Page 28 - MILITARY-STUDIES-1

Need of Military Studies Today Module - I

Military Studies

Note

3.2 Transformation in Training

You have already learnt how a soldier was trained in the ancient age and in medieval
era. During the British period, armies were modernised and became more mobile. The
new methods of fighting and modern weapons made it necessary to change the subjects
being taught. What aspects of the army changed during the period before World War
II ?
• Army became Armed Forces with the raising of Air Force and Navy.

• Training in Military subjects became specialized to each of the three wings of

armed forces - Army, Navy and Air Force.
• Re-organization of army was done to suit the new methods of battle. Army

raised additional arms such as Combat Engineers (building bridges and roads,
clearing obstacles, etc), Signals (telecommunication).
• The standard infantry had rifles, machine guns, guns, mortars, Anti Tank Missiles.
Cavalry became an arm with battle tanks. Artillery had long-range guns and
rockets, self-propelled guns.
• The basic soldier training of skill at arms was the same, except that the subject

became complicated and intense. A rifle replaced the sword.
• All three services of Army, Navy and Air Force have to fight the war together.
Hence Tri-service training was introduced.

3.2.1 Changes in Training the Army

You have seen in the previous lesson how soldiers were trained and taught military
skills in the Ashrams and Gurukuls. As the armies transformed and acquired greater
capabilities, the method of training also changed. Let us see in a tabular form what
were the changes in the subjects taught to the soldiers.

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MILITARY STUDIES 21