Questions tagged [military]
Questions pertaining to characteristics of armed forces' structure, manpower, equipment, or expenditures.
809
questions
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0answers
41 views
What Army Quartermaster units were assigned for direct support to SHAEF HQ in France in 1944? [closed]
What Army Quartermaster units were assigned for direct support to SHAEF HQ in France during 1944? All the research I have done on SHAEF HQ only talk about the senior staff actions or the organization ...
-2
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0answers
60 views
What's the first recorded use of tactics in battle? [closed]
What's the first recorded use of tactics in battle? Im specifically interested in the use of formations and maneuvers, not in things like fortifications or use of armour, even though these could be ...
12
votes
1answer
261 views
How likely was an enlisted man to have fought at both Falkirk and Bannockburn?
A heroic Scottish song begins, "Scots who have with Wallace bled, Scots whom Bruce has often led..."
William Wallace's most famous battle was Falkirk (1298). Robert Bruce's was Bannockburn (...
6
votes
2answers
249 views
What is this military uniform from the 1870s?
This is a Tintype photo from around 1860 to 1870 time period. I don't know what country this comes from. The photo was discovered in the United States with a group of pictures tracing a German ...
-1
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1answer
181 views
Where can I find more information on the Federated Malay States V.F.? [closed]
badge has a crown on top with a shield in the middle. slider on back on front reads Federated Malay States V.F. I was wondering if anyone knows much about the badge as I have not found out much about ...
2
votes
1answer
199 views
How have military orders evolved in the information era?
The different sizes of military structures have stood the test of time. The nature of combat has changed perhaps, but the people stay the same. At any given time in history, I presume there was a ...
4
votes
6answers
602 views
Was the tide of war ever turned by a wonder weapon?
There seems to be a repeating topos in history, where powers on the loosing side of a war try to turn its tide by inventing new, secret and/or super weapons. The misguided hope seems to be that these ...
9
votes
1answer
100 views
Can anyone point me to an online version of the 1900 amendment to the Franco-Russian Military Convention 1892?
Incitement
The Wikipedia article, France-Russia relations, linked in an answer to this question, has
After France was humiliated by Britain in the Fashoda Incident of 1898, the French wanted the ...
6
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0answers
87 views
What regiment is this (~1826-1861) French cuirass cavalry uniform?
I would be grateful if you would take the time to look at the uniform in this photograph and suggest a regiment. I have included some background information and hope you might have some ideas for me ...
2
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0answers
106 views
Please help me identify this uniform and insignia from possibly the Utah Territorial Militia?
This person is Charles Robert Jones, my 3rd great-grandfather. He served in the Utah Territorial Militia during the Utah Black Hawk War. The year would be about 1866. Could this be the uniform and ...
5
votes
1answer
181 views
Was Wilhelm II aware of the Franco-Russian Military Convention 1892?
The second sentence of Article 1 of the Convention reads,
If Russia is attacked by Germany, or by Austria supported by Germany, France shall employ all her available forces to attack Germany.
...
26
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5answers
7k views
Did German submarines communicate with allied convoys during battle?
In the movie Greyhound a German submarine communicates with an allied convoy during battle by radio to intimidate the crew.
Are there historical accounts of such behaviour or is this purely fictional?
5
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2answers
689 views
Can anybody help identify this uniform ? Circa WW1
I presume this photo is circa WW1. Can anybody identify which unit, regiment and rank, this would be very helpful.
1
vote
1answer
140 views
Why does the Canadian Air Force name its ranks like its Army, whilst the Australian and New Zealand Air Forces use the Royal Air Force's?
Like the US's, the Canadian Air Force's ranks are named identically to its Army's.
But Australia's and New Zealand's rank names follow the RAF's. Why?
-1
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3answers
227 views
Why do navies like the US Navy name its ranks uniquely?
Australia, New Zealand, and UK Air Forces' rank names are unique too, unlike North America's. So I focus here on the Canadian and US Army, Air Force, and Marines ranks that are the same. Why haven't ...
1
vote
1answer
128 views
Can anyone identify this military uniform?
Can anyone identify this uniform? I'm not sure it is military or scouts? I'm guessing this is WWII era or earlier in the United States.
3
votes
2answers
332 views
Can anyone help me identify my grandfather's uniform?
Can anyone help me identify my paternal grandfather's uniform? I never knew him and he died when my father was 8 years old and my father has passed too. No living family members who can tell me if ...
0
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0answers
48 views
How did the US military “put the 'go slow'” on the use of force in the Vietnam War since the Tet Offensive?
In the recent CNN News video Retired general reacts to Trump's military comments after 00:50 Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander General Wesley Clark (ret) says (my transcription from the video):
...
3
votes
1answer
163 views
Identify tank or artillery shell
I found this shell by the sea of Galilee in 1967 and it makes a great door stop. I've not been able to identify it by searching the web. Can anyone tell me anything about it. It is solid iron, 17cm by ...
8
votes
1answer
219 views
Did Post-Marian Republic or Imperial Legion cohorts have specific skill levels?
Here and here and numerous other places I've looked online state that Roman Legions divided their infantry into cohorts based on skill, and that all legions had their cohorts identically manned. The ...
9
votes
1answer
544 views
What is the purpose of this Roman siege tactic as shown in this Illustration?
When browsing Wikipedia, I came across this illustration that displays some of well known siege weapons of Roman empire.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_engine#/media/File:Roman_siege_machines.gif
...
0
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0answers
105 views
What uniform is in this painting?
This is a painting of a man in a military uniform, possibly a French officer.
4
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1answer
317 views
How deep would a Roman Marian cohort's battle line be, in a melee?
Are there any estimates for how deep a Roman battle line was, under Marius, at the level of a cohort? Whether the line was 3, 6, or another number of ranks deep?
I'd suppose 3 would be a minimum, and ...
5
votes
1answer
272 views
Did archers ever shoot over the heads of their allies at enemy cavalry? Did they ever do this during a melee?
Did archers ever shoot over the heads of infantry to hit enemy cavalry? Did they ever do this while the enemy cavalry were engaged in melee with their friendly infantry? Could the archers do this?
A ...
7
votes
1answer
192 views
Did any of the Flying Tigers lead a US Navy squadron?
I came across a couple of passages on the Flying Tigers, mercenary armies and famous volunteers
I saw how one pilot became an ace in Europe and another became a General in the 10th Air Force after ...
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votes
1answer
175 views
How much damage was USSR already capable of doing by the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
How much damage was USSR already capable of doing, in the event of a nuclear war, by the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
How many ICBMs and strategic bombers did it have, and what were their ...
5
votes
1answer
161 views
Were single men permitted to adopt in the 1930's-40's USA?
I am writing a historical fiction tale, and have a question about families of the time.
The situation in my book is that there are two brothers in the peacetime US Navy Aviation corps, and one of them ...
1
vote
1answer
206 views
What were common crew ranks on US Navy flying boats and bombers?
historians! I asked this question over on the Aviation SE, but was also suggested to ask here. Below is a copy of my question from over there.
I have been trying to figure this out for some time, but ...
10
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3answers
2k views
Why did the US Navy and Marine Corps use satanic symbolism in WW2?
When you look at certain names and symbols used by the U.S. Navy (USN) and the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) during WW2, you could see they are heavily loaded with satanic symbols. You have the F6F Hellcat ...
0
votes
1answer
109 views
Where is this possibly WWI Eastern European military uniform from? [closed]
This family members picture is a mystery. I would like to be able to know what country and military unit this uniform is from. I think is is eastern Europe around World war 1 era.
3
votes
0answers
63 views
What is the source of this quote about leadership and trust?
What is the source of this quote about leadership and trust? I paraphrase:
"There are three things a military force has: food, weapons, and trust. A good leader should give up the food and ...
0
votes
1answer
272 views
What was the average age of tank crews, in particular commanders, in WW2?
It's somewhat difficult to find reliable figures for this, but it's an interesting question. Michael Wittmann, the German tank ace, was 30 when he was killed on the western front in 1944. Would this ...
11
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1answer
915 views
When was the first intentional ricochet fired from a naval artillery?
Wikipedia states that the first ricochet firing was performed in 1688. This other website says it may have existed in 1587. All those historical events are for cannonballs fired from the ground ...
0
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0answers
126 views
What pre-industrial battle used a tactic to split the enemy force in the middle in this way?
I remember watching a video on a pre-industrial battle (maybe even pre musket, but not sure) on a unique battle technique. Cavalry was involved, as well as slingshot and infantry. For some reason my ...
-2
votes
1answer
288 views
Were military-grade P-38 and P-51 can openers supposed to last a lifetime? [closed]
Were military-grade P-38 and P-51 can openers supposed to last a lifetime?
Wikipedia says:
The original U.S.-contract P-38 can openers were manufactured by J.W.
Speaker Corporation of Germantown, ...
0
votes
1answer
174 views
Why are flagpole tips spear-shaped? [closed]
I happened to notice that the flagpoles outside of EU Parliament are not ending with a spear-shaped tip (in their upper part), so I wondered why usually flagpoles resemble spears.
I suppose that ...
4
votes
0answers
90 views
What were the other steps on the execution checklist during Neptune Spear aka the killing of Bin Laden
According to Wikipedia, capturing Bin Laden was step 7 on the execution checklist - what were the steps before? And were there any afterwards?
The words of the commander on the ground were, "For ...
26
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2answers
5k views
What is the reason for: “Risk taking must focus on winning rather than preventing defeat” in US Army Operations guides?
I am posting this question in the hope that 'history' is close enough on-topic to find answer to this question:
What is the intent behind the statement
"Risk taking must focus on winning rather ...
0
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0answers
109 views
What determined who would be on the front lines of a large infantry engagement? [duplicate]
In Ancient and Middle Aged European Armies, what decided whether a soldier was at the front lines or just in the normal center-back? Was it a status symbol or honor to be in the front lines?
Please ...
3
votes
1answer
256 views
What tanks/armored vehicles are in these pictures?
Need help in identifying the tanks/armored vehicles in the picture.
Date - 11 Aug 2019
Location - Birmenstorf, Switzerland
Event - āA Convoy to rememberā commemorating 75 Anniversary of WW2 Normandy ...
1
vote
1answer
192 views
Is there an example of 2 opposing military forces both attempting pincer movements on each other?
Pincer movements (double envelopment) seem to be a ubiquitous and effective theme throughout (what I know of) military history.
Since the idea is far from new, it seems to me like you'd find both ...
0
votes
1answer
114 views
How did the pincer movement at the Battle of Cannae work? [closed]
In an effort to understand both the Battle of Cannae and its early use of double envelopment (Pincer movement) in 216 BC, I came across the following diagram:
The diagram doesn't seem particularly ...
19
votes
2answers
2k views
Could the Soviet Union have supported Czechoslovakia primarily by air in 1938?
The Soviet Union was bound by treaty to support Czechoslovakia in 1938. One "sticking point" was that the Soviet Union would have to cross Polish and/or Romanian territory to do so.
Was ...
2
votes
1answer
99 views
Please help with identifying this uniform, taken in Turkey 1940s
My Greek uncle worked in the American Embassy in Turkey and this picture I believe was taken in the embassy, circa 1940s - he was about 20+ then. I have researched epaulettes, uniforms of the Turkish ...
5
votes
1answer
251 views
Does anyone recognize this uniform?
I think it may be a Polish uniform, but I'm not sure. The eagle hanging down from the chest pocket seems unique in my web surfing for similar uniforms My family came to US from Snietnica, Galicia in ...
5
votes
1answer
147 views
Did Boris Belousov join in his brother's conspiracy to kill the Emperor?
I'm working on a paper about the Belousov-Zhabotinsky-reaction (a chemical oscillator).
I included some information about the history of oscillation reaction, in particular about Boris Pavlovich ...
12
votes
1answer
825 views
Did Boris Pavlovich Belousov die in 1970 or 1976?
I'm working on a paper about the Belousov-Zhabotinsky-reaction (a chemical oscillator).
I included some information about the history of oscillation reaction, in particular about Boris Pavlovich ...
6
votes
1answer
380 views
What was the Soviet reasoning for developing their Airborne Forces (VDV) into a powerful military branch?
The Soviet Airborne Forces (the VDV, or the ŠŠ¾Š·Š“ŃŃŠ½Š¾-Š“ŠµŃŠ°Š½ŃŠ½ŃŠµ Š²Š¾Š¹ŃŠŗŠ°, or the Aerial Descent Force as a more precise translation) were one of the more prestigious units in the Soviet military (see '...
6
votes
2answers
254 views
Identify male uniform 1860-80 north Central Europe single breast trouser boot round cap
This photo is believed to be from 1860-1880 Poland/Lithuania, as the house behind them looks like a Polish thatch house. The man in question is in the center back of the photo.
Uniform is single ...
23
votes
3answers
427 views
How expensive were castles? And how were the costs distributed?
In, Castles, Battles, Bombs: How Economics Explained Military History, I came across this passage :
"The cost lay mostly in direct labor cost, as most labor had to be paid. (In contrast, raw material ...
