnecessary relic of the past and not only a "show off", but also a very important element of psychological and physical training.
Do you want to know even more interesting things? Then read about that why did the Egyptians abandon Soviet super-heavy tanks during the Six Day War.
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/021119/52276/