doctrine of close-quarters combat; bayonet charge strategy
Military term referring to a tactical doctrine that emphasizes hand-to-hand fighting, especially bayonet charges, over firepower. Often associated with Imperial Japanese Army thinking.
In the former Japanese military, the doctrine of close-quarters combat was emphasized.
The doctrine of close-quarters combat became obsolete in modern warfare.
白兵戦 refers to the actual close-quarters battle or hand-to-hand fighting, while 白兵主義 is the strategic doctrine that prioritizes such combat.
Compound of 白兵 (close-quarters weapon, hand-to-hand combat) and 主義 (doctrine, principle). The exact historical origin of the term is uncertain, but it became prominent in discussions of Imperial Japanese Army tactics.