Soldiers who make good parades - usually don’t win battles..
Battle-ready units never pass inspection & Inspection-ready units never ‘pass’ battle.
But it takes a lot of practice to play Retreat on the bugle while running to the rear. That doesn't leave much time for target practice.
A regiment of picturesque Bersaglieri moving at their traditional dog trot with bugles blowing . . . came at the end of the parade.
Tell that to the Germans.
I read an essay in which armies are classified by their purpose.
1. To fight and defeat other armies.
2. To look good on parade and increase the regime’s prestige.
3. To act as essentially an internal police force against the regime’s enemies.
In WWII the various armies fell out, I would guess:
Italian: Mostly group 2, a little bit of group 3.
German: Definitely group 1.
British: Group 1, although few can beat them at showmanship.
American: Group 1, as Americans have never cared much about the other types.
Soviet: Mostly group 3.
French: Planned as group 1, but didn’t work out as planned.
Japanese: Group 1.
Chinese Nationalist: Lord only knows!
BTW, some of the best parading outfits are nobody you’d want to fight. Consider the British Guard and Highlander regiments.