>>8964
True, but when you stick a metal rod into somebody it can easily get stuck, thrusting weapons are much easier to defend against as they can only attack in one way and swords can deal some substantial punishment as well, yes internal wounds were much harder to treat but swords can easily chop of limbs or cleave heads.

>This was even learned by the Japanese although they had a curved Katana. The curve, like the Cossack sabers, was to enable a cut on horseback.

The katana was not actually a calvary weapon, in fact it would be uncommon to find somebody who could afford a horse and still would use a katana. The Tachi was the sword Samurai used. It's actually a common misconception and the Japanese themselves often make it in period dramas and such. The Katana was shorter and worn in a sash, it was much handier for ashigaru to wear than a tachi would be, it's actually a foot soldiers sword not a cavalry sword. If you look at contemporary artwork you will see that the important folk always wear a tachi and the ashigaru a katana. It's a misconception that developed due to the edo period, Hideyoshi started to implement laws that would restrict the ways class worked so by the edo period all ashigaru and ji samurai were deemed samurai and on top of that the katana was easier to wear so samurai would wear them when out in public and doing other non battle field things rather than a tachi.