Questions tagged [military]
Questions pertaining to characteristics of armed forces' structure, manpower, equipment, or expenditures.
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questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
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When was the last US letter of marque issued?
Article I of the United States Constitution lists "grant[ing] Letters of Marque and Reprisal" as an explicit power of the Congress. Are these still being issued? If not, when was the last ...
8
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520 views
Is there evidence for the use of the solenarion in late Medieval Ethiopia?
Shihab al-Umari, an Arab historian of the 14th century, wrote much of what's know of Emperor of Ethiopia Amda Seyon I campaigns against the Muslim States, namely Awfat, Dawaru, Arababni, Hadya, ...
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210 views
What do these artillery shell stamps indicate?
I found this inert shell decades ago at a garage sale in New Brunswick, Canada and finally got around to cleaning it up. I'm not really well versed in the various marks on it, but I've attached some ...
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107 views
Who would have used this c1890s canvas bag?
I have an OLD canvas bag measuring 14 x 11", opens to two pouches. It has a leather strap on the back that makes it look like it was possibly used as a backpack.
Printed on the front is "2 SEP.CO. ...
5
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442 views
How did the Prussians work out what fraction of the population to recruit to the military?
Here's a quote from a teacher and author John Taylor Gatto, which I found intriguing:
The military which is quite an expensive institution to maintain even in times of peace is always constituted ...
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92 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 ...
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206 views
Help identify details from a Soviet military uniform?
My family on my great-grandfather's side came from Romania and I have a picture of one of his brothers in a soviet military uniform.
I know nothing of his involvement in the military and was hoping ...
4
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167 views
What regiments of the British East India Company were in southeastern India in the late 1790s?
I have been researching ranks and positions that existed in various regiments and civil branches of the British East India Company during the late 1790s to early 1800s. Those aren't as hard as finding ...
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319 views
Who participated in the Gran Sasso raid/Operation Eiche?
I am looking for a list of all soldiers who participated in the Gran Sasso raid/Operation Eiche.
The Wikipedia list only the 4 who received Knight's Cross, and the 9 with German Cross in Gold.
But ...
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2k views
How many samurai warriors were there during the Sengoku period?
I was trying to estimate the number of warriors who were part of the samurai class. I am mainly interested in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Trying to search for that, I came across this. It states ...
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66 views
What is this Victorian era British Uniform? Royal Horse Artillery?
Please can anyone confirm whether the photo shows a uniform of a Corporal in the R.H.A.(Royal Horse Artillery) of the British Army in about the 1870s?
An ancestor of mine was in the R.H.A in the 1870s ...
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67 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 ...
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163 views
Can anyone identify this (possibly Italian) uniform?
Can anyone identify this Military uniform for me? My guess is it is Italian, possibly somewhere between 1850 - 1907.
May be from Salerno Campania Italy? Please help!
3
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158 views
Can anyone identify these three military uniforms?
Can anyone help identify these 3 uniforms?
I have recently found out they could possibly be American military. The middle man is my great great uncle and sadly I have no other info to go on I’m ...
3
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0answers
178 views
What actually happened during the elephant duel (Songkram Yutahatti) between King Naresuan of Ayutthaya/Siam and Mingy Swa of Hongsawadee/Burma?
Before we start, I just want to say that I find Thai history and the history of Southeast Asia in general to be extremely fascinating and interesting. I think that it’s just as interesting as Chinese ...
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160 views
Can anyone identify the regiment and rank from this photograph?
Can anyone identify the regiment this officer belongs to and his rank please? He seems to be wearing an Indian General service medal (1895-1902 pattern) with a battle clasp, but I cannot make out the ...
3
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213 views
Youngest age for the militia in the middle ages
I know it probably differed from village to village, town to town, city to city, but what was the standard bare minimum age for anyone to join the local militia or receive any sort of combat/survival ...
3
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145 views
What is the latest case of employment of Cretan archers in Antiquity?
It is known that Cretan archers were widely used (presumably as mercenaries) across Mediterranean by Greek armies and were occasionally included in Roman armies of Republic and of Imperial period. I ...
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111 views
How did succession work in the modern Argentine military dictatorships?
For example, it says on the wikipedia page for Alfredo Oscar Saint Jean, an Argentine president and general: "Saint-Jean's brief period as President in June and July 1982 ended when he was succeeded ...
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177 views
Can you identify this military uniform? Montana 1850-1920
Portrait taken in Montana-best guess between 1850 and 1920. WWI?? Slouch hat. Single-breasted coat with 5 or 6 buttons. Breast pocket on each side; diagonal, flap with button. Knee-high boots. Curvy ...
3
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97 views
Palestinian Troop Strength During 1948 War
I am trying to estimate the strength of the Palestinian irregular forces during the 1947-49 War.
I find two well documented groups:
Army of the Holy War, commanded by Husayni, based in Ramalla,
...
3
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295 views
History about Triplex Plate Armour?
An example of triplex plate armour was discovered and dated to the War of the Roses at the Royal Armoury of Leeds. They even had a reproduction made by A Plaisance Armouries for a crossbow and musket ...
3
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749 views
How many German soldiers were there by the time Nazi Germany surrendered?
How many German soldiers were out there fighting by the time Nazi Germany surrendered ? (What I mean by surrendered is 8th of may 1945)
I read this and it says in early may there were around 800K ...
3
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1answer
406 views
Number of foreigners in the Waffen-SS and Wehrmacht during WWII
During World War II, thousands of non-German men fought in the Waffen-SS and in the Wehrmacht. People from all Europe, volunteers from neutral and occupied countries and enemy prisoners. Even Russian ...
3
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1answer
382 views
Where can I find documents on the 1992 fight between French soldiers and Somalian fighters?
I read in this French blog that before the battle of Mogadishu in 1993, French soldiers did fight successfully and manage to achieve their mission in June 1992 during the Oryx Operation (They were ...
3
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1answer
201 views
Can anybody identify the cap-badge and/or uniform in this image?
Can anybody identify the cap-badge and/or uniform in this image?
I'm hoping the period is c. 1899/1900 and should be UK based???
My searches to date have turned up a blank; but then I have no ...
2
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144 views
Did the Duke of Cambridge wear rouge?
I'm looking for evidence that the Prince George, Duke of Cambridge - Queen Victoria's cousin and the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army - enhanced his complexion by the judicious and semi-discreet ...
2
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107 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 ...
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37 views
When did the defeated General José de la Cruz sail back to Spain?
José de la Cruz was a Spanish military commander in Mexico's wars of independence. He was finally defeated by his ex-subordinate, Pedro Celestino Negrete in Durango, just after the Treaty of Córdoba, ...
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197 views
Could someone help me identify this button from a WW2 prison camp field?
I'm struggling to identify a button found in a field in Italy, where WW2's prison camps were built.
Searching online I found a lot of American's Civil War buttons that could be related to it, based on ...
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137 views
Where was this destroyed bridge in South Vietnam?
Can anyone provide the location of this destroyed bridge during the Vietnam War? I believe the sign at the end of the bridge refers to the Big Red One, 1st Infantry Division
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241 views
Trying to identify what military service, war and rank by the uniform
I have been searching google images, tried a reverse search and found nothing. I have looked on many sites and cannot identify the service. I do know he has 9 buttons on his coat, 3 on the cuffs, red ...
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107 views
Mutual support in Latin American wars of independence
Nascent Latin American countries expelled Spain with some mutual aid from each other. Between 1815 and 1822, independent Argentina and Chile sent newly acquired naval forces (under Bouchard, Brown, ...
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221 views
What kind of medal is this?
I found this medal in UK. As far as I know the medal is from CCCP. I am living in Latvia and it used to be CCCP as well. On the medal you can see LIEPAJ and if there is missing letter then that must ...
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77 views
First Century (or earlier) gesture signifying peace between two parties?
I am working on a painting set in the first century which shows a military group confronting another group in the Middle East.
I am trying to find a gesture which the leader of one army would make ...
2
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88 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 ...
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39 views
How did plague affect military management in 17th century North Africa?
I’m doing some research on Morocco’s history during the early 17th century, and more specifically the chaos leading to the fall of the Saadians Dynasty. One of the main causes, if not the main, is the ...
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127 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):
...
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87 views
Has the US National Guard ever been deployed nationwide before, as has been done with the Covid-19 pandemic?
I've tried looking in various places online and have been unable to find when in US history we have had nationwide deployments of the National Guards? Where can I find this out? Or do you know?
Edit: ...
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60 views
What were the proportions of state militias in Continental Army?
The wikipedia article on the Continental Army suggests that "The army never numbered more than 17,000 men." but also lists a number of 80,000 as the peak size. The former number refers specifically ...
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34 views
What is a good book with authoritative histories of individual RAF bases?
I write a lot about RAF radar systems. It is common to refer to the base where it was first built, like RAF Bard Hill. However, I find it very difficult to find anything about Bard Hill, what does ...
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139 views
Can anyone identify the uniforms in these pics, dated 1903 - 1904, Calcutta?
A little background... his father was a merchant with offices in Bremen and Calcutta; his mother tutored the children of the Viceroy of India. In later documents he states he was a member of the Royal ...
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137 views
What branch of service and rank is this 1860 photo?
This is a cabinet photo taken by Kelley's in New York, but we are having a difficult time identifying his branch of service and rank. Any leads to this genealogical effort would be greatly appreciated!...
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82 views
What is this Uniform and Medal Ribbon?
I am trying to help someone. She has sent me a black & white photo. I think the battle dress is post WW2? And the man could be an officer? Ie the wearing of a tie. I just cannot work out the ...
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325 views
Tomb of the Unknown soldier: why do they relax their jaw?
During the changing of the guard, I have always noticed the relief commander either relaxes their jaw before most sentences they say, or actively juts it out for every sentence (depending on the ...
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883 views
Why did the Lead Dart replace the Pilum?
As I understand it, early through to mid Roman Armies use the javelin style Pilum. I've read that the late Roman army used Lead Darts, or Plumbata, in the same or a very similar fashion.
Was the ...
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177 views
What was the significance of Bitchu-Takamatsu Castle from a military/political perspective?
What was a strategic intention for building Bitchu-Takamatsu Castle?
Its placement in a swamp, in a basin surrounded by mountains might on three sides made the castle impregnable, but also quite ...
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106 views
What uniform is in this painting?
This is a painting of a man in a military uniform, possibly a French officer.
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132 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 ...
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82 views
What authority did the US Army have in Egypt between 1945 and 1950?
I am trying to research a brief period of time in Egypt immediately after Britain's withdrawal in 1945, specifically the presence and authority of the US military there (if any) before 1950.
Was ...
