Military
The Battle of Kadesh in 1274 BC from the reign of Ramses II features in bas-relief monuments. This conflict between Egypt and the Hittite Empire stands as one of the earliest recorded battles with detailed historical accounts. The first Emperor of a unified China, Qin Shi Huang, created the Terracotta Army to represent his military might. These massed ranks of terra cotta soldiers demonstrate an early form of organized state power projected through art and ritual. The Ancient Romans wrote many treatises and writings on warfare, as well as decorated triumphal arches and victory columns. Roman legionaries marching across Europe established patterns of discipline that would influence Western military thought for centuries. Relief scenes from the Column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome, Italy, dated to the 2nd century AD show how visual culture preserved military history. Military history differs somewhat from the history of war by focusing on people and institutions rather than just the evolution of conflict itself.
One of the oldest military publications is The Art of War by the Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu written in the 6th century BCE. This thirteen-chapter book intended as military instruction has had huge influence on Asian military doctrine and later European planning. Julius Caesar's commentaries on the Gallic Wars and the Roman Civil war written about 50 BC represent some of the best-known Roman works on campaigning. De Re Militari by Vegetius formed the basis of European military tactics until the late 17th century with its enduring maxim let he who desires peace prepare for war. In his seminal book On War the Prussian Major-General Carl von Clausewitz defined military strategy as the employment of battles to gain the end of war. Clausewitz placed political aims above military goals ensuring civilian control of the military. Operational mobility coordinates minute details of tactics with overarching goals of strategy and was pioneered by the German army prior to and during the Second World War. Planning and duration of activities at this operational level takes from one week to a month executed by Field Armies and Army Corps.
When Stone Age humans first took flint to tip the spear it was the first example of applying technology to improve the weapon. Stone weapons gave way to Bronze Age and Iron Age weapons such as swords and shields. The next significant advance came with domestication of horses creating cavalry allowing faster military advances. Possibly the most significant advancement was the wheel starting with chariots and eventually siege engines. Gunpowder had been invented in medieval China and increasingly used by the military in combat. The use of gunpowder in early vase-like mortars in Europe put an end to dominance of armoured knights. During World War II bombers became decisive in many battles marking the most frantic period of weapons development in history. Perhaps the most infamous of all military technologies was creation of nuclear weapons though exact effects unknown until early 1950s. Main battle tanks and other heavy equipment remain characteristic to organized military forces today while information warfare attacks command communication systems.
Defense economics is financial and monetary efforts made to resource and sustain militaries including war operations. The process of allocating resources conducted by determining a military budget administered by military finance organization within military. Military procurement authorized to purchase or contract provision of goods whether in peacetime at permanent base or combat zone from local population. Possessing military capability not sufficient if this capability cannot be deployed for and employed in combat operations. To achieve this military logistics used for management and planning of supply chain consumables and capital equipment. These supply points also provide engineering services such as recovery of defective vehicles maintenance of weapons field modification and life-extension programmes undertaken to allow continued use of equipment. One of most important role of logistics is supply of munitions primary type of consumable their storage and disposal. U.S. military has committed itself to have fifty percent of its energy consumption come from alternative sources creating strategic advantage over fossil fuels.
An early exponent was Hugo Grotius whose On the Law of War and Peace published in 1625 had major impact on humanitarian approach to warfare development. His theme echoed by Gustavus Adolphus during subsequent conflicts. Ethics of warfare developed since 1945 to create constraints on military treatment of prisoners and civilians primarily through Geneva Conventions. International protocols restrict use or created international bans on some types of weapons notably weapons of mass destruction. Individual countries also have elaborate codes of military justice example being United States Uniform Code of Military Justice that can lead to court martial for personnel found guilty of war crimes. Government Defence Anti-corruption Index Transparency International UK published in 2013 showed transparency crucial to fight corruption within military sector. Military actions sometimes argued justified by furthering humanitarian cause such as disaster relief operations to defend refugees called military humanism. Most nations have separate military laws which regulate conduct in war and during peacetime while rarely apply to use of forces as internal security troops during political conflict resulting in popular protests.
Common questions
What is the earliest recorded battle with detailed historical accounts?
The Battle of Kadesh in 1274 BC from the reign of Ramses II stands as one of the earliest recorded battles with detailed historical accounts. This conflict between Egypt and the Hittite Empire features in bas-relief monuments.
When did the United States suspend conscription for its military forces?
The United States suspended conscription in 1973 after which the military disproportionately attracted African American men, men from lower-status socioeconomic backgrounds, and men whose high school grades tended to be low. A study released in 2020 suggests that modern U.S. Armed Forces personnel are at parity or slightly higher than the civilian population regarding parental income and cognitive abilities.
Who wrote The Art of War and when was it published?
One of the oldest military publications is The Art of War by the Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu written in the 6th century BCE. This thirteen-chapter book intended as military instruction has had huge influence on Asian military doctrine and later European planning.
Which year marked the creation of nuclear weapons and their known effects?
Perhaps the most infamous of all military technologies was creation of nuclear weapons though exact effects were unknown until early 1950s. Gunpowder had been invented in medieval China and increasingly used by the military in combat prior to this development.
What year was On the Law of War and Peace published by Hugo Grotius?
An early exponent was Hugo Grotius whose On the Law of War and Peace published in 1625 had major impact on humanitarian approach to warfare development. His theme echoed by Gustavus Adolphus during subsequent conflicts.