[chuckfourth]

Hi Pat
"Sorry but in my reading I don't see normal infantry combat - I see hit and run, infiltration and of course the massed charge." Sorry, no offence intended but perhaps you havn't done enough reading yet? If you are basing your comments on Jap vs Marines engagements these are only a small part of the Japanese war effort and in these engagements the Japanese troops are often in a position where normal infantry tactics aren't feasable. Your "massed charge" is a last ditch measure usually without proper artillery preperation. These acts of desperation happened during the last gasps of isolated Japanese Island garrisons or at the limits of Japanese expansion, Guadal Canal and New Guinea for instance. In these campagns the Japs were at the end of very tenous supply deep in enemy territory and had orders to destroy the beach head or "take the position" with whatever means they had and do it before the well supplied enemy brought in more reinforcements. Result, unsupported infantry attack, your "massed charge". Under "normal" conditions they fought like normal infantry. I have yet to see anything about them using "hit and run", perhaps an example?

Im hoping your not suggesting Japanese infantry/Gunjuns? stood up to draw fire?

Does "Combat Officer: A Memoir of War in the South Pacific" mention which campaign tied up snipers occoured in?

Your sniper scouting example is actually an example of observation not scouting and is the wrong war anyway.

The vast majority of armies dont have specific "scouts" scouting parties are usually made up of regular infantry drawn from the nearest infantry platoon, as such they dont have any special observation or camoflage skills. You may be confusing the current excitement about special forces with the regular infantry/snipers that operated during WW2. The aim may be to get information and not get killed but moving into unknown territory close to the enemy is obviously very likely to get you killed.

Could you define light infantry? I dont think the Japanese qualify. Japanese soldiers AFAIK actually had the heaviest packs of any infantry and had all the same types of weapons and the same organisation as any other countries infantry.
I think you may be placing to much emphasis on the Japanese response to the American Island Hopping campaign at the expense of how they operated on other fronts, Hollywood should also take some of the blame I think.
Best regards Chuck