Questions pertaining to characteristics of armed forces' structure, manpower, equipment, or expenditures.
12
votes
5answers
776 views
How did a besieged city/castle defend itself vs. catapulting diseased dead bodies into it?
I was a bit shocked to read that diseased dead bodies/animals where catapulted into besieged castles/towns. Biological warfare in the middle ages. But this "method" of warfare had probably alot ...
0
votes
0answers
29 views
A memorial Georgia (U.S.) plaque
This memorial plaque lists the numbers of Georgians who served in various wars and details the casualties. What I find odd is that for WWI, Korea, Vietnam, and Gulf round numbers are given for the ...
2
votes
3answers
108 views
Were there many “co-headed” commands where the senior member was younger than the junior?
When one thinks of "partnership" commands, one may think of the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene. Perhaps Hindenburg and Ludendorf in World War I Or Robert E. Lee and "Stonewall" Jackson. In each ...
12
votes
5answers
1k views
How did the US/South Vietnam lose the Vietnam war?
South Vietnam was helped by US. Even when the US was gone, they had a 1 million army.
So why did they lose?
Even without US support, South Vietnam had about the same manpower, higher technology, and ...
6
votes
1answer
39 views
How did Poland avoid partition in the 17th century, but not the 18th century?
During the "Deluge" of 1648-1667, Poland was invaded and largely overrun by Sweden and Russia, the latter supporting dissident Ukrainian rebels.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deluge_(history)
Yet, ...
1
vote
1answer
118 views
In U.S. military forces, did black soldiers suffer a heavy racial segregation during World War II?
Source: BBC
In his book, Mr Hitchcock raises another issue that rarely features in
euphoric folk-memories of liberation: Allied looting, and worse.
"The theft and looting of Normandy ...
17
votes
7answers
1k views
Why wasn't the Republic of Ireland invaded (by either side) in WW2?
Ireland was neutral in WW2, however it was never invaded (by either side). How come? Why wasn't Ireland invaded by the UK to prevent the Germans invading? Why didn't germany invade ireland? It would ...
11
votes
2answers
142 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 ...
9
votes
5answers
210 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, ...
7
votes
1answer
119 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 ...
12
votes
8answers
2k views
What was the ratio of German to Soviet losses on eastern front during different stages of the war?
I've read somewhere that the ratio of Soviet to German casualties on the eastern front was 1.4 for the whole war. But what about data for different stages of the war? (this ratio wasn't constant after ...
4
votes
2answers
201 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
47 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
77 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.
4
votes
2answers
318 views
Where can I find the history of military uniforms?
Is there any web resource that talk about the history and evolution of military uniforms?
For example, development, history and evolution of uniforms of various Muslim, European, Asian, Indian ...
8
votes
1answer
136 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 ...
21
votes
2answers
1k views
What was with the “poofy” pants found in various military uniforms?
I've often wondered why do various uniforms have those "poofs" on the outsides of the legs just above the knee? Was there a particular purpose to this, or a practical reason, or was it just the result ...
5
votes
1answer
189 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
85 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 ...
6
votes
1answer
112 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 ...
2
votes
0answers
51 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?
4
votes
1answer
70 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 ...
9
votes
2answers
422 views
How does the amount of equipment carried by various historical infantries compare?
I've heard many statements amount the weight of supplies and munition carried by soldiers of various historical forces. In particular, I've heard many comments about the amount that the British ...
4
votes
2answers
187 views
What is the motivation of having heavy infantry to the right and light infantry to the left flank?
In Napoleonic wars era, a line contains mostly regular troops except for two kind of elite units, the heavy one, e.g. grenadiers, they normally are the bravest, strongest troops with the best stamina, ...
9
votes
1answer
173 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
81 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 ...
9
votes
7answers
342 views
Has there ever been an attempted military takeover of a democracy in the western world?
Ignoring the Spanish 1981 and Greek 1967 coups. Are there any other examples of the military attempting (or even managing) to overthrow an elected government in an advanced democracy in the western ...
8
votes
1answer
88 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 ...
7
votes
2answers
185 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
238 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 ...
5
votes
1answer
127 views
Looking for info on an (epicly) failed British Special Forces mission
A couple of years back I read a Wikipedia article about a UK special forces mission. After a series of bad decisions, most of the crew got killed. I would like to be able to give these events as an ...
4
votes
2answers
140 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 ...
30
votes
2answers
2k views
How did Israel win the Six-Day War?
Considering Israel fought several Arab countries, which had troops largely outnumbering the Israeli, how did they manage to win the war decisively, with much fewer casualties than the Arab countries?
...
4
votes
1answer
75 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), ...
8
votes
3answers
181 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 ...
1
vote
3answers
94 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 ...
7
votes
1answer
85 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 ...
14
votes
3answers
359 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 ...
1
vote
2answers
76 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 ...
5
votes
2answers
105 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
142 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 ...
5
votes
1answer
126 views
Did the Carthaginians have the option of sending Hannibal to Sicily?
Sicily was a major focus of the First and Second Punic Wars. The first Punic war ended with Carthage handing over major grain-growing areas on the island, and the port of Lilybaem to Rome as spoils of ...
7
votes
2answers
197 views
Did the Gallic army besieged in Alesia conduct itself well when expecting relief?
During a Gallic revolution against Rome, a Gallic army of some 80,000 men took shelter in the fortress town of Alesia, where they were besieged by some 50,000 Romans under Julius Caesar. (His army may ...
8
votes
2answers
154 views
How and why did Charles XII Get to Poltava?
The decisive battle of the Great Northern War between Sweden and Russia was the battle of Poltava. That's located deep in the Ukraine, southeast of Kiev, between Cherkassy and Kharkov.
That seems ...
6
votes
0answers
88 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
6answers
288 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 ...
6
votes
5answers
384 views
What incentives are in place for American soldiers to go fight in Iraq?
I am from Brazil, a country that has not fought any war since WW2. If you join the army, go fight in Iraq and then return, what will the USA pay you? Is there a health plan for life, a pension, or ...
4
votes
2answers
108 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 ...
3
votes
3answers
202 views
Why Americans like to enroll in military services despite huge risks involved?
Working in US military is one of the riskiest jobs in America because of the regular engagement in battles compared to other military in the world.
I live in a third-world country. Even in my ...
10
votes
6answers
2k views
Why did Nazi soldiers do Hitler's bidding?
The atrocities committed by Nazi soldiers during World War II are well known. I'd like to know what motivated these soldiers to do Hitler's bidding? Were they brain-washed? Did they believe they were ...
