Questions pertaining to characteristics of armed forces' structure, manpower, equipment, or expenditures.
8
votes
5answers
96 views
Have any armies equipped/fed their officers and enlisted men equally?
In the Soviet army during WW2 the officers had bigger food rations. They also had better boots (kirza vs. leather). The air force pilots were fed even better.
What about other modern (in the last, ...
6
votes
1answer
86 views
Are submarine launched ballistic missiles still inaccurate?
In the early 1980s documentary First Strike, one of the arguments made for the development of the MX missile program was that in the event of a massive Soviet attack on the land-based missile and ...
4
votes
2answers
128 views
U.S. Marine Corps and Why does the Navy’s army need its own air force?
A recent interview by C-SPAN host Brian Lamb with Washington Post staff writer Rajiv Chandrasekaran touched on many controversial issues of the F-35 acquisition program where evidently a lot of pork ...
4
votes
2answers
44 views
Land division to soldiers
In what times and places was it common to give land to soldiers, as a form of payment for their army service?
I have learned in school that this was common in Rome. However, in the wikipedia article ...
0
votes
1answer
66 views
Do Navy Seals die in training? [closed]
I didn't know where to ask this but i've heard that sometimes Navy Seals die during traing? Is this true? The same goes fro Green Berets.
5
votes
1answer
155 views
What is this strange uniform?
Colonel John Tiltman wears a very strange uniform in this picture, dated 1919.
The original webpage where I saw the picture is http://www.colossus-computer.com/colossus1.html.
6
votes
0answers
83 views
Did Hannibal start the Second Punic War prematurely?
IN 221 BC, Hamilcar, Hannibal's father, made a peace with Rome that divided Spain north and south between Rome and Carthage. The latter got the larger "piece," the area shaded in green on the map ...
2
votes
0answers
49 views
What was the general idea of the 'Theme' system that the Byzantines employed? [closed]
I have heard that the Theme system was effective until some disaster, but what did it actually do? What was it supposed to do?
6
votes
1answer
107 views
What was involved in “grounding arms?”
This practice appeared NOT to have been common in the twentieth century, with long-ranged, and "repeating" weapons. But prior to the nineteenth century, it was apparently a form of surrender.
What ...
4
votes
1answer
66 views
Why did the Russians lose to the Turks in 1711 after defeating them in 1700 and the Swedes in 1709?
The Russians captured Azov and Taganrog in a war with Turkey that ended in 1700. Then they decimated the Swedish army at Poltava in 1709, thereby crippling their main enemy, and freeing the bulk of ...
8
votes
1answer
80 views
Husaria, the winged hussars
The Polish husaria did carry wings -- as can be seen here or here. Their purpose has been debated with no clear answer. What I want to know is was there an evolution in the wings design or just one ...
9
votes
1answer
137 views
World War 1 Indian propaganda posters
In World War 1, because war broke out between the triple entente and the central powers (and they happened to have a lot of foreign colonies), the allies made posters to recruit soldiers from all ...
5
votes
3answers
75 views
Military training in the Hijaz during early Islamic era
The expansion of the Islamic rule during early Islamic era was quite impressive. Before 629, Muhammad's rule was limited to one city Medina. 15 years later, at the end of Umar's rule, the Caliphate ...
7
votes
2answers
145 views
What would be a typical rank for KGB intelligence offices spying abroad in the 1980s?
What would be typical ranks of KGB officers spying in the west during the 1980s? I know there were some western spies recruited by the KGB, that after defecting to the Soviet Union got/had ranks in ...
8
votes
4answers
205 views
Why did the scutum fall out of use?
Wikipedia says
By the end of the 3rd century the rectangular scutum seems to have
disappeared.
Why did the rectangular scutum design fall out of use? Why was the shield design not commonly ...
4
votes
2answers
132 views
Was there more than one way for anti-aircraft fire to shoot down a dive bomber in World War II
I read somewhere that there were two "best" times for anti-aircraft to shoot down a dive bomber (of World War II vintage). One was when the plane was going into the dive. The other was when the plane ...
4
votes
1answer
70 views
What are the modern roles of “brigadier” generals and commodores?
It has been said that the hardest jump in the military is between colonel and general. That's because a colonel is a "specialist" who commands troops of only one type (infantry, cavalry or artillery), ...
7
votes
1answer
75 views
Was there any new military innovation during the Siege of Malta?
In the Siege of Malta, the Knights Hospitaller defended the island despite being heavily outnumbered by the invading Ottoman troops. Malta was such a small island, the Turks were the masters of the ...
1
vote
2answers
69 views
What were the German “general” ranks in World War II?
The Anglo-American armies share ranks up to "full" (or four star) general. (The German army has ranks equivalent to those armies for non-general officers). The American army deviated from the English ...
1
vote
3answers
93 views
What was the origin of the roles of “lieutenant” officers?
A "captain" is a commander of a basic unit, a company in the military. As such, it makes sense that he will have one or more "lieutenants," first and second lieutenants that is.
A major commands the ...
5
votes
2answers
89 views
Military tactics specifically aimed against cavalry horses
Were tactics specifically aimed against horses common in past cavalry warfare and what forms did they take?
For instance, did opponents try to harm (poison or shoot-them-first), distract (loud ...
3
votes
1answer
115 views
Were the “hussars” that Jan Sobieski used at the battle of Vienna actually elite troops?
Apparently, the decisive blow at the 1683 Battle of Vienna was struck by Jan Sobieski, with only 3,000 "hussars" (cavalry). This seems a bit hard to believe, given that the Turkish army had about ...
6
votes
0answers
86 views
Were there any battles in Continental Europe that were decided by “peasants with pitchforks?”
I can think of one such battle in the British Isles; the battle of Bannockburn in 1314 in Scotland. In that battle, a 14,000-man English army despoiled a bunch of "homeless" vagrants on their way to ...
8
votes
3answers
170 views
At the Battle of Zama, was the Roman army more “native” than the Carthaginian?
At the battle of Zama, which army had a higher proportion of native troops? Within the context of this question consider troops to be either "native" or "mercenary". Native troops serve out of ...
4
votes
2answers
104 views
Organized and intentional suicide attacks during military conflicts
First of all I want to make it clear that we're not speaking about terrorist attacks here. This question is strictly dedicated to war operations, in a dictionary meaning.
Also this question is about ...
1
vote
1answer
110 views
Were Russian recruits ever chained?
This paper contains the following remark:
Recruits were then marched off, without proper care, to a destination
that might be hundreds of miles away; initially they were branded and
even ...
5
votes
1answer
142 views
Was the battle of Stalingrad “unique” in the annals of history?
I'm referring to the fact that BOTH sides ordered their troops to fight for the city "to the last man and last round." (Hitler). The Soviet Union's General Vasili Chuikov echoed this by saying "We ...
8
votes
1answer
118 views
What uniforms did each of the American Civil War regiment wear during First Bull Run / First Manassas
During the American Civil War battle First Bull Run / First Manassas, regiments of both sides turned up in either the gray militia uniform or the blue 1858 regulation uniform, in addition to any ...
8
votes
6answers
285 views
What advantages have motorized infantry enjoyed over standard infantry besides speed?
My understanding is that motorized infantry have greater combat value than "standard" infantry (foot soldiers armed with rifles, or perhaps machine guns), over and above their greater mobility.
Do ...
9
votes
5answers
317 views
Why have officers in the U.S. army tended to “top out” at the level of Major?
In the U.S. army, something like 75%-80% of newly-commissioned Second Lieutenants are promoted to First Lieutenant (around age 25), perhaps 75%-80% of First Lieutenants are promoted to Captain (ages ...
8
votes
1answer
112 views
Where did the design of the US Colonel insignia come from?
I've been trying to figure out why the insignia for a colonel in the U.S. military is an eagle. Obviously, there is the connection with the seal of the united states. But why is it used by the colonel ...
5
votes
5answers
151 views
How did a nomadic minority group the Manchus come to rule over China?
The population of the Chinese empire was about 120 times larger than the Jurchen tribe, who later renamed themselves to Manchus. Yes, the Manchus were very skilled warriors and the late Ming dynasty ...
3
votes
1answer
71 views
What is “quarter column”
I'm watching a documentary on the Boer War and apparently, during the Victorian era, the British Army commonly employed their infantry in "quarter column". I've tried to look it up, but can't find ...
2
votes
0answers
43 views
Riveted mail - flat or round rings? Die cut rings mixed with riveted ones?
I'm interested in the chainmail worn in the 14th and 15th century. As far as I know, almost all chainmail found in Europe has been riveted and woven 4 in 1. But I hear that there were chainmails made ...
12
votes
2answers
292 views
What did squires do in the middle of a medieval battle?
According to wikipedia, a normal squire daily job included:
Carrying the knight's armour, shield, sword,
Holding any prisoners the knight takes,
Rescuing the knight should the knight be ...
3
votes
1answer
192 views
Missing link in the German tank development?
As you know, the Leopard 1 was not the first tank of postwar Germany. Germany work on different new tanks. There are prototypes as medium tank Indienpanzer (later developed into a Swiss KW30 and its ...
-5
votes
1answer
43 views
Which are the most economic and military based civilizations [closed]
I've been working on an MMOSG game and wanted your opinions about which were the most economic and militarily powerful civilizations in history.
9
votes
1answer
79 views
Identification of a treacherous general of 17th century China
My aunt is part of an informal discussion group interested in the history of China. Apparently, during the Ming dynasty in the 1600s, there was a general whose treachery (I the charge was he was ...
9
votes
1answer
395 views
Did the Soviet Union know when DEFCON levels changed?
The US military uses a scale of alert readiness called DEFCON, with DEFCON 5 being the lowest alert level and DEFCON 1 being the highest, preparing for imminent nuclear war. At least once during the ...
10
votes
0answers
78 views
Are photos of WWII US Navy damage reports available online?
I have located a PDF of the USS Marblehead's Bomb Damage Report from 4 Feb 1942. The report lists plates of photographs which are not included in the report I have found.
Do copies of this report ...
7
votes
1answer
81 views
What kind of armor did the soldiers use in pre-gunpowder Southeast Asia?
The tropical Southeast Asia (especially the Malay world, e.g. Malaysia/Indonesia) are very hot, and apparently wearing European-style full armor is very uncomfortable in hot climates.
What kind of ...
10
votes
2answers
114 views
Was the Napoleonic era cavalry armour effective against firearms?
During the Napoleonic wars in Europe, many heavy cavalry units still retain the use of armours, for example, French Carabiniers-à-Cheval below,
How effective were these to protect the cavalryman ...
6
votes
1answer
100 views
British way in construction of AFV
Why have British tanks not changed very much? The USA have moved from the VSS, VVSS, HVSS (Lee and Sherman) suspensions to the torsion bar suspension (T26 and Patton family), USSR - from twin bogies ...
6
votes
5answers
173 views
Historical examples of significant no man's lands between states in perpetual conflict
What are some historical examples, if any, of large-scale (say > 10000 km squared) "no-man's lands" between states in perpetual conflict? These states would be mutually hostile, firmly divided ...
9
votes
2answers
172 views
Was any significant percentage of Mongol army infantry?
Mongols of Khan's time are generally considered to be a cavalry army, which makes sense logistically, given the width and speed of their military maneuvers.
But is there historical evidence of Khan's ...
14
votes
3answers
313 views
How severe were the casualties in ancient/medieval battles?
I've heard that in most battles prior to the introduction of gunpowder weapons, the casualties were usually very low (around 5% even in long battles) prior to the moment when someone's formation was ...
3
votes
0answers
65 views
Changing troops in first line during battle [closed]
I remember Caesar in De Bello Gallico mentioning Romans changing fighting/resting troops in some siege defense while Celtic attackers didn't do this and lost the battle because of it (it was somewhere ...
8
votes
2answers
325 views
How was Israel able to build a powerful military within days of the formation of the state?
The State of Israel was formed in May 14, 1948.
I guess the first Arab-Israel war broke out in the same month of the same year.
Israel won the war decisively.
The question is not "How did they win ...
15
votes
1answer
322 views
Military brothels in WW2
Did any of the other belligerents of WW2 besides Japan and Germany provide their troops with authorised military brothels?
8
votes
1answer
126 views
Gengkhis Khan armor secret
Gengkhis Khan the king of the Mongolian Empire used a specific kind of cloth material for his military fatigues. This cloth material worked as an armor and was an advantage for his soldiers to win ...
