The bayonet has been in use in every military conflict involving ground troops since the 13th century. The design has changed very little from the time it's been around but has become more modern in look and feel. In the later days it was more of a necessity because the guns only shot a few rounds before having to be reloaded. Reloading the first guns of our age took a very long time leaving the soldier defenseless.

The US Marine Corps still use the bayonet to this day. It is still equipped on guns like the M16, Sig-500, and the AK-47. Though it is not always installed it has the ability to attach them. Nowadays it is more used as a training aid but rarely needed in combat. The battles we fight now involve much less hand to hand combat.

Surprisingly the bayonet is more of a morale booster than a weapon. Soldiers that have it installed at the end of their gun feel more barbaric and it gives them a boosted lift of energy. This is one of the main reasons that it is still used today.

Using one can be more difficult than it sounds. What sounds difficult about thrusting a knife edge into your enemy, right? Well during training there are taught where to strike their enemies with it because if they don then they could easily lose their weapon. The key places to aim the bayonet is to the left and right of the groin, throat, or to either side of the breast plate. Aiming to the middle of the chest could cause the bayonet to be stuck and you won't be able to retrieve it and possibly not get your primary weapon back.

In my opinion the bayonet will go away but not until we have better close combat/last resort weapons. Of course we are getting there now with the use of chemicals and sound waves but there is nothing as dependable as a knife. These have been around since the birth of guns and most likely will remain for another 100 years.