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Definition
| Worlds first specifically designed armed attack Helicopter. Used during the vietnam war to deal with losing helicopters to ground fire. It was heavily armed, fast and highly manuverable. |
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| movement of military forces like infantry by helicopters and other vertical take off aircraft. Used to seize and hold key terrain and engage and destroy enemy ground forces. Infantry is specially trained and has equipment modified for aircraft transportation and use. |
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| Naval warship designed to deploy and recover aircraft. Became the main capital ship of navies acrossed the world during WWII. ACs are vulnerable to other ships due to their lack of firepower, and are usually accompanied by other ships to provide support and offensive firepower. |
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| Air cooled gas operated 7.62 MM (30 Caliber) light machine gun. Created in 1947 and is beloved for its durability and cheap manufacturing. created in 1947 and saw its early use mainly in the USSR, and now has spread to being used worldwide. |
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| Military technique that uses the element of suprise to allow a smaller force to overcome a larger force. Enemies are lured into a kill zone and then a variety of measures are used to bring about the most casualties. From the early use of charges against exposed flanks to use of IEDs the ambush has been prevalent throughout history. |
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| a missile designed to bring down any other ballistic missile. Important because ballistic missiles are used to carry normal warheads, or Nuclear Biological and Chemical warheards. Garnered great support doring the cold war due to rocket tests that made it possible to send intercontinental ballistic missiles, although with the development of launching systems that fired multiple warheads or decoys the cost of defense has outweighed the cost of attack. |
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| armed conflict against insurgents trying to overthrow a the political order of a territory. Insurgents try to seek and destroy political authority and counter-insurgents try and protect that authority and reduce/eliminate insurgents. |
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| designed to fire shells that penetrate the heavy armor of a tank. It is designed to kill all those inside the tank thus disabling it. With the advent of the tank these weapons were created to deal wit the overwhelming superiority of them. |
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| large scale bombing of large targets usually by dropping many unguided bombs. The tactic aims for complete destruction of a target region to destroy personnel, structures, or material and demoralize the enemy. Developed in WWII by the Brittish and later used by the Americans to try and weaken german morale and destroy cities that housed the industries of the war machine. Originally multiple planes were used flying V. |
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| type of ammunition designed to penetrate armor. used mainly up till 1950 to defeat armor on warships, and then in the 1920s used to defeat tanks. greatly strengthened casing and shaped nose usually with some form of explosive charge in them. |
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| before WWI cavalry units were about armored men on horseback, and were used for their mobility and shock value. after WWI they were convereted to armor cars or tanks used for either reconassaince or in an assault role to break defenses, armored cavalry broke the nature of trench warfare in WWI |
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| Armored Personnel Carrier |
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| Purose is to carry infantry to and from battlefield, and not necessarily to take part in direct combat. Usually armed with anti-perssonnel or anti-tank weaponry as a defensive measure. both wheels and tracks have been used. Designed to keep troops safe on travel to and from battlefield from ambushes and shrapnel. |
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| Combat arm that fires large projectiles. use is to usually provide close support or attack targets. Artillery was first introduced as cannons, and now contain howitzers, mortars, naval artiller, and anti-aircraft artillery. Rounds can be solid, but more than likely now contain explosive charges. |
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| shoulder fired, magazine fed weapon. capable of at least semi-automatic and at least one automatic fire option. Became a popular term in WWII after the german's used the translation of "storm rifle" to describe a weapon of their own. |
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| War waged in which the two sides relative power or startegy/tactics is significantly different. usually these fights involve the use of unconvential warfare with the weaker combatents attempting to use strategies to offset their deficiencies/weaknesses. |
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| Field Marshal Rommel's idea to use mine fields, gun emplacements, and other obsticals designe dto slow down or prevent any sea attack along the western coast from norway to spain. it failed due to lack of time to finish defense, and lack of control over re-enforcements. |
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| Designed to carry array of weapons to provide air to ground support for troops. Used for anti-personnel and anti-tank missions. first used in vietnam but has continued to see use up to current days. |
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Definition
| military strategy in wich you attempt to win a war by wearing down the other side by leaching reserves of personnel and supplies. Attrition has been thought of as something to be avoided if at all possible due to the losses. |
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| AWACS is a specific type of early warning radar equipped to boeing aircrafts. The modern system is capable of picking up targets at 250 mi. |
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| A four engine heavy bomber aircraft of the US army air corps. Used during wwii as a carpet bomber in the european theatre to bomb german targets. carried a 2000lb bomb load 2000 miles at cruising speed of 200-250 mph. |
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| gunnery position on 2 well known bombers. it was manned by the shortest man on the cure and had 2 m2 .50 calibre machine guns. b/c of the small space the gunner did not wear a parachute. |
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Definition
| type of fencing wire constructed with sharp points arranged at intervals along the wire. Easily placed, cheaply created, saw extensive use in WWI to prevent movement of troops. it was overcome with the production of the tank in 1916. |
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| any object used to forcibly open a gate or door, used to breech enemy defense fortifications. |
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| took place in october 1415 in northern france. English vs french during 100 years war. English henry V won the battel against a much larger french army. Used new innovation of stakes to help deter enemy cavalry and furthered the lore of the english longbowmen. |
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| turning point for americans in the pacific campaign of WWII. Severely crippled the japaenese navy success was due partly to the American codebreakers. americans spotted the japanese force first and sank 3 carriers before any casualties were taken on the american ship side. The japanese navy would not be the same after the battle. |
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| considered one of the bloodiest battles of WWII, and one of its turning points. This battle was fought between the soviets and german forces in the city of stalingrad. The germans took most of the city but were then encircled by a soviet counterattack that left them cut off from supplies and reenforcements. |
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| one of the longest battles of WW1 took place on both banks of the somme river, brittish and french attacking the germans. Marked the debut of tanks in mass being used by the britts. The tanks did little to turn the tide of battle but the french/brittish still won. 1.5 million deaths for 7 miles of land. |
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Definition
| most decisive brittish naval victory int he napoleonic wars. Won over the french and spanish combined fleet. No brittish loss and over 20 franco-spanish ships lost.saw the use of new tactics by the brittish that were the deciding factor. |
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| french versus teh brittish/prussians and Napolean of the french was defeated. was the end of him as emporer after his exile. French attacked after noon and brittish defended until reenforcements from prussians took the flank of the french, the britts then counterattacked and over ran the french. napolean surrendered and abdicated the throne. |
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Definition
| defensive architecture that has cut out sections from a wall so that missile weapons can be used to counter the attacking force. Have seen use for thousands of year and evolved to allow different weapons to be used. |
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Definition
| large well armored ship with immense guns that took command of ocean from late 19th century to wwII. They were seen as the symbol of naval might during that time. with WWii they soon only were seen useful to bombard coastlines due to advent of cheaper weapon systems. |
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Definition
| knife/dagger like aparatus that can be attatched to a soldiers rifle. Useful for close combat situations and saw use with the advent of gun-powder based missile weapons. Bayonette fixed weapons are used much like short spears used to. |
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Definition
| initial are of landing secured during an amphibious assault. Includes not only the beach but small surrounding area, it is used as the staging area for reenforcements and supplies as the assault progresses. |
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Definition
| use of chemical or biological components as weapons, such as germs,diseases, or gasses that are designed to kill the enemy through attacking the nervous and or immune system. |
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Definition
| german word translated to lightning war. term was not used by the germans, but used by other forces to describe the german assaults of WWII. Plans included concentrating overwhelming force and rapid speed to break enemy lines and disregarding the flank. Used to full effect due to advancements in aircraft and tanks during the time between world wars. |
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Definition
| personal protection worn on the body to protect against weapons on a battlefield. It has evolved from extra padding and leather to stop cold steel weapons to plate and chain mail to stop arrows and hand weapons, to kevlar and ceramic plates to stop shell fragments and some small arms fire. |
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Definition
| war between brittish and boer republics of south africa at the turn of the 20th century. Boers used guerrilla tactics and brittish used common tactics of the period that led to great strain by the brittish. |
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Definition
| a rifle that is reloaded manually by opening and closing the breech of the weapon. first saw use int eh mid 19th century by the prussians and was replaced by semi-automatic and automatic rifles of today. they are low cost and high powered but are lacking in rate of fire due to the reload and resighting time. |
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| a nickname for the german S mine that is spring loaded so that when it is tripped it jumped to around waist height and exploded usually filled with steel balls and fragments. the ordanance fires in a 360 degrees and was used in WWII to good affect against unarmored troops. |
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Definition
| cartridge is loaded fromt eh back of the barrel. first became popular during american civil war with invention of the sharps rifle. Mostly saw use by cavalry men due to ease of reloading compared to musekts on horseback. they also have a much higher rate of fire than muskets. |
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| long side of ship that is housed with artillery to fire at enemy ships or coastlines. Usually all weapons on a broadside are fired near simultaneously as the side is ligned up with its target. |
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| bomb designed to penetrate a thick wall, reenforced structure, or ground and then explode to make a more effective explosion on the target. first used to destroy german u boat pens in ww2 have now been modified to be laser guided bombs to penetrate underground bunkers. |
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| high muzzle velocity low trajectory gun/black powder fueled weapon that fires a variety of shots at a target. earliest form of gunpowder artillery, and have evolved since the chinese first used them mostly for their shock value. |
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Definition
| shortened and less powerful version of a rifle or musket, smaller size makes carrier faster and is more easily handled. Carbines evolved to fire different cartridges than their big brothers and have become useful for not only cavalry units but also good for urban operations. |
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Definition
| prussian soldier, military historian and tactician who wrote "on war". On war has been widely influential in military theory and later german and prussian generals have been influenced by him. |
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Definition
| device using mechanical energy to throw large objects over distances. saw use in ancient roman times, but they dwindled in use with teh invention of gunpowder arms. the weapon is mostly a shock weapon against infantry designed to make ranks break and flee. |
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Definition
| automatic cannon/machine gun with only one barrel and has its firing mechanism powered by an external usually electric force. The bolt assembly feeds fires extracts and ejects cartridges and doesn't use the energy of the recoil to reload. |
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Definition
| type of armor with small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh. before the 1700s it was simply known as mail, and was used to absorb energy from hand held cold iron weapons such as swords that are swong at the wearer. |
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| designed to deliver toxic substances to kill or incapacitate enemy forces. its any non living toxic chemical that can be used in an attack form. chlorine and phosgene gas were used by the germans in wwi |
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Definition
| anti personnel mine developed by the US. It is a directional mine that is it fires in a certain arc away from the mine itself in 60 degrees. It has an explosive shaped charge that ejects ball bearings out at the enemy force. |
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Definition
| providing supporting fire to friendly air troops against enemies that have entered close proximity with them. Fire support comes from aircraft. However they may not be very close, and the term has more to do with the joint use of force between the two for fire and movement. First used in WWI |
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Definition
| weapons that are either air or ground launched that when expelled break into small clusters. from 1970 the cluster bomb was the main bomb of bombers, but can cause great amounts of collateral damage so a treaty has been started to ban their use in warfare. First one was germans butterfly bomb in ww2 |
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Definition
| formation of soldiers marching together in one or more files/lines and the lines are longer than they are wide. Easier to move forces than other formations, and has been used since ancient times. |
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Definition
| combining of small groups of infantry, tank, artillery, reconassaince and other arms into higher echelon integrated groups. Has dated back to ancient times usually as a way to protect flanks with skirmishers. |
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| proccess of coordinating, and controlling a unit to accomplish a mission. 4 main components are commander's intent, subordinates initiavie, mission orders, and resource allocation. Has become increasingly effective since the advent of radio communication. |
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Definition
| derive authority from sovreign power. Charged with duties and responsibilities of specific office or position. typically the only person able to act as a commanding officer. training in leadership and managment along with specific occupation andtraining. |
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Definition
| mercernary soldiers in a nations standing army, originally from the 14th century in italy. THey were hired by city states in italy and term means contractor in that language, after the contract the unit was forbidden to attack that city state for 2 year. |
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Definition
| the compulsury enrollment of perssonnel into the armed forces of a state. Since early times this was always a mandatory call up in a time of war. through the years, conscription is how armies have come together such as with Napoleans large fighting force. It has been used time and again as a cheap and effective way of boosting troop numbers. however, as seen in the vietnam conflict it currently carries a negative association in the US. |
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Definition
| this type of fuse is usually a series of crush switches in the nose of ordinance that is designed to blow up when it hits the ground. The fuse is on the nose of the ordanence and when crushed triggers the chemical reaction that causes the ordanence to explode. |
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Definition
| large groups of ships or land based vehicles that travel together for mutual protection. The terms modern importance is found during ww2 as brittish and american ships traveled together to fend off german u boat attacks |
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Definition
| a type of bullet with usually a soft core (usually lead) encased in a shell of harder metal (copper. These allow for a higher muzzle velocities and do less damaage to the rifling inside barrels. advantage: more piercing and durable, disadvantage: smaller damaging holes and less stopping power. |
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Definition
| member ofa para medical or military medical unit. In the US the Corpsman are navy enlisted that serve as field medics for Marine Corps infantry units. this has been the case since the late 19th century. THey represent the significant advances of medicine and science of that period shown in the increased survival rate amongst combat troops. |
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Definition
| firing of munitions as a way to suppress the enemy and keep them from observing, shooting, or moving. In WW1 artillery soon became the main source of suppressing fire when it was learned it couldn't smash through the lines, but it did force the enemy to take cover. |
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Definition
| a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that fires projectiles. they have played a significant role in the warfare of asia, europe, and the meditranean. They were preferred to long bows due to their ease of use and limited training needed to fire one. |
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Definition
| self propelled missile that has an explosive payload on it. speeds can vary as can type of warhead, but the main purpose is to deliver a payload to a target. |
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Definition
| large warships that are traditionally bigger than destoryers and smaller than battleships. served mainly as radar and reconassaince as a force projection. with the increased role of aviation and submarines during WWII the cruiser saw its role change to deal with either of these two threats. |
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| conventional unguided bomb devolped by the US during hte vietnam conflict to clear areas of jungle for Helopter landing zones and artillery emplacements. It was so large it was dropped from cargo planes. Later in the conflict it was used against NVA positions, but while it is effective against light armor vehicles and troops it is inneffective against heavily fortified bunkers. |
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Definition
| during ww2 the brits preferred to drop bombs at night to protect their bombers, but due to lack of technology were not able to be very accurate. The americans preferred daylight bombing as it allowed them to be more accurate and the americans believed bombbers could hold their own against enemy aircraft, which was untrue and the americans took greater losses until long range air escorts were produced. |
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Definition
| military strategy where lines are layered or have several lines of defense in order to delay or wear out opposition forces. does not rely on heavily fortified front line, but has strong points of fortification behind the front line. this was a big factor in ww1 where many lines of trenches were dug keeping enemies from advancing too far into the friendly lines. |
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Term
| Depleated uranium projectiles |
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Definition
| has a high density of uranium and developed using nuclear enrichment. Contains less than 60% of isotopes left. It is a heavier round and used for armor piercing rounds or anti-tank rounds. THere is debate on the side effects of health of combatants on battlefields with this round being employed. |
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Definition
| anti submarine weapon designed to disable target by shock exploding near it. usually contain a delayed fuse designed to go off at a certain depth. invented by the britts as a counter to german submarines during ww1 |
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Definition
| smaller warship meant to counter threat of fast torpedo boats after invention of steam engine. used up till ww2 to harras enemy ships and deal with enemy raiders. in ww2 as a response to german submarines they became convoy protectors. now used as anti-air and anti-submarine to protect carrier battle groups. |
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Definition
| projectile weapons fired on line of site. That is an aimed weapon intended to bring down an enemy that you can see. Cannons, rifles, shotguns, handguns are all examples of direct fire weapons. |
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Definition
| aircraft that dives directly at the target it intends to drop its payload on to increase accuracy and decrease exposure to anti-aircraft fire. heavily used during ww2. The aircraft enters a dive perpendicular to target along bombs projected path and then pulls up and releases the bomb on target with no need of a bombsight. |
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Definition
| military organization between 10 and 15 thousand soldiers able to deploy and operate independently on the battlefield. Came into popularity during french revolutionary war and made armies moer easily managed and manuverable, adopted by other european countries shortly thereafter. |
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| originally infantry deployed by horse then became cavalry. Trained in both infantry and cavalry skills. Originally considered seperate from regular cavalry but 18th century they evolved into conventional mounted troops |
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Definition
| first type of modern batttleship and name of class of large pre-battleship warships. built to project power and rarely used in battle due to expense and fear of them being sunk. after ww1 international limits were trying to be put on the number of them |
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Definition
| preparation of soldiers for performance of their duties in peace and war through the practice and rehearsal of prescribed movements. develops sense of teamwork and familiarizes soldiers with weapons to promote automatic performance of duties under stressful situations. |
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| Electronic Counter measure |
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Definition
| electrical or electronic device designed to trick or decieve radar, sonar or other detection systems. may be used offensively and defensively to deny targeting information to the enemy. mainly used to protect aircraft from guided missiles. |
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Definition
| formation or position in which a missile weapon can be fired along its axis. it allows for a missile weapon to be fired down the length of a rank to hit many troops, to counter this in ww1 trenches were built in a zig-zag pattern. |
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Definition
| a slab of high explosive sandwhiched between two plates designed to stop armor piercing rounds. when hit with a round the explosive goes off pushing the plates away from each changing the angle and velocity of the penetrating round. |
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Definition
| slow decent of minute particles of debris int he atmosphere, especially in the case of an atomic/nuclear explosion. fall out stays in the area longer than the explosion so it can lead to more deaths and the contamination of the food chain in an area. |
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Definition
| political and economic system in europe during the middle ages based on holding of all land by a lord and working of land by serfs, who pay the lord with the crops grown in turn for protection |
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| aircraft designed for mainly air to ari combat of other aircrafts. usually small fast and manuverable and sometimes have secondary ground attack capabilites. fighters are how air superiority is usually achieved and has become a main component of modern conventional warfare. |
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Definition
| small outpost outside main line of army that is garrisoned by small number of soldiers. Allows infantry to conduct patrols deep into enemy territory and return to the defense of the base. used frequently during the vietnam conflict by the US. |
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Definition
| use of incindiery devices to cause uncontrollable fires to burn a place with least amount of effort possible. |
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Definition
| designed to assist a weapon system in hitting targets, usually automated, it was needed during ww1 where artillery needed to be concealed from the enemy. originally developed for ships |
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Definition
| stationary mass fire, generally in built up urban areas generationg strong inrushing winds from all sides to keep fires from spreading. or a weapon system |
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Definition
| smallest military unit in use. capapble of individual operations as part of an larger unit. teams are usually most effective if the primary weapon is still functioning. |
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Definition
| missile that does not requie further guidance after launch. can hit target without launcher being in line of sight of target, keeps launcher safe and still able to perform other funchtions. |
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Definition
| preemptive suprise attack employing overwhelming force. Useful because you can catch the enemy off balance and overwhelm them before they can react. new meaning with nuclear technology that means ability to destroy another countries nuclear power by destroying their nuclear arsenel before they can deploy it. |
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Definition
| either defined as anti aircraft fire designed to reduce effectiveness of enemy aircrafts by firing shells that explode and send shrapnel in various directions. Come from german word for aircraft defense cannon. |
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Definition
| protective clothing designed to protect wearer from shrapnel and other low velocity inderict projectiles. originally developed druing ww2 to protect pilots from flying debris and shrapnel thrown by german anti-aircraft gun placements. |
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Definition
| expression meaning taking fire from ones allied forces. originally adopted by the us military, usually takes place when intent to harm enemy somehow injures friendly forces. it is an inadvertant firing upon of your own allies when the intent was to fire upon the enemy. |
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Definition
| a movement and attack designed to attack the sides of the enemy. has been used since ancient times and is a great tactic to not only restrict enemy movements but gain a psychological edge as the enemy feels and can be surrounded. |
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Definition
| general term for any firearm based on the flintlock mechanism. the mechanism uses flint to ingnite gun powder in small arms, most flintlocks were single fire rifles, or pistols. |
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Definition
| used to describe uncertainty of intelligence information in warfare. it is one way that friction is increased in warfare..ie the difficulty of even simple tasks. to counter fog of war militaries try and reamin flexible with contingency plans and fostering of initiative in subordinates. |
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Definition
| mechanical deice designed to project a long controllable stream of falme. can be vehicle or person mounted and first saw use in ww1 with increased use in ww2. |
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Definition
| warships that were built for speed regardless of armament the armored frigate was developed in the 19th century as a precurser to battleships. in ww2 they were specifically for anti-submarine capability. allies used them to counter u boats. |
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Definition
| large multi-decked sailing ship. armed with cannons as its main weapon. great for navigation due to long hull. |
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Definition
| one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner to the machine gun. originally it was a field weapon which used multiple rotating barrels turned by a hand carnk and firing loose (no links or belts) metal cartridge ammunition using a gravity feed from a hopper. First saw military use during the american civil war. |
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Definition
| first modern use during the french revolution. group of officers and enlisted that provide a bi-directional flow of information between COs and subordaniates. Purpose is to provide accurate timely information which command decisions will be based. |
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Definition
| anti personnel round used by cannons. Instead of a single large projectile many small obects are loaded in the muzzle and fired at high velocity. This turns the cannon into a giant shotgun. only shortrange but within range high casualty rate usually consists of many balls of lead or iron, but glass and silverware have been used. |
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Definition
| a weapon that launces a grenade with greater accuracy, higher velocity, and further distances than any soldier could throw it. can be either stand alone single shot or repeating weapons or attachments to other rifels. First use was in ww1. |
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Definition
| irregular warfare and combat in which small group of combatants use mobile military tactics in the form of ambushes and raids to combat larger organized armies. focus is on organizing small units dependent on the local population. Avoidance of any large confrontation with enemy troops. Targets include both resources and personnel of the enemy. To weaken the enemy and make them unable to continue. |
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Definition
| a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate it burns rapidly producing volumes of hot solids and gasses which are used as propellants in fire arms or in fireworks. |
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| king of sweden in early 17th century and lead the thirty years war. Under leadership sweden rose to a great power. innovative tactical integration of infantry, cavalry, artillery, and logistics earned him title of "father of Modern Warfare". installed combined arms in his troops. dropped heavier cannons for smaller more manueveral ones. |
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Definition
| civilain or military vehicle with regular wheels in front for steering and catepillar tracks on the back for propulsion. used for cross-country capability of tank and manueverability of wheeled vehicles. better movement then wheeled vehicles on soft ground due to tracks dispersing weight. |
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Definition
| anti-personnel, indirect fire weapon that fires after a timed release. Most grenades explode and project shrapnel. first used by the byzantine empire in the 8th century. |
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Definition
| american five star general holding grade of Gen of army and airforce. only american military officer to hold five star rating over two different military services. |
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Definition
| the hand canon was an early form of infantry firearm. It had a smooth bore and either flint or matchlock firing mechanism. it was innacurate and had a slow rate of fire. it was integrated in pike formations to protect the firers while they reloaded. this formation was known as the tercio. |
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Definition
| section of an aircrafts display that shows instrumentation and armarment information to the pilot without forcing the pilot to change his/ehr point of view. HUDs increase the pilots ability to focus on the front windscreen, process infromation, and engage neemy targets. |
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Definition
| missile with a guidance systme that directs targets towards infared radiation(such as emissions of jet engines). First air to air heat seeking missile was in the 1950s used by teh US Navy |
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| Hurrying Heinz as he was known was the architect of germans tank forces prior to ww2. He pused germany into adopting a strategy of deep peentration of armored units who bypass enemy strong points and allow the infantry to mop up. he would become a member of the german high command and was the driving force behind the german breakthrough at sedan and dash to the sea. |
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| in a general sense it is the matters relating to the duties and officers of officers at arms. It is also used to describe the blazoning of arms the crest, shield and other insignia that was used in the middle ages. |
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| an explosive that combusts nearly instantaneously producing a violent shattering effect. has been in development since 1840s with the discovery of nitroglycerine. |
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| type of artillery piece that is characterized by relatively short barrel and use of smaller explosive charges to propel projectiles at high trajectory with steep angle of descent. starting in the eighteenth century the howitzer took its place as betwen the mortar and the gun. |
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| describes when a vessel or vehicle's upper part is visible but the main lower body is not. it originated in naval warfare in the 19th century but has been adapted to armored warfare. In tactics a tank tries to position itself so only its turret is visible so it can fire while the body is not so it can not be fired upon. |
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| a unit recieving contact from a weapon system that is not in line of sight. most common is the use of artillery and mortar, it is extremely difficult to defend against and demoralizing for the force it is sent against. |
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| Intercontinental ballistic missiles |
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| a missle that follows a ballistic trajectory over 3.5 thousand miles. usually launched from protected silos underground, missile submarines, mobile trucks, or trains. Modern versions have the ability to carry pulltiple warheads that can hit seperate targets. they cover the distance in around 30 minutes and are the essential driving factor in the cold war theory of mutally assured distruction. |
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| steam propelled warship in the later part of the 19th century protected by iron or steel armor plates. the frnech launched the first ironclad and the first battle including ironclads was during the civil war. Ironclads revolutionized naval warfare as heavier guns were needed, more sophisticated powering systems were needed, and advanced metalurgy techniques were needed to make them work or bring them down. |
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| title applied to us strategy for pacific theater of operations in ww2. Intention was to skip strategically insignificant or heavily fortified islands to other islands and cut off supply routes to them. Although this was the main focus some battles were still fought on heavily fortified islands (iwo jima) or strategically insignificant islands. |
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| use of electronic countermeasures to keep enemy detection or communications systems from working properly. the point is to render the enemy without an intelligence base and thus make them fight blind or without the ability to pass on orders. |
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| man usually of noble birth who after apprenticeship was raised to honorable military rank and bound to chivalrous conduct. they were asked to protect the weak, defenseless, helpless and fight for the general welfare of all. Only the sons of knights were usually eligible for the ranks of knighthood. |
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| a catchall term for different pole weapons based on the spear. it was originally al ight throwing spear of javelin, but int he 17th century came to refer to spears not thrown. sued for thrusting by heavy cavalry and especially in jousting. a spear used by infantry is usually known as a pike. |
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| a type of boat that is non ocean worthy used for transporting troops and material from ship to shore. THe need to protect troops in transit from ship to shore became prevalent during wwI. |
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| began in 1960s the USAF created the first lazer guided bomb. The principle is based on a traget being illuminated by a lazer known as painting the target the munition will seek out the target and deliver its payload. |
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| refers to a formation that has been around since the advent of professional armies. roots in roman military in large phalanx formations. The troops face the enemy along its longest axis and it used to be used to concentrate firepower as more weapons would face the enemy,but it is weak on its flanks. |
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| the science of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenence of military forces. deals with management of material, transport of personnel, and also medical and health support. military theorists throughout history have stressed the importance of logistics such as Sun Tzu. |
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| variation of bow and arrow, it is usually at least the heigth of the user and historically made of a single piece of wood and have little to no recurve. its use has been synonimous with the english armies of the late middle ages. they were replaced by firearms. |
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| european sword used during medieval period. usually held with 2 hands but can be wielded with 1 hand. All parts of the weapon are designed to be used for offensive capabilities. |
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| any explosive that combusts subsonically and propages usually through thermal conductivity. usually easier to control than high explosives, usually better suited when the purpose is to move something..like a bullet out of a gun. |
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| the m16 is the military designation for the ar-15 semi-automatic rifle. entered service in 1963 and used int he vietnam war. gas operated, air cool, magazine fed lightweight, shoulder fired auto or semi-automatic rifle. It is the standard rifle of the US military and fires a 5.56 mm round. |
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| fully automaitc mounted or portable fire arm designed to fire rifle bullets in quick succession from ammunition belt or large magazine. typical firing rate of several hundred rounds a minute. the resulting fire rate and deadliness of the weapon contributed to the change in the way war was fought and lead to the trench warfare of WW1. biggest problem is the fact that barrels overheat and become unusable. |
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| Mutually assured destruction |
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Definition
| doctrine believing that if both sides have the nuclear capability to destroy each other then neither will be wiling to fire the first shot as it assures taht retalliation will result in their own demise. It is a principle that forces a standoff and arms race between both sides as neither can afford to fire its nuclear weapons until it knows it has the ability to stop the other from firing theirs. |
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| line of fortifications, artillery batteries, machine gun fense, and other defenses which france constructed along its borders with germany between world wars. Established to help the french mobilize army in the event of attack, it forced the germans to first invade blegium and then flank the line making it a failure and it fell in less than 2 days into the war. |
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| designed to detinate a charge as the magnetic field changes over or under the mine. small versions were used as anti-tank/vehicle weapons. |
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| refering to hand to hand combat that ensues when two groups of combatants reach close range where missile weapons are innefective. with the advancement in firearm technology less melees occured as a charging force could be shot down before they reached range of a melee. |
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| code name for project responsible for creating and testing the world's first atomic bombs. Main compound was in Los Alamos New mexico and headed by Robert Oppenheimer who famously said "I have become death" upon the witnessing of the first detonation of a nuclear weapon. |
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| The Union army of the civil war's first Ironclad ship that engaged the monitor int eh first battle of ironclads in world history. Its armor was thick and had an armored turret to fire its main cannon. |
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| first firing mechanism inteded to fire a handheld firearm. made it possible to keep both ands on the fire arm at the moment of firing and keep both eyes on target. it was replaced by the flintlock |
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| he helped the netherlands form a coalition to repel the spanish and establish their own country. Used the trade profit to pay for a year round army and establish defensive lines along rivers anchored on fortresses. studied roman and greek military strategy and discovered suprerior organization and drill. adopted drill tot he modern times to teach his troops. |
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| first operational jet aircraft developed by germans during ww2. next to impossible to defeat in the air due to speed and would engage enemies from above on a downward angle. Paved the way for future research on jets |
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| term used to describe formation of infantry mounted on tracked vehicles. Allow the infantry to keep up with armored units on the battlefield must be fast enough to keep up with armored units and armored enough to protect troops. started with wheeled vehicles in france and led to the development of armored personnel vehicles. |
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| established after ww2 it is the term describing a medical evacuation unit usually through helicopter plane or motor vehicle. used to move injured troops or civilians to immediate health care. |
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| professional soldier hired to fight on ones behalf. they fight for private gain as opposed to fighting for national pride or because they were conscripted. Mercenaries fall under the geneva convention and count as soldiers but may not serve as a prisoner of war. |
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| a reserve force of military organization made up of citizens of a country who combine military role with a civilian career. Main role is to mobilize in a total war or defend an invasion. |
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Definition
| radical change in military strategy in tactics. it was caused by the use of portable fire arms and the introduction of drill and doctrine by dutch and swedes. Brought about modern professional militaries that served as permanent forces. forced nations to find a way to fund them and lead to the creation of the modern state. |
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Definition
| military force entire comprised of ordinary citiznes often raised in times of war for defesne police situations or to serve as a paramilitary force. dates back to american revolution where citizens were raised to efend towns from brittish and support the regulary continental army. Evolved in to the US's modern national guard. |
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| victim triggered explosive device intended to damage its target via blast or fragmentation. land mines are indiscriminate as they target both soldier and civilian and remain dangerous after a conflict. they were designed to create tactical barriers and act as area denial weapons. |
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Definition
| multi barrel machine gun operated by outside power source (usually electric) employing gattling styule rotating barrels to have a high rate of fire. first one developed by general electric and used during the vietnam main purpose is to provide close air support. |
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Definition
| conical chaped muzzle loaded round developed in the 19th century. Primarily used during the american civil war. itw as made of soft lead that expaned inside the rifle barrel. expansion of round with rifling in barrel caused round to spin and create a more accurate longer distance round making civil war battlefiedls more lethal. |
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| believed gap between soviet ussr and US military program in the cold war. People believed the USSR had an advantage in missile department and blamed eisenhower for letting the gap widen by not spending enough on the missile program. It turned out to be false as the US had the advantage. |
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| deep broad ditch either dry or filled taht surrounds a castle, building or town to provide with a preliminary line of defense. made use of siege towers more difficult around castles. diggin under the moat proved difficult for siegers. |
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| union army ironclad that took part in the battle of of hampton roads and was the first between ironclads. |
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| individual efforts to enhance the efectiveness of group in accomplishing task at hand. it is the fighting spirit of an entire unit and represents cohesion and psychological effectiveness in battle. |
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| muzzle loading inderict fire weapons that fires shells at low velocity and high trajectory to short range targets. first saw use in seige warfare usually smaller and lighter than other artillery and can drop munitions to targets behind obstacles. extremely useful in trench warfare as you could drop a shell directly into the trench of an enemy. |
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| Multiple independently targeted reentry vehicle |
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Definition
| collection of missile weapons carried on a singular ICBM or Submarine launched missile. Allows the missile to attack multiple targets. |
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Definition
| muzzle loading smoothbore shoulder fired weapon. primarily an infantry weapon dating back to the 15th century. has a slow rate of fire and innacurate but made a lot of noise and if hit caused high amount of damage. |
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| first used by german army in WWi only small amounts were needed to HE shells to make it effective. once in the soil it remained active for several weeks. poisoning was extremely painful it could be absorbed in the skin so gas masks were ineffective. |
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Definition
| any weapon that loads its round through the same end of the barre that it fires from. Muzzle loading firearms were the first firearms to be used but because of the time it took to load the weapon they were replaced by breech loading weapons. |
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| a thickening agent generally mixed with gasoline or other fuel for use in military operations. first used in ww2 it had the effect of burning both vegetation or if dropped on individuals would burn them as well. It became a symbol of the vietnam war and was protested against, first napalm only burnt for 10-15 seconds now it can burn for near 10 minutes. |
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| french military man and ruler of france after its civil war. He was an artillery officer and gained fame at the siege of toulon where he placed artillery on a hill and forced the brit navy to retreat. he carved one of the largest empires in history but was exiled after defeat, and returned later to wage a 100 day campaign until his defeat at waterloo. |
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| enhanced radiation weapon of a tactical nuclear weapon designed to release a large neutron radiation explosive energy. typically a lot less powerful of the atomic bomb but increased radiation creates a major source of casualties it is able to peentrate buildings and armored vehicles with radiation that would normally be safe from an explosion. |
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| aircraft adapted for use at night or other times of bad visibility. relies more on radar equipment and radar guided missiles to find and eliminate enemy and then land back at airbases. |
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| term for land that is not occupied or is under dispute between parties that is not occupied because of the uncertainty. used in ww1 to mean the land in between two opposing sides trenches that had to be crossed and left troops open to fire. |
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| enlisted soldiers given authority based on rank or orders to act as leaders over other soldiers. conduct unit training, carry out lawful orders, and ensure proper welfare of soldiers. They are considered the backbone of the modern military due to their job of training soldiers and upholding institutional traditions. |
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| used by usaaf during ww2 to aid in dropping bombs accurately. it was a mechanical sight and was used for the dropping of little boy on hiroshima. |
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Definition
| element profiding security and keeping eyes on other units who are attacking or manuevering. they are genearly positioned on high ground or other postions advantageous to line of sight. travelling overwatch units alternate moving to allow the other to cover their movement. used when contact is presumed likely. |
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| long range single seat ww2 fighter aircraft used by brits and then USaaf. first was bomber and recon then used as a bomber escort employed in raids over germany. |
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Definition
| heavy tank employed by germans during ww2 . one of the most heavily armed tanks of the war. armed with an 88nmm gun and had thick armor. its weight kept it from from easy transportation by train or over weak bridgs or muddy terrain. it was much costlier and time consuming to produce so less were produced compared to american and russian tanks. |
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| rectangular mass of military formation usually composed of entirely heavy infantry armed with spears pikes or similar weapons. |
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| soldiers trained in parachuting as part of an airborne force. they can be inserted into battlefied from air allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land. |
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| type of pole arm used during medieval times. spearhead mounted on long shaft with protrusions to aid in parryuing sword thrusts or a member of an irrregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power by an army of occupation. |
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| a long thrusting spear used with two hands to attack infantry or act as a countermeasure to cavalry. eployed on soldiers in close order. extremely long weapon from 3-6 meters long. |
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| A military manuever in which both flanks of the opponent are attacked with the middle. The goal of the attacking force is for the two sides attacking the flanks to link up thus encircling the enemy. |
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| military unit composed of 16-50 soldiers usually broken apart into 2-4 sections. Typically the smallest military unit lead by a commissioned officer. |
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| desired skilled of being able to bomb single buildings in an area without causing any damage to surrounding buildings. It was used in ww1 but found to be inneffective due to the lack of aiming capacity of bombers. |
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| Precision guided munitions |
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Definition
| guided weapons intended to precisley hit a specific target to minimize damage to anything other than the target. GUided bombs and missiles differ as guided missiles use an onboard engine. |
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Definition
| designed to go off when munition is within a certain distance of a target. Originally developed in ww2 to be added to AA weapons that would explode based on radio frequency. IT has been modified now to use lasers. |
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Definition
| object detection system using EM waves to identify the spped, range, altitude, and direction of both moving and unmoving ojbects. Emits a radiowave that are scattered when they hit ojbects and partly reflected back. developed between ww1 and 2 but britts were first to use it as a detection system against aerial |
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Definition
| normally for medium or long range missiles where infa red signature of the target would be too faint for the use of infa-red detection. |
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Definition
| entirely electric gun that accelerates a conductive projectile a long a pair of metal rails using magnets to fire an extremely fast projectile. Originally researched as an AA gun during ww2 but was scratched, but has recently been studied again. |
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Definition
| defensive wall of a castle or walled city. it has a broad top with a walkway and stone parapet. allows defenders to fire missile weapon down upon enemies approaching the wall from a high ground. |
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| device used with early muzzle loading weapons to push the projectile up against the propellant. it can also be fitted with various tools to clean the barrel, and is still used for that purpose with todays rifles. |
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| system of hierarchical relationships within the military. Ranks help organize militaries and let each member know who they have as subordinates adn who they are subordinate too. |
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| lightweight weapon that fires a heavier projectile than would be normally practical to fire from a recoiling weapon of the same size. They have a rifled barrel for accuracy as with other firearms. Normally used for AT purpose and devolepd during WW2. |
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| the term used to describe the missions designed to learn about the activities, resources, and capabilities of any enemy or potential enemy. The thought of gathering information about upcoming battles has been around since ancient times as the general assumption is it is the more you know the better off you are. |
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Definition
| repeating firearm with a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. As the hammer is cocked the cylinder rotates a chamber into place to fire the next round. can be anything from a hand-gun to a shotgun and even grenade launchers. |
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Definition
| process of making spiral grooves inside the barrel of firearms. grooves make the ammunition of the firearms spin giving it a greater distance and accuracy due to stabilization of the projectile. invented originally in 1500s it gained popularity in the 1800s. |
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Definition
| shoulder launched missile weapon that fires a projectile with an exploding warhead that explodes upon impact. |
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Definition
| unguided shoulder fired anti-vehicle weapon. Mainly designed to deal with tanks. it has a shaped charge that focuses the explosion to the front cone shape. |
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Definition
| back sword usually curved with a single edge blade and usually a large hand guard covering the knuckles and thumb and forefinger. usually used for cavalry troops. |
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| soldier who performs combat engineering duties. They can include laying down mine fields for defense, or building bridges for mobility purposes of the forces. He is also trained to serve as an infantryman when needed. |
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Definition
| demolition device primarily used for combat. Purpose was anti-personnel or anti-fortification. consisted of explosive in a bag that could be carried, thrown and then triggered. |
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| personnerl that are specificially designated to conduct reconassaince on the enemy. They are a forward troop and usually use stealth tactics to acquire the information needed on the enemy. |
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| notorious component of the vietnam war. Idea is to insert ground forces into a hostile territory search out the enemy kill them and withdraw immediately after. Mainly used with the advent of air-mobility as a way to insert troops where they normally couldn't go. |
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Definition
| an explosive device designed to focus the energy of the blast to a specific area. first used during ww2 to penetrate tank armor, but has been since put onto warheads to help even larger fortifications armor. or in demolitions to destory a specific area. |
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Definition
| military term to categorize a range of behaviors resulting from the stress of battle which decreases fighting efficiency of troops. Shell shock is generally short term and differes from other long term disorders first diagnosed during ww1. |
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Definition
| type of naval warship used from the 17th to 19th centuries to take part in the naval tactic of coming alongside the broadside of an enemy and firing all cannons. ships of the line continued to grow in size to increase firepower until ironclads started to replace them. |
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Definition
| weapon that is shorter than the longsword which in history is always depicted to a knight with a shield and sword. although every continent has seen its own version of the shortsword due to its simple but effective design. |
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| anti-personnel munitions that carried a large number of individual bullets close to the target and ejected them to attack in a burst pattern. once HE fragmentation rounds were invented they became obsolete ie since the end of ww1 |
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| seige weapon from the middle ages allwoing sieging troops to reach the top of ramparts. ?also designed to protect troops as they come into place by shielding them inside its structure. due to difficulties in creation and mobility they were only created on site and after ladders and catapults were deemed not enough to surpass enemy. |
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Definition
| military blockade of city or fortress with the intent to conquer via attrition or assault. gained popularity during renassaince and middle ages but declined with the advent of vehicles that decreased reliance on singular defensive fortifications. |
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| metal tube used to fire projectiles and adopted for use with fire arms. it is extremely innacurate at more than 75 yards due to no control and stability over the projectile that came into existence with the invention of the rifling technique. weapons without rifling are considered guns. |
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Definition
| term used to described a situation in which something went wrong. originated in ww2 and changed exact wording of the acronym depending on branch of service. Generally modern usage means system normal all fucked up. |
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Definition
| term originated in the 19th century. extremely skilled marksman that fire from long distance and use cover and concealment to hide themselves and move. |
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Definition
| technique that uses sound propagation usually underwater to help navigate communicate or detect other vessels. a sound is bounced off an object and returned and the time it takes to return tells the distance of the object. |
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| frag if i know wtf wikipedia you fail |
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| military unit lead by NCOs. usually consists of eith to thirteen soldiers that can be further broken down into fire teams or bolstered together to make up platoons. |
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Definition
| formation in which infantry form a tightly pack square of people which is designed to help combat the effectiveness of cavalry in firearm warfare. Usually used to lay down concentrated fire on charging cavalry once they were deemed in range to bring them down or deter a further charge. |
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| operational establishment in charge of americas land based strategic bomber aircraft and ICBMs from 1942-1992. |
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Definition
| early 20th century when pistols were turned into fully automatic weapons, it is a carbine designed to fire pistol cartridges. |
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| watercraft capable of independant operation under water. first used in the american civil war and until ww2 they were simply used to deal with surface watercraft. main use now is the ability to fire cruise missiles and even nuclear warheads, and has the advantage of staying concealed under the ocean. |
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| Submarine launched ballistic missile |
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Definition
| missile capable of being fired from a submarine and can now be used in conjunction with mirvs to attack various targets. Due to submarines ability to get closer to the enemy than firing ICBM's they have an advantage of suprise over the enemy. |
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Definition
| ya just b/s this one god i'm tired. |
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| purose is to prevent the enemy from effectively engaging friendly targets with direct or indirect fire and allows friendly units to manuever without fear of taking fire. |
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Definition
| designed to be launched from ground to destroy aircraft. began in germany during ww2 can be small enough to be fired by single person or used in larger weapon systems to defend just about anything from aircraft attack. |
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| soviet medium tank considered the most effective, efficient and influential tank of ww2. It is soviet made and the most produced tank of the war and 2d most of all time. |
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Definition
| tracked armor fighting vehicle. firepower usually in the form of a larg caliber main gun with a rotating tourret and secondary machine guns. first used as a way to break the deadlock of ww1 |
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Definition
| self propelled anti tank gun, specifically designed to engage enemy armored vehicles. usually lighter armor and faster moving than tanks armed with a gun or missile launher. |
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Definition
| prupose is to terrorize the population in a hope that the enemy would yield. usually used incendiary devices designed to catch buildings on fire and attacked cities with a civillian population. |
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Definition
| one of the decisive campaigns of the vietnam war. It was started on the vietnamese new year and designed to take control of military and civilian control centers throughout south vietnam. It was the spark that started a revolt to overthrow the saigon government and lead to the US leaving vietnam. |
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Definition
| measure of the effective weight of a missile payload. used as a way to classify different types of missiles during arms limitations talks during the cold war. |
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Definition
| slang name for mine used by the us military mainly in the vientnam war. relatively low explosion and hard to detect due to limited metal in design. |
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Definition
| number of men actually fighting to the number of men in support of them. tooth is infantry armor or pilots and tail is logistics and support personnel. due to complex logistical nature of modern warfare countries try and find ways to maximize this ration to give them more men in the field. |
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Definition
| self propelled explosive projectile surface launched in or into water designed to eliminate targets. |
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Definition
| small fast moving naval ship used to carry torpedos into battle first used to ram ships and then to fire torpedos. used to counter battleships with speed and mobility. |
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Definition
| designed to attack ships with aerial torpedos but could also carry out conventional bombings. Existed prior to ww2 and used at the attack on pearl harbor. with the intordution of missiles that could serve the same purpose and the vulnerabilty of teh bombers during missions they were mostly obsolete after ww2. |
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Definition
| combat waged not just against combatants but against industries that support those combatants. Notably used in the american civil war in which crops were burnt to interrupt supplies to the confederate army. |
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Definition
| special bullets that have a small pyrotechnic charge on their base that ignites. burns very brightly and shows where the rounds are going. effective with machine guns due to rate of fire and also in night warfare to determine hwere rounds are headed. |
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Definition
| siege weapon from middle ages. designed to throw projectiles with the intent to destroy walls or hit whats behind them. due to sling at the end of the arm they were able to fire projectiles faster than normal catapults. |
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Definition
| medical condition caused by prolonged exposure of feet in damp unsanitary conditions. first noted in napoleans army and prevalent in trench warfare. |
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Definition
| trenches became of prevalent importance during ww1 with the advent of accurate high rate of fire weapons that would kill anyone in the open field. troops needed a way to stay out of sight of enemies and artillery. the use of trenches brought about many innovations in weaponry like grenades, tanks, and other weapons to deal with the style of combat. |
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| protects the crew and firing mechanism of a preojctile fireing weapon while allowing it to be aimed and fired in many directions. It is a rotating platform that can be mounted on vehicles, ships, aircraft, and fortifications as a way to enhance firepower and protection. |
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| the huey is a twin bladed helicopter designed to be utilized as a medvac chopper. first turbine powered helicopter in the us military. served a variety of purposes until it was phased out with the introduction of the blackhawk. |
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| aircraft without any crew or pilot and controlled over the ground via remote control.. initially used for recon now they can fire weapons. first invented by the israelis it is now being used by many miliitaries today. |
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| man from france that was considered the best military engineer of the time. He invented the star fort concept and placed them in french territories. |
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| flying jet powered rocket used to attack brittain in ww2 by das germans. |
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| long ballistic missile used by germans in the end of ww2 first long range ballistic missile. fired on london and antwerp. |
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| use of artillery to cover advancing troops on the belief that the explosions would shield advancing infatnry. it was wrong as it just gave away teh position of the attacks during ww1 in trench warfare. however the use of infantry and artillery in combined assault worked more effectively. |
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| explosive material and detonater that is delivered by missle, rocket, or torpedo. Can simply be kinetic or explosive,chemical or biological. and provides a majority of the destructive power of the missile weapon. |
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| german rocket scientist that helped develop the v2 under the nazi regime that was launched toward london as a scare tactic. after ww2 he was flown to the US to work with the us army to further its rocket science. helped create the saturn V rocket which launched appollo 11. to das moon |
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| firing mechanism created after the matchlock and was first self igniting firearm. used a rotating wheel to provide ignition and was able to be lit in the rain whcih matchlocks could not. |
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| guided by signils sent through a thin wire connected to both missile and guidance mechanism located somewhere near launch site. commonly used in anti tank missiles first used by germans during ww2. |
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| type of tactic used by german uboats against allied submarines during ww2. helped deal with the convoy system developed to counter singular u boats. the uboats would move together and set up position to attack the entire convoy and then give er hell and attack when they were all ready. |
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