Military history is a humanities discipline within the scope of general historical recording of armed conflict in the history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, their cultures, economies and changing intra and international relationships. War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units Military history is a Humanities discipline within the scope of general historical recording of armed conflict in the history of humanity Prehistoric warfare is War conducted in the era before Writing, and before the establishments of large social entities like States Historical warfare sets Ancient warfare is War as conducted from the beginnings of recorded History to the end of the ancient period Medieval Warfare is the warfare of the Middle Ages. In Europe technological cultural and social developments had forced a dramatic transformation in the character Early Modern warfare is associated with the start of the widespread use of Gunpowder and the development of suitable weapons to use the explosive Industrial warfare is a period in the History of warfare ranging roughly from the start of the Industrial Revolution to the beginning of the Information Age Modern warfare, although present in every Historical period of Military history, is generally used to refer to the concepts, methods and Battlespace is a unified strategy to integrate and combine Armed forces for the Military theatre of operations, including air, information Air power redirects here for electrical and mechanical energy supplied by air movement see Wind power Information warfare is the use and management of information in pursuit of a competitive advantage over an opponent Land warfare, sometimes also called ground combat is the term used to describe military operations eventuating in Combat that take place predominantly on the land surface of Naval warfare is Combat in and on Seas Oceans or any other major bodies of water such as large Lakes and wide Rivers History Space warfare is combat that takes place in Outer space, ie outside the Atmosphere. A weapon is a Tool used either in Hunting, or attack or defence in Combat for the purpose of subduing enemy personnel or to destroy enemy weapons Armoured warfare or tank warfare is the use of Armoured fighting vehicles in Modern warfare. Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine Biological warfare (BW — known as a germ warfare, biological weapons and bioweaponry — is the use of any Pathogen ( Bacterium The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of Chemical substances to kill injure or incapacitate an enemy. Electronic warfare ( EW) is the use of the Electromagnetic spectrum to effectively deny the use of this medium by an adversary while optimizing its use by friendly The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. The US Department of Defense defines psychological warfare ( PSYWAR) as" The planned use of Propaganda and other Psychological actions Military tactics ( Greek: Taktikē, the art of organizing an army are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating This article is about the military strategy For the Israeli-Egyptian conflict see War of Attrition, for the game theoretical model see War of attrition (game Guerrilla warfare is the unconventional warfare and combat with which a small group of combatants use mobile tactics (ambushes raids etc Maneuver warfare, also spelled manoeuvre warfare, is the term used by military theorists for a concept of Warfare that advocates attempting to Total war is a conflict of unlimited scope in which a Belligerent engages in a total mobilization of all available resources at his disposal Trench warfare is a form of warfare where both combatants have fortified positions and fighting lines are static Military strategy is a National defence policy implemented by Military organisations to pursue desired strategic goals Derived from the Greek Economic warfare is the term for economic policies followed as a part of Military operations during Wartime The purpose of economic warfare is to capture Grand strategy is military Strategy at the level of movement and use of an entire Nation state or Empire 's resources A military organization is a way of structuring the armed forces of a State as a need to offer Military capability required by the National defence policy A military organization is a way of structuring the armed forces of a State as a need to offer Military capability required by the National defence policy Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in Armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines A military organization is a way of structuring the armed forces of a State as a need to offer Military capability required by the National defence policy Military Logistics is the art and science of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of military forces This article lists military technology items devices and methods Materiel (from the French "matériel" for equipment or hardware related to the word Material) is a term used in English to refer to the Military supply chain management is a cross-functional approach to procuring, producing and delivering products and services The broad This is an index to articles listing Battles. List of battles (alphabetical gives a global list See also Military History Antiquity Albania Agron ( 250 BC - 230 BC) The first king to unite the Illyrian This is a list of missions operations and projects Missions in support of other missions are not listed independently A Siege is a prolonged Military Assault and Blockade on a City or Fortress with the intent of conquering by force or Attrition See also List of military writers. Friedrich von Bernhardi Ivan Bloch John Boyd, inventor of the OODA Loop This is a listing of lists of Wars, sorted by country date region and type of conflict This article lists and summarizes War crimes committed since the Hague Convention of 1907. There is a bewildering array of Weapons far more than would be useful in list form This is a list of military writers, alphabetical by last name The humanities are academic disciplines which study the Human condition, using methods that are primarily Analytic, Critical, or Speculative An academic discipline or field of study is a branch of Knowledge which is taught or Researched at the college or university level History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units Prehistory See also Prehistory Paleolithic See also Paleolithic, Recent African Origin, Early Homo sapiens Social development redirects here For the aspect of Human biological development, see Psychosocial development Social change is a general term which A society is a Population of Humans characterized by patterns of relationships between individuals that share a distinctive Culture and Institutions Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic An economy is the realized social system of production exchange distribution and consumption of goods and services of a country or other area Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions A conflict may range from a melee between two tribal groups to conflicts between national militaries, and a world war of coalitions affecting the majority of the global human population. Melee (from the French mêlée meˈleː generally refers to disorganized Close combat involving a group of fighters A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use The Regular Army is a name given to the permanent force of a country's army that is maintained during peacetime A world war is a War affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations A coalition is an alliance among individuals during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own Self-interest. The world population is the total number of living Humans on Earth at a given time Military historians record and analyse the events of military history, the product of which forms an important part of how societies and their leaders formulate future plans and policies for societal development. See also History An historian is an individual who studies and writes about History, and is regarded as an Authority on it History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology The word leadership can refer to Those entities that perform one or more acts of leading Planning in Organizations and Public policy is both the organizational process of creating and maintaining a Plan; and the psychological process of A policy is a deliberate plan of action to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome(s Sociocultural evolution(ism is an umbrella term for theories of cultural evolution and Social evolution, describing how Cultures and societies ^[1]

While human conflict has been a constant factor in the process of human social evolution over thousands of years, its historical recording only spans six millennia. There is much agreement about when it began ^[2]. Some believe it has always been with us, derived from conflicts with other species; others stress the lack of clear evidence for it in our prehistoric past, and the fact that many peaceful, non-aggressive societies have, and still do exist (See Otterbein, Fry and Kelly in bibliography below). In War Before Civilization, Lawrence H. Keeley^[3], says that approximately 90-95% of known societies engaged in at least occasional warfare, and many fought constantly. ^[4]

The essential subjects of military history study are the decision making processes of the belligerents, the society's willingness and ability to economically support war, the methods, strategic, operational and tactical used by the armed forces to achieve goals, and how these changed through the past 5,000 years of recorded history. Group decision making is decision making in groups consisting of multiple members/ entities. A belligerent is an individual group country or other entity which acts in a hostile manner such as engaging in Combat. War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units Methodology (also called manner) is defined as "the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline" A Strategy is a long term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal, most often "winning This article describes three distinct but related terms military operations Operations as military events and operational level of war Military tactics ( Greek: Taktikē, the art of organizing an army are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating For the military meaning see Armed forces. For the Soviet sports society see Armed Forces (sports society Armed Forces

Through the study of history, the military command seeks to not repeat past mistakes, and improve upon its current performance by instilling an ability in commanders to perceive historical parallels during a battle, so as to capitalize on the lessons learned from the past. Command and control can be defined as the exercise of Authority and Direction by a properly designated Commander over assigned and attached Forces The main areas military history includes past conflicts, their sustainment, military command, application of doctrine known as military art art and science, and the application of technology in specific military services. This is a listing of lists of Wars, sorted by country date region and type of conflict Logistics is the management of the flow of Goods, Information and other resources including Energy and people between the point of origin and the point Doctrine (Latin doctrina) is a codification of beliefs or "a body of teachings quot or "instructions" taught principles or positions as the Military service in its simplest sense is service by an individual or group in an Army or other military organization whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary

The discipline of military history is dynamic, changing with development as much of the subject area as the societies and organisations that make use of it. ^[5] The dynamic nature of the discipline of military history is largely related to the rapidity of change the military forces, and the art and science of managing them, as well as the frenetic pace of technological development that had taken place during the period known as the Industrial Revolution, and more recently in the nuclear and information ages. Technology development is the process of Research and development of Technology. The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the Nuclear proliferation is a term now used to describe the spread of Nuclear weapons, fissile material and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information to nations Information Age is a term that has been used to refer to the present era How the change is studied, has as much to do with methods used by military historians, as the influence on these methods which are often biased towards being primarily European and technological^[6], revolutionising how warfare is understood when compared to the previous history. The Military concept of Revolution in Military Affairs ( RMA) is a theory about the future of Warfare, often connected to technological and Warfare refers to the conduct of conflict between opponents and usually involves escalation of aggression from the proverbial "war of words" between politicians This process has necessitated a periodisation of history to highlight the short spans of dramatic change between increasingly shorter periods of relative stability in development of military forces. Periodization is the attempt to categorize or divide Time into discrete named blocks

Historiography

Historiography is the study of the record of military conflict to gain an accurate assessment of past conflicts that may prove difficult because of bias, even in ancient times, and systematic propaganda in more modern times. Bias is a term used to describe a Tendency or Preference towards a particular perspective, Ideology or result especially when the tendency interferes Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people For this reason military history is periodised, creating overlaying boundaries of study and analysis in which descriptions of battles by leaders may be unreliable due to the inclination to minimize mention of failures, and exaggerate when boasting of successes when viewed at a later time. This is the reason for historiographical analysis, to allow an unbiased, contemporary view of records as the participants would have perceived the events. ^[7]

One military historian, Jeremy Black in a recent work raised a number of issued 21st century military historians face as an inheritance of their predecessors: Eurocentricity, a technological bias, and fascination with technology, a focus on leading military powers and dominant military systems, the separation of land from sea, and more recently air conflicts, the focus on state-to-state conflict, a lack of focus on political "tasking" in how forces are used. ^[8]

If the above challenges were not sufficient for the military historians, the limitations of current methodological approaches are further complicated by the lacking of record either destroyed, or never recorded for its value as a military secret that may prevent some salient facts from being reported at all; scholars still do not know the nature of Greek fire, for instance. Greek fire was a burning-liquid weapon used by the Byzantine Empire. Despite these limitations, wars are some of the most studied and detailed periods of human history.

The documentation of military history begins with the confrontation between Sumer (current Iraq) and Elam (current Iran) c. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. 2700 BCE near the modern Basra, adn includes such enduring records as the Hebrew Bible. Basra ( BGN: AlBasrah also called Basorah Abillah and Uruk or IRAQ The name that British colony has adopted for Basra The term Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to those books of the Bible originally written in Biblical Hebrew (and the related Biblical Aramaic Other prominent records in military history are the Trojan War in the Homer's in the Iliad, its historicity challenged, The Histories by Herodotus (484 BC - 425 BC) who, along with Thucydides (460 BC - 395 BC), are often called "father of history". In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy stole Helen from her Homer ( Ancient Greek:, Homēros) is a legendary ancient Greek epic Poet, traditionally said to be the author of the epic poems the The Iliad ( Greek: Ἰλιάς (Ancient Ιλιάδα (Modern is together with the Odyssey, one of two ancient The extent of the historical basis of the Iliad has been debated for some time The Histories of Herodotus of Halicarnassus is considered the first work of history in Western literature. Herodotus of Halicarnassus ( Greek: Hēródotos Halikarnāsseús) was a Greek Historian who lived in the 5th century BC ( 484 BC&ndash Thucydides ( C 460 BC &ndash C 395 BC) ( Greek Θουκυδίδης Thoukydídēs) was a Greek ^[9], the later being regarded as the first scientific historian by dismissing the notions of deities taking active part in history. His impartiality despite being an Athenian, allowed him to take advantage of his exile to research the war from different perspectives by carefully examining documents, and interviewing eyewitnesses. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's ^[10] The approach centered around the analysis of a leader was taken by Xenophon (430 BC - 355 BC) in Anabasis, recording the expedition of Cyrus the Younger into Turkey. Xenophon (Ancient Greek, Modern Greek "Ξενοφών" "Ξενοφώντας" ca This article is about the Cyrus (Kuruš the Younger, son of Darius II of Persia (Dārayavahuš and Parysatis, was a Persian prince and General. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches A comparative approach is made possible by the records of Julius Caesar (100 BC - 44 BC), for campaigns such as Commentarii de Bello Gallico and Commentarii de Bello Civili. Commentarii de Bello Gallico is Julius Caesar 's third-person account of his nine years of war in Gaul. Commentarii de Bello Civili (literally Commentaries on the Civil War in Latin is an account written by Julius Caesar of his war against

Some other more recent prominent military historians include Hans Delbrück (1848-1929), Charles Oman (1860-1946), Basil Liddell Hart (1895-1970), Martin van Creveld, John Keegan, William Ledyard Rodgers, Lynn Montross, Cornelius Ryan, R. Ernest & Trevor N. Dupuy (1916-1995), George F.G. Stanley (1907-2002), John Terraine (1921-2003), Victor Davis Hanson and Jeremy Black to name a few. Hans Delbrück ( November 11, 1848 - July 14, 1929) was a German Historian. Sir Charles William Chadwick Oman ( January 12 1860 &ndash June 23 1946) was a British military historian of the early Sir Basil Henry Liddell Hart ( 31 October 1895 &ndash 29 January 1970) usually known before his knighthood as Martin van Creveld (born 5 March 1946 is an Israeli military historian and theorist Sir John Desmond Patrick Keegan OBE (born 15 May, 1934) is a British Military historian, lecturer and journalist William Ledyard Rodgers (1860 - 1944 was a Vice Admiral of the United States Navy. Lynn Montross was born in Battle Creek, Nebraska in 1895 and lived in Denver Colorado, before moving to Washington D Cornelius Ryan, ( 5 June 1920 &ndash 23 November 1974) was an Irish-American Journalist and Author mainly known Trevor Nevitt Dupuy (Colonel U S Army, retired soldier and noted military historian was born in New York on May 3, 1916. Colonel Dr George Francis Gillman Stanley, CC, CD, FRSC, FRHSC (hon John Alfred Terraine ( January 15, 1921 &ndash December 28, 2003) though not an academic historian was a leading British Military historian Victor Davis Hanson (born 1953 in Fowler California) is a Military historian, Columnist, political essayist and former Classics professor notable Jeremy Black (born 30 October 1955 MBE is British Historian and a Professor of History at the University of Exeter.

Technological evolution

Relief of Ramses II located in Abu Simbel fighting at the Battle of Kadesh on a chariot. Abu Simbel ( أبو سنبل or ar '''أبو سمبل''' is an Archaeological site comprising two massive rock Temples in southern Egypt } The Battle of Kadesh (also Qadesh) took place between the forces of the Egyptian Empire under Ramesses II and the Hittite Empire under The chariot is the earliest and simplest type of Carriage, used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples

New weapons development can dramatically alter the face of war.

In prehistoric times, fighting occurred by usage of clubs and spears, as early as 35,000 BC. Prehistoric warfare is War conducted in the era before Writing, and before the establishments of large social entities like States Historical warfare sets Arrows, maces, and slings were developed around 12,000 BC. An arrow is a pointed Projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most Cultures. A mace is a simple Weapon that uses a heavy head on the end of a handle to deliver powerful blows Chariots, pulled by animals like the onager, ox, donkey, and later the horse, originated around 2,000 BC. The chariot is the earliest and simplest type of Carriage, used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples The Onager ( Equus hemionus) is a large Mammal belonging to the horse family and native to the deserts of Syria, Iran, Pakistan Oxen (singular ox) are Cattle trained as draft animals. Often they are adult castrated males The donkey or ass, Equus asinus, is a member of the Equidae or horse family and an odd-toed ungulate. The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. The chariot was an effective weapon for speed; while one man controlled the maneuvering of the chariot, a second bowman could shoot arrows at enemy soldiers. These became crucial to the maintenance of several governments, including the New Egyptian Kingdom and the Shang dynasty. The New Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Egyptian Empire, is the period in Ancient Egyptian history between the 16th century BC and The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the

Some of the military unit types and technologies which were developed in antiquity are:

• Slinger
• Hoplite
• Auxiliaries
• Hastati
• Principes
• Triarii
• Velites

The infantry would become the core of military action. A sling is a projectile Weapon typically used to throw a blunt Projectile such as a stone The word hoplite ( Greek: hoplitēs; pl hoplitai) derives from hoplon ( plural hopla) meaning an item of armour or equipment thus 'hoplite' Auxiliaries (from Latin: auxilia = "supports" formed the standing non-citizen corps of the Roman army of the Principate (30 BC&ndash284 AD Hastati (Singular Hastatus) were a class of infantry in the armies of the early Roman Republic who originally fought as Spearmen, and later as Swordsmen Principes (Singular Princeps) were Spearmen, and later Swordsmen, in the armies of the early Roman Republic. Triarii (Singular Triarius) were Spearmen in the armies of the early Roman Republic. Velites (Singular Veles) were a class of infantry in the Polybian legions of the early Roman republic The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists The infantry started as opposing armed groups of soldiers underneath commanders. The Greeks used rigid, heavily-armed phalanxes, but the Romans used mobile legions that were easily maneuverable. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca The phalanx (Ancient Greek φάλαγξ Modern Greek φάλαγγα phālanga (plural phalanxes or phalanges (Ancient and Modern Greek φάλαγγες The Roman army was a set of military forces employed by the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and later Roman Empire as part of the Roman military For other uses see Legion The Roman Legion (from Latin legio "military levy Conscription,"

Cavalry would become an important tool. The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on In the Sicilian Expedition, led by Athens in an attempt to subdue Syracuse, the well-trained Syracusan cavalry became crucial to the success of the Syracusans. The Sicilian Expedition was an Athenian expedition to Sicily from 415 BC to 413 BC, during the Peloponnesian War. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's Syracuse (Siracusa Sicilian: Sarausa, Classical Greek: / transliterated Syrakousai) is a historic City in Macedonian Alexander the Great effectively deployed his cavalry forces to secure victories. Macedon or Macedonia ( Greek grc Μακεδονία grc-Latn Makedonía) was the name of a kingdom centered in the northern-most Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' In later battles, like the Battle of Cannae of the Second Punic War, the importance of the cavalry would be repeated. For the 11th century battle in the Byzantine conquest of the Mezzogiorno, see Battle of Cannae (1018. The Second Punic War (referred to as "The War Against Hannibal" by the Romans lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western Hannibal was able to surround the Romans on three sides and encircled them by sending the cavalry to the rear of the army. Hannibal (Pronounced in Phoenician: Hanniba'al means " Ba'al is my grace " or " Ba'al has given me grace " 247 BC &ndash There were also horse archers, who had the ability to shoot on horseback- the Mongols were especially fearsome with this tactic. In the Middle Ages, armored cataphracts continued to fight on horseback. A cataphract was a form of Heavy cavalry used by nomadic eastern Iranian tribes and dynasties and later Ancient Greeks and Romans. Even in the First World War, cavarly was still considered important; the British mobilized 165,000 horses, the Austrians 600,000, the Germans 715,000, and the Russians more than a million. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All ^[11]

The early Indo-Iranians developed the use of chariots in warfare. Indo-Iranian peoples consist of the Indo-Aryan, Iranian, Dardic and Nuristani peoples that is speakers of Indo-Iranian languages The chariot is the earliest and simplest type of Carriage, used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples The scythed chariot was later invented in India and soon adopted by the Persian Empire. The Scythed chariot was a modified war chariot. A scythed chariot was a war chariot with a blade(s mounted on both ends of the Axle.

War elephants were often deployed for fighting in ancient warfare. A war elephant is an Elephant trained and guided by humans for combat They were first used in India and later adopted by both the Persians and Alexander the Great against one another. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' War elephants were also used in the Battle of the Hydaspes River, and by Hannibal in the Second Punic War against the Romans. The Battle of the Hydaspes River was a Battle fought by Alexander the Great in 326 BC against the Indian king Porus (Pururava Hannibal (Pronounced in Phoenician: Hanniba'al means " Ba'al is my grace " or " Ba'al has given me grace " 247 BC &ndash The Second Punic War (referred to as "The War Against Hannibal" by the Romans lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western (The effectiveness of war elephants in a battle is a matter of debate)

There were also organizational changes, made possible by better training and intercommunication. Combined arms was the concept of using infantry, cavalry, and artillery in a coordinated way. Combined arms is an approach to Warfare which seeks to integrate different arms of a Military to achieve mutually complementary effects The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine The Romans, Swiss, and others made advances with this, which arguably led to them being unbeatable for centuries. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland.

A Greek trireme

Naval warfare was often crucial to military success. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Trireme ( τριήρης sing τριήρεις pl triremis sing Naval warfare is Combat in and on Seas Oceans or any other major bodies of water such as large Lakes and wide Rivers History Early navies used sailing ships without cannons; often the goal was to ram the enemy ships and cause them to sink. There was human oar power, often using slaves, built up to ramming speed. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another Galleys were used in the 3rd millennium BC by the Cretans. Galleys redirects here For other uses see Galley (disambiguation. The 30th century BC is a Century which lasted from the year 3000 BC to 2901 BC Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the The Greeks later advanced these ships. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca In 1210 BC, the first recorded naval battle was fought between Suppiluliuma II, king of the Hittites, and Cyprus, which was defeated. Suppiluliuma II, the son of Tudhaliya IV, was the last known king of the New Kingdom of the Hittite Empire, ruling ca The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who spoke a language of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family and established Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía In the Persian Wars, the navy became of increasing importance. Triremes were involved in more complicated sea-land operations. Trireme ( τριήρης sing τριήρεις pl triremis sing Themistocles helped to build up a stronger Greek navy, composed of 310 ships, and defeated the Persians at the Battle of Salamis, ending the Persian invasion of Greece. Themistocles ( Greek:; c 524&ndash459 BC was an Athenian soldier and statesman The Battle of Salamis ( Ancient Greek:) was a decisive naval battle between the Greek City-states and Persia in September 480 BC in the ^[12] In the First Punic War, the war between Carthage and Rome started with an advantage to Carthage because of their naval experience. The First Punic War ( 264 to 241 BC) was the first of three major wars fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic. Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 A Roman fleet was built in 261 BC, with the addition of the corvus that allowed Roman soldiers onboard the ships to board the enemy ships. Events By place Roman Republic The Romans, determined to win control of Sicily from Carthage, build a fleet based A corvus (meaning "crow" or "raven" in Latin) or harpago (probably the correct ancient name) was a Roman military The bridge would prove effective at the Battle of Mylae, resulting in a Roman victory. The Battle of Mylae took place in 260 BC during the First Punic War and was the first real naval battle between Carthage and the Roman Republic The Vikings, in the 8th century AD, invented a ship propelled by oars with a dragon decorating the prow, hence called the Drakkar. A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era.

Fortifications are important in warfare. Fortifications are Military Constructions and Buildings designed for defense in Warfare Humans have constructed defensive works for Early hill-forts were used to protect inhabitants in the Iron Age. A hill fort is a fortified refuge or defended settlement This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. They were primitive forts surrounded by ditches filled with water. ^[13] Forts were then built out of mud bricks, stones, wood, and other available materials. Romans used rectangular fortresses built out of wood and stone. As long as there have been fortifications, there have been contraptions to break in, dating back to the times of Romans and earlier. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Siege warfare is often necessary to capture forts.

Some of the military unit types and technologies which were used in the medieval period are:

• Artillery
• Cataphract
• Condottieri
• Fyrd
• Janissary
• Knight (see also: Chivalry)
• Crossbow
• Pikeman
• Samurai
• Sipahi

Bows and arrows were often used by combatants. Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine A cataphract was a form of Heavy cavalry used by nomadic eastern Iranian tribes and dynasties and later Ancient Greeks and Romans. Condottieri (singular condottiero, rarely condottiero) were Mercenary leaders employed by the Italian City-states from the Late Middle The institution known as leiðangr ( Old Norse) leidang ( Norwegian) leding, ( Danish) ledung The Janissaries (derived from Ottoman Turkish ينيچرى ( yeniçeri) meaning "new soldier" comprised Infantry units that formed Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. Chivalric order Chivalry is a term related to the Medieval institution of Knighthood. A crossbow is a Weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles often called bolts A pike is a Pole weapon, a very long thrusting Spear used two-handed and used extensively by Infantry both for attacks on enemy foot soldiers and as is the term for the military nobility of Pre-industrial Japan. Sipahi ( Ottoman Turkish: ota سپاهی also transliterated as Spahi, Sepahi, and Spakh; traditionally rendered as Spahia A bow is a Weapon that projects arrows powered by the elasticity of the bow An arrow is a pointed Projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most Cultures. Egyptians shot arrows from chariots effectively. The crossbow was developed around 500 BC in China, and was used a lot in the Middle Ages. A crossbow is a Weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles often called bolts China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National ^[14] The English/Welsh longbow from the 12th century also became important in the Middle Ages. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland To see other senses of this word see Longbow (disambiguation. It helped to give the English a large early advantage in the Hundred Years' War, even though the English were eventually defeated. The Hundred Years' War (Guerre de Cent Ans was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne vacant with the extinction of the senior It dominated battlefields for over a century.

A small English Civil War-era cannon

In the 10th century, the invention of gunpowder led to many new weapons that were improved over time. The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. Blackpowder was used in China since the 4th Century, but it was not used as a weapon until the 11th century. Gunpowder is a an explosive mixture of Sulfur, Charcoal and Potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre/saltpeter that burns rapidly producing volumes China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 4th century (per the Julian calendar and Anno Domini / Common era) was that Century Until the mid-15th century, guns were held in one hand, while the explosive charge was ignited by the other hand. An explosive material is a material that either is chemically or otherwise Energetically unstable or produces a sudden expansion of the material usually accompanied Then came the matchlock, which was used widely until around the 1720s. The Matchlock was the first mechanism or "lock" invented to uncomplicate the firing of a hand-held firearm Leonardo da Vinci made drawings of the wheel lock which made its own sparks. Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( April 15 1452 – May 2 1519 was an Italian Polymath, having been a scientist Mathematician, Engineer Wheellock, wheel-lock or wheel lock, is a mechanism for firing a Firearm. Eventually, the matchlock was replaced by the flintlock. Flintlock is the general term for any Firearm based on the flintlock mechanism Cannons were first used in Europe in the early 14th century, and played a vital role in the Hundred Years' War. | NOTE Throughout this article "cannon" is used as BOTH the || singular and plural The Hundred Years' War (Guerre de Cent Ans was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne vacant with the extinction of the senior The first cannons were simply welded metal bars in the form of a cylinder, and the first cannonballs were made of stone. By 1346, at the battle of Crécy, the cannon had been used; at the Battle of Agincourt they would be used again. The Battle of Agincourt was an English victory against a larger French army in the Hundred Years' War. ^[15]

At the beginning of the 16th century, the first European fire ships were used. A fire ship, used in the days of wooden rowed or Sailing ships was a ship filled with combustibles deliberately set on fire and steered (or where possible allowed to drift Ships were filled with flammable materials, set on fire, and sent to enemy lines. Flammability is the ease with which a substance will ignite causing Fire or Combustion. This tactic was successfully used by Francis Drake to scatter the Spanish Armada at the Battle of Gravelines,^[16] and would later be used by the Chinese, Russians, Greeks, and several other countries in naval battles. Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral, (c 1540 &ndash 27 January 1595 was an English Privateer, navigator, Slaver, and politician The Spanish Armada ( Spanish: Grande y Felicísima Armada, "Great and Most Fortunate Navy" or Armada Invencible, "Invincible Gravelines (Grevelingen is a small historic town and commune on the northern coast of France on the river Aa 15 miles (25 km south west of Dunkirk Naval mines were invented in the 17th century, though they were not used in great numbers until the American Civil War. A naval mine is a self-contained Explosive device placed in water to destroy Ships or Submarines Unlike Depth charges mines are deposited As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South They were used heavily in the First World War and Second World War. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

The first model of submarine was invented in 1624 by Cornelius Drebbel, which could go to depth of 15 feet (5 m). A submarine is a Watercraft that can operate independently below water as distinct from a Submersible that has only limited underwater capability Cornelius Jacobszoon Drebbel ( Alkmaar, Holland, 1572 - London, November 7 1633) was the Dutch Inventor However, the first war submarine as we presently think of it was constructed in 1885 by Isaac Peral. Year 1885 ( MDCCCLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Peral submarine The Peral submarine was first conceived on 20 September 1884 when Lieutenant Isaac Peral wrote in a paper several notes which would become his "Proyecto

The Turtle was developed by David Bushnell during the American Revolution. David Bushnell (1742 - 1824 of Saybrook Connecticut, was an American Inventor during the Revolutionary War. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" Robert Fulton then improved the submarine design by creating the Nautilus (submarine). Robert Fulton ( November 14, 1765 &ndash February 24, 1815) was a U The Nautilus is a tropical mollusk, having a many-chambered spiral shell with a pearly interior ^[17]

A 155 mm M198 howitzer firing a shell. The M198 howitzer (aka "God's Gun" is a medium-sized towed Artillery piece

The Howitzer, a type of field artillery, was developed in 17th century to fire high trajectory explosive shells at targets that could not be reached by flat trajectory projectiles. A howitzer is a type of Artillery piece that is characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small explosive charges to propel projectiles Field artillery is a category of mobile Artillery used to support armies in the field Trajectory is the path a moving object follows through space The object might be a Projectile or a Satellite, for example

Bayonets also became of wide usage to infantry soldiers. Bayonet is named after Bayonne, France where it was first manufactured in the 16th century. A bayonet (from French baïonnette) is a Knife - Dagger - or spike-shaped Weapon designed to fit on or over the muzzle Bayonne ( French: Bayonne bajɔn Gascon Occitan and Basque: Baiona) is a city and commune of southwest This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. It is used often in infantry charges to fight in hand-to-hand combat. General Jean Martinet introduced the bayonet to the French army. Jean Martinet (d 1672 was a French lieutenant-colonel and Inspector General and one of the first great drill masters of modern times They were used a lot in the American Civil War, and continued to be used in modern wars like the Invasion of Iraq. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia

Balloons were first used in warfare at the end of the 18th century. "Ballooning" redirects here For the behavior of Spiders and other Arthropods see Ballooning (spider. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system It was first introduced in Paris of 1783; the first balloon traveled over 5 miles (8 km). Previously military scouts could only see from high points on the ground, or from the mast of a ship. Reconnaissance (also scouting) is a military and medical term denoting exploration conducted to gain information Now they could be high in the sky, signalling to troops on the ground. This made it much more difficult for troop movements to go unobserved.

At the end of the 18th century, iron-cased rockets were successfully used militarily in India against the British by Tipu Sultan of the Kingdom of Mysore during the Anglo-Mysore Wars. Mysore (maɪˈsɔɚ in English; renamed to Mysuru|ಮೈಸೂರು) (ಮೈಸೂರು is the second largest city in the state of Karnataka, India The Anglo-Mysore Wars were a series of wars fought in India over the last three decades of the eighteenth-century between the Kingdom of Mysore and the British Rockets were generally inaccurate at that time, though William Hale, in 1844, was able to develop a better rocket. William Hale may refer to William Hale (cattleman, the so-called "King of the Osage Hills" U The new rocket no longer needed the rocket stick, and had a higher accuracy.

In the 1860s there were a series of advancements in rifles. A rifle is a Firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves ("rifling" cut into the barrel walls The first repeating rifle was designed in 1860 by a company bought out by Winchester, which made new and improved versions. A repeating rifle is a single barreled Rifle containing multiple rounds of Ammunition. The Winchester Repeating Arms Company was a prominent American maker of repeating firearms during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century Springfield rifles arrived in the mid-19th century also. The term Springfield Rifle may refer to any one of several types of Small arms produced by the Springfield Armory in Springfield Massachusetts, for the Machine guns arrived in the middle of the 19th century. For other uses of the phrase see Machine Gun (disambiguation. Automatic rifles and light machine guns first arrived at the beginning of the 20th century. Automatic rifle is a term generally used to describe a Self-loading rifle chambered for a rifle cartridge capable of delivering both semi A light machine gun or LMG is a Machine gun that is generally lighter than other machine guns of the same period and is usually designed to be carried

Also in the 1860s came the first boats that would later be known as torpedo boats. A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval Ship designed to carry Torpedoes into battle These were first used in the American Civil War, but generally were not successful. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Several Confederates used spar torpedoes, which were bombs on long poles designed to attach to boats. The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861 A spar torpedo is a Weapon consisting of a Bomb placed at the end of a long pole or spar and attached to a Boat. In the later part of the 19th century, the self-propelled torpedo was developed. The modern torpedo (historically called an automotive automobile locomotive or fish torpedo is a self-propelled explosive Projectile weapon launched above or below The HNoMS Rap

At the start of the World Wars, various nations had developed weapons that were a surprise to their adversaries, leading to a need to learn from this, and alter how to combat them. Flame throwers were first used in the first world war. A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of Fire. The French were the first to introduce the armored car in 1902. A military armored (or armoured) car (see spelling differences) is a wheeled armored vehicle lighter than other armored fighting vehicles primarily Then in 1918, the British produced the first armored troop carrier. Armoured personnel carriers (APCs are Armoured fighting vehicles developed to transport Infantry on the Battlefield They usually have only a Machine Many early tanks were proof of concept but impractical until further development. A tank is a tracked, Armoured fighting vehicle designed for Front-line combat which combines Operational mobility and tactical In World War I, the British and French held a crucial advantage due to their superiority in tanks; the Germans had only a few dozen A₇V tanks, as well as 170 captured tanks. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The British and French both had over several hundred each. The French tanks included the 13 ton Schnedier-Creusot, with a 75 mm gun, and the British had the Mark IV and Mark V tanks. ^[11]

On December 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers performed the first controlled, powered, heavier-than-air flight; it went 39 meters (120 ft). Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila Year 1903 ( MCMIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar or a Common year starting WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout In 1907, the first helicopter flew, but it wasn't practical for usage. History Since 400 AD Chinese children have played with bamboo flying toys. Aviation became important in World War I, in which several aces gained fame. One of the many innovations of World War I, aircraft were first used for Reconnaissance purposes and later as fighters and bombers. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy Aircraft during aerial combat In 1911 an aircraft took off from a warship for the first time. A warship is a Ship that is built and primarily intended for Combat. It was a cruiser. A cruiser is a large type of Warship, which had its prime period from the late 19th century to the end of the Cold War. Take-offs were soon perfected, but deck landings on a cruiser were another matter. Takeoff is the phase of Flight in which an Aircraft goes through a transition from moving along the ground ( Taxiing) to flying in the air usually This led to the development of an aircraft carrier with a decent unobstructed flight deck. An aircraft carrier is a Warship designed with

Chemical warfare exploded into the public consciousness in World War I but may have been used in earlier wars without as much human attention. Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of Chemical substances to kill injure or incapacitate an enemy. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Germans used gas-filled shells at the Battle of Bolimov on January 3, 1915. The Battle of Bolimov was an inconclusive battle of World War I fought on January 31, 1915 between Germany and Russia and considered Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year These were not lethal, however. In April 1915, the Germans developed a chlorine gas that was highly lethal, and used it to great effect at Second Battle of Ypres. The Second Battle of Ypres was the first time Germany used poison gas on a large scale on the Western Front in World War I and the first time ^[11]

World War II gave rise to even more technology. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The worth of the aircraft carrier was proved in the battles between the United States and Japan like the Battle of Midway. An aircraft carrier is a Warship designed with The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Battle of Midway was a major Naval battle, widely regarded as the most important one of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Radar was independently invented by the Allies and Axis powers. Radar is a system that uses electromagnetic waves to identify the range altitude direction or speed of both moving and fixed objects such as Aircraft, ships The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. The Axis powers also known as the Axis alliance Axis nations Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those Countries It used radio waves to detect nearby objects. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves occurring on the Radio frequency portion of the Electromagnetic spectrum. Molotov cocktails were invented by the Finns in 1939, during the Winter War. The Molotov cocktail, also known as the booze bomb, alcohol bomb or Molotov bomb, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. The Winter War (Talvisota Советско-финляндская война - official Зимняя война - unofficial Vinterkriget began when the The atomic bomb was developed by the Manhattan Project and launched at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, ultimately ending World War II. A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. The World War II Manhattan Project developed the first Nuclear weapon (atomic bomb The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were nuclear attacks near the end of World War II against the Empire of Japan by the United States at

During the Cold War, even though fighting did not actually occur, the superpowers- the United States and Russia- engaged in a race to develop and increase the level of technology available for military purposes. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The nuclear Arms race was a competition for supremacy in Nuclear warfare between the United States, the Soviet Union, and their respective In the space race, both nations attempted to launch human beings into space to the moon. The Space Race was a competition of space exploration between the Soviet Union and the United States, which lasted roughly from 1957 to 1975 Other technological advances centered around intelligence (like the spy satellite) and missiles (ballistic missiles, cruise missiles). A spy satellite (officially referred to as a reconnaissance satellite) is an Earth observation satellite or Communications satellite deployed for A ballistic missile is a Missile that follows a Sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering a warhead to a predetermined target A cruise missile is a guided Missile that carries an explosive payload and uses a lifting wing and a propulsion system usually a Jet engine, to allow Nuclear submarine, invented in 1955. A nuclear submarine is a Submarine powered by Atomic energy. Previously conventional submarines used diesel engines that required air for moving on the This meant submarines no longer had to surface as often, and could run more quietly. They evolved into becoming underwater missile platforms. Cruise missiles were invented in Nazi Germany during World War II in the form of the V-1. A cruise missile is a guided Missile that carries an explosive payload and uses a lifting wing and a propulsion system usually a Jet engine, to allow

Periods of military history

The influence of technology on military history, and evident Eurocentrism are nowhere more pronounced then in the attempt by the military historians to divide their subject area into more manageable periods of analysis. Periodization is the attempt to categorize or divide Time into discrete named blocks While general discipline of history subdivides history into Ancient history (Classical antiquity), Middle Ages (Europe, 4th century - 15th century), Early modern period (Europe, 14th century - 18th century), Modern era (Europe, 18th century - 20th century), and the Post-Modern (USA, 1949 - Present), the periodisation below stresses technological change in its emphasis, particularly the crucial dramatic change during the Gunpowder warfare period. Periodisation is not uniformly applied through time and space, affirming the claims of Eurocentrism from regional historians. For example what might be described as ancient warfare is still practised in a number of parts of the world. Ancient warfare is War as conducted from the beginnings of recorded History to the end of the ancient period Other eras that are distinct in European history, such as the era of Medieval warfare, may have little relevance in East Asia. Medieval Warfare is the warfare of the Middle Ages. In Europe technological cultural and social developments had forced a dramatic transformation in the character

Prehistoric warfare

For more details on this topic, see Prehistoric warfare. Prehistoric warfare is War conducted in the era before Writing, and before the establishments of large social entities like States Historical warfare sets

The beginning of prehistoric wars is a disputed issue between anthropologists and historians. In the earliest societies, such as hunter-gatherer societies, there were no social roles or divisions of labor (with the exception of age or sex differences), so every able person contributed to any raids or defense of territory. A society is a Population of Humans characterized by patterns of relationships between individuals that share a distinctive Culture and Institutions A hunter-gatherer society is one whose primary subsistence method involves the direct procurement of edible plants and animals from the wild Foraging and Hunting A role (sometimes spelled rôle) or a social role is a set of connected Behaviors Rights and Obligations as conceptualized by actors Division of labour or specialization is the specialization of cooperative labour in specific circumscribed tasks and roles intended to increase the Productivity Gender comprises a range of differences between men and women extending from the biological to the social A raid can refer to either a military tactic, or a larger Grand Tactical or Operational warfare mission which require the execution of a plan where

In War Before Civilization, Lawrence H. Keeley, a professor at the University of Illinois, calculates that 87% of tribal societies were at war more than once per year, and some 65% of them were fighting continuously. A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use The attrition rate of numerous close-quarter clashes, which characterize warfare in tribal warrior society, produces casualty rates of up to 60%. War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use According to the Random House Dictionary, the term warrior has two meanings

The introduction of agriculture brought large differences between farm workers' societies and hunter-gatherer groups. Probably, during periods of famine, hunters started to massively attack the villages of countrymen, leading to the beginning of organized warfare. In relatively advanced agricultural societies a major differentiation of roles was possible; consequently the figure of professional soldiers or militaries as distinct, organized units was born. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture A soldier is a general English term that refers to a member of a land component of National Armed forces.

Ancient warfare

For more details on this topic, see Ancient warfare. Ancient warfare is War as conducted from the beginnings of recorded History to the end of the ancient period

The first archaeological record, though disputed, of a prehistoric battle is about 14000 years old, and is located on the Nile in Sudan, in an area known as Cemetery 117. The archaeological record is a term used in Archaeology to denote all archaeological evidence, including the physical remains of past human activities which Archaeologists The Nile (النيل, Ancient Egyptian iteru or Ḥ'pī, Coptic piaro or phiaro) is a major north-flowing River Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. Cemetery 117 is an ancient Cemetery discovered in 1964 by a team led by Fred Wendorf near the northern border of Sudan. A large number of bodies, many with arrowheads embedded in their skeletons, indicates that they may have been the casualties of a battle. An arrow is a pointed Projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most Cultures.

Much of what we know of ancient history is the history of militaries: their conquests, their movements, and their technological innovations. "Ancient" redirects here For other uses see Ancient_(disambiguation. The term innovation means a new way of doing something It may refer to incremental radical and revolutionary changes in thinking products processes or organisations There are many reasons for this. Kingdoms and empires, the central units of control in the ancient world, could only be maintained through military force. A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or An empire (from the Latin " Imperium " denoting military Command within the ancient Roman government) is a State that Due to limited agricultural ability, there were relatively few areas that could support large communities, so fighting was common.

Weapons and armor, designed to be sturdy, tended to last longer than other artifacts, and thus a great deal of surviving artifacts recovered tend to fall in this category as they are more likely to survive. A weapon is a Tool used either in Hunting, or attack or defence in Combat for the purpose of subduing enemy personnel or to destroy enemy weapons Armour (or armor) is protective covering most commonly manufactured from metals to prevent damage from being inflicted to an individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact Weapons and armor were also mass-produced to a scale that makes them quite plentiful throughout history, and thus more likely to be found in archaeological digs. Such items were also considered signs of posterity or virtue, and thus were likely to placed in tombs and monuments to prominent warriors. And writing, when it existed, was often used for kings to boast of military conquests or victories.

Writing, when used by the common man, also tended to record such events, as major battles and conquests constituted major events that many would have considered worthy of recording either in an epic such as the Homeric writings pertaining to the Trojan War, or even personal writings. Homer ( Ancient Greek:, Homēros) is a legendary ancient Greek epic Poet, traditionally said to be the author of the epic poems the Indeed the earliest stories center around warfare, as war was both a common and dramatic aspect of life; the witnessing of a major battle involving many thousands of soldiers would be quite a spectacle, even today, and thus considered worthy both of being recorded in song and art, but also in realistic histories, as well as being a central element in a fictional work. Lastly, as nation-states evolved and empires grew, the increased need for order and efficiency lead to an increase in the number of records and writings. Officials and armies would have good reason for keeping detailed records and accounts involving any and all things concerning a matter such as warfare that in the words of Sun Tzu was "a matter of vital importance to the state". Sun Tzu ( ("Master Sun" also called Sun Wu ( is traditionally considered to be the author of The Art of War (also simply called the For all these reasons, military history comprises a large part of ancient history.

Notable militaries in the ancient world included the Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks (notably the Spartans and Macedonians), Indians (notably the Magadhas, Gangaridais and Gandharas), Chinese (notably the Qins Han), Xiongnu, Romans, and Carthaginians. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca The city of Sparta ( Doric Σπάρτα Attic Σπάρτη Macedon or Macedonia ( Greek grc Μακεδονία grc-Latn Makedonía) was the name of a kingdom centered in the northern-most India has a long military history dating back several millennia Magadha (मगध formed one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas ( Sanskrit, "great countries" or regions in ancient India. Gangaridai was the name of a kingdom in 300 BC in what is now the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era Qín or Ch'in ( Wade-Giles) (秦 ( 778 BC - 207 BC) was a State during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods Han (韓國 Hánguó) ( 403 BC - 230 BC) was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China. The Xiongnu ( Turkish: Doğu Hun were a confederation of nomadic tribes from Central Asia with a ruling class of unknown origin and other subjugated tribes Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers

The fertile crescent of Mesopotamia was the center of several prehistoric conquests. The Fertile Crescent is a Crescent -shaped region in the Middle East, originally incorporating the Levant and Ancient Mesopotamia, and often Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding Mesopotamia was conquered by the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians and Persians. Sumer ( Sumerian: sux-Latn [[Ki (earth ki]]-[[EN (cuneiform en]]-'''ĝir15''', Akkadian: Šumeru; possibly Biblical Shinar Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital Early history The most Neolithic site in Assyria is at Tell Hassuna, the center of the Hassuna culture The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Iranians were the first nation who introduced cavalry into their army. The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on ^[18]

Egypt began growing as an ancient power, but eventually fell to the Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding

The earliest recorded battle in India was the Battle of the Ten Kings. This article is about the history of South Asia prior to the Partition of British India in 1947 The Battle of the Ten Kings ( dāśarājñá) is a battle alluded to in Mandala 7 of the Rigveda (hymns 18 33 and 83 The Indian epics Mahabharata and Ramayana are centred around conflicts and refer to military formations, theories of warfare and esoteric weaponry. Indian epic poetry is the Epic poetry written in the Indian subcontinent. The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki Chanakya's Arthashastra contains a detailed study on ancient warfare, including topics on espionage and war elephants. Chanakya Sanskrit: चाणक्य Cāṇakya) (c 350-283 BC was an adviser and a Prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor The Arthashastra ( IAST: Arthaśāstra) is a Treatise on statecraft, economic policy and Military strategy which A war elephant is an Elephant trained and guided by humans for combat Alexander the Great invaded Northwestern India and defeated King Porus in the Battle of the Hydaspes River. Conflict alliance and comradeship with Alexander Unlike his neighbour Ambhi (in Greek Omphis, King Porus chose to fight Alexander the Great in The Battle of the Hydaspes River was a Battle fought by Alexander the Great in 326 BC against the Indian king Porus (Pururava The same region was soon conquered by Chandragupta Maurya after defeating the Macedonians and Seleucids. Chandragupta Maurya (चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य sometimes known simply as Chandragupta (born c The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i He also went on to conquer the Nanda Empire and unify Northern India. The Nanda dynasty ruled Magadha during the 5th and 4th centuries BC. Most of Southern Asia was unified under his grandson Ashoka the Great after the Kalinga War, though the empire collapsed not long after his reign. Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi The Kalinga War ( Sanskrit: कलिन्ग युध्धम् was a war fought between the Mauryan Empire under Ashoka the Great and the state of

In China, the Shang Dynasty and Zhou Dynasty had risen and collapsed. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the The Zhou Dynasty ( POJ: Chiu Tiau 1122 BC to 256 BC was preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China. This led to a Warring States Period, in which several states continued to fight with each other over territory. The Warring States Period ( also known as the Era of Warring States covers the period from some time in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by the Confucius and Sun Tzu wrote various theories on ancient warfare (as well as international diplomacy). Confucius ( lit " Master Kung " September 28, 551 BC - 479 BC) was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher Sun Tzu ( ("Master Sun" also called Sun Wu ( is traditionally considered to be the author of The Art of War (also simply called the The Warring States era philosopher Mozi (Micius) and his Mohist followers invented various siege weapons and siege crafts, including the Cloud Ladder (a four-wheeled, protractable ramp) to scale fortified walls during a siege of an enemy city. Mozi ( Lat as Micius, ca 470 BCE&ndashca 391 BCE was a Philosopher who lived in China during the Hundred Schools of Thought Mozi ( Lat as Micius, ca 470 BCE&ndashca 391 BCE was a Philosopher who lived in China during the Hundred Schools of Thought Mohism or Moism ( was a Chinese philosophy developed by the followers of Mozi (also referred to as Mo Di 470 &ndashc The term enemy combatant has historically referred to members of the armed forces of the state with which another state is at war China was first unified by Qin Shi Huang after a series of military conquests. Qin Shi Huang ( (259 BC – September 10 210 BC personal name Yíng Zhèng, was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 247 BCE to 221 BCE (during the His empire was succeeded by the Han Dynasty, which expanded into Southern China and present day Korea and Vietnam. Not to be confused with the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty of China The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. The Han came into conflict with the Xiongnu (Huns), Yuezhi, and other steppe civilizations. The Xiongnu ( Turkish: Doğu Hun were a confederation of nomadic tribes from Central Asia with a ruling class of unknown origin and other subjugated tribes The Huns were an early confederation of Central Asian equestrian nomads or semi-nomads with a Turkic core of aristocracy The Yuezhi or Rouzhi ( Chinese: 月支 Pinyin: yuè zhī or ròu zhī; also 月氏 Pinyin: yuè shì The Han defeated and drove the Xiongnus west, securing the silk route that continued into the Parthian Empire. The Xiongnu ( Turkish: Doğu Hun were a confederation of nomadic tribes from Central Asia with a ruling class of unknown origin and other subjugated tribes Parthia ( Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was an Iranian civilization situated in the northeastern part of modern Iran The Han Dynasty collapsed into an era of civil war and continuous warfare during the Three Kingdoms period in the 3rd century CE. The Three Kingdoms period ( is a period in the History of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of

The Achaemenid Persian Empire was founded by Cyrus the Great after conquering the Median Empire, Neo-Babylonian Empire, Lydia and Asia Minor. The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. The term Neo-Babylonian or Chaldean refers to Babylonia under the rule of the 11th ("Chaldean" dynasty from the revolt of Nabopolassar Defining Lydia Aside from a legend related by Herodotus, who states that the name Lydia came from king Lydus at the time of the fall of Troy Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black His successor Cambyses went onto conquer the Egyptian Empire, much of Central Asia, and parts of Greece, India and Libya. The New Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Egyptian Empire, is the period in Ancient Egyptian history between the 16th century BC and Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab The empire later fell to Alexander the Great after defeating Darius III. Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' Darius III ( Artashata) (c 380&ndash330 BC Persian داریوش Dāriūš dɔːriˈuːʃ was the last king of the Achaemenid Empire of After being ruled by the Seleucid dynasty, the Persian Empire was subsequently ruled by the Parthian and Sassanid dynasties, which were the Roman Empire's greatest rivals during the Roman-Persian Wars. The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i Parthia ( Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was an Iranian civilization situated in the northeastern part of modern Iran The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial

In Greece, several city-states emerged to power, including Athens and Sparta. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία A city-state is a Region controlled exclusively by a City, usually having Sovereignty. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's The city of Sparta ( Doric Σπάρτα Attic Σπάρτη The Greeks successfully stopped two Persian invasions, the first at the Battle of Marathon, where the Persians were led by Darius the Great, and the second at the Battle of Salamis, a naval battle where the Greek ships were deployed by orders of Themistocles and the Persians were under Xerxes I, and the land engagement of the Battle of Plataea. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The Battle of Marathon ( Greek: Μάχη τοῡ Μαραθῶνος Machē tou Marathōnos) during the Greco-Persian Wars took place in 490 Darius I the Great (c 549 BC&ndash486 BC 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 Dārayavahuš: "Possessing goodness" Having ascended to power amidst controversy and bloodshed The Battle of Salamis ( Ancient Greek:) was a decisive naval battle between the Greek City-states and Persia in September 480 BC in the Themistocles ( Greek:; c 524&ndash459 BC was an Athenian soldier and statesman Xerxes I of Persia was a King of Persia (reigned 485–465 BC of the Achaemenid dynasty. The Battle of Plataea was the final major Battle of the Greco-Persian Wars in southern Greece. The Peloponnesian War then erupted between the two Greek powers Athens and Sparta. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's The city of Sparta ( Doric Σπάρτα Attic Σπάρτη Athens built a long wall to protect its inhabitants, but the wall helped to facilitate the spread of a plague that killed about 30,000 Atheninans, including Pericles. Pericles (also spelled Perikles) (c 495 – 429 BC Greek:, meaning "surrounded by glory" was a prominent and influential Statesman, orator After a disastrous campaign against Syracuse, the Athenian navy was decisively defeated by Lysander at the Battle of Aegospotami. Syracuse (Siracusa Sicilian: Sarausa, Classical Greek: / transliterated Syrakousai) is a historic City in Lysander (died 395 BC Λύσανδρος, Lýsandros) was a Spartan General and the commander of the Spartan fleet in the Hellespont which was victorious The naval Battle of Aegospotami took place in 404 BC and was the last major battle of the Peloponnesian War.

The Macedonians, underneath Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great, invaded Persia and won several major victories, establishing Macedonia as a major power. The Ancient Macedonians (Μακεδόνες Makedónes were an ancient tribe which inhabited the alluvial plain around the rivers Haliacmon and lower Axius, north Philip II of Macedon, ( Greek: Φίλιππος Β' ο Μακεδών &mdash φίλος = friend + ίππος = Horse Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia However, following Alexander's death at an early age, the empire quickly fell apart.

Meanwhile, Rome was gaining power, following a rebellion against the Etruscans. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to the culture and way of life of a people of ancient Italy At the three Punic Wars, the Romans defeated the neighboring power of Carthage. The Punic Wars were a series of three wars fought between Rome and Carthage between 264 and 146 BC and were probably the largest wars yet of the ancient The First Punic War centered around naval warfare. The First Punic War ( 264 to 241 BC) was the first of three major wars fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic. Naval warfare is Combat in and on Seas Oceans or any other major bodies of water such as large Lakes and wide Rivers History The Second Punic War started with Hannibal’s invasion of Italy by crossing the Alps. The Second Punic War (referred to as "The War Against Hannibal" by the Romans lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western Hannibal (Pronounced in Phoenician: Hanniba'al means " Ba'al is my grace " or " Ba'al has given me grace " 247 BC &ndash Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest He famously won the encirclement at the Battle of Cannae. For the 11th century battle in the Byzantine conquest of the Mezzogiorno, see Battle of Cannae (1018. However, after Scipio invaded Carthage, Hannibal was forced to follow and was defeated at the Battle of Zama, ending the role of Carthage as a power. Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Major ( Latin: P·CORNELIVS·P·F·L·N·SCIPIO·AFRICANVS ¹) (236&ndash183 The Battle of Zama, fought around October 19 of 202 BC, marked the final and decisive end of the Second Punic War. The Third Punic War was a failed revolt against the Romans. The Third Punic War ( 149 BC to 146 BC) was the third and last of the Punic Wars fought between the former Phoenician colony of Carthage

After defeating Carthage the Romans went on to become the Mediterranean's dominant power, successfully campaigning in Greece (Aemilius Paulus decisive victory over Macedonia at the Battle of Pydna), in the Middle East (Lucius Licinius Lucullus, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus), in Gaul (Gaius Julius Caesar) and defeating several Germanic tribes (Gaius Marius, Germanicus). Lucius Aemilius Paulus Macedonicus (229 BC-160 BC was a Roman general and politician The Battle of Pydna in 168 BC between Rome and the Macedonian Antigonid dynasty represents the ascendancy of Rome in the Hellenic / This article is on the Consul of 151 BC - for the descendent (this man's grandson see Lucullus, and for others of this name see Licinius (gens. Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, commonly known as Pompey /'pɑmpi/ Pompey the Great or Pompey the Triumvir ( Classical Latin abbreviation Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Gaius Julius Caesar most commonly refers to Gaius Julius Caesar (100 BC - 44 BC conqueror of Gaul dictator Gaius Julius Caesar may The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic This article is about the Roman statesman who reorganized the army and was seven times Consul Germanicus Julius Caesar ( 24 May 16 BC or 15 BC&ndash October 10, 19) While Roman armies suffered several major losses, their large population and ability to replace battlefield casualties, training, organization, tactical and technical superiority enabled Rome to stay a predominant military force for several centuries.

In 54 BCE the Roman triumvir Marcus Licinius Crassus took the offensive against the Parthian Empire in the east. Year 54 BC was a year of the pre-Julian calendar. Events By place Rome Consuls Appius Claudius Pulcher and Marcus Licinius Crassus ( Latin: M·LICINIVS·P·F·P·N·CRASSVS (ca In a decisive battle at Carrhae Romans were defeated and the golden Aquila (legionary battle standards) was taken as trophy to Ctesiphon. The Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC was a decisive victory for the Parthian Spahbod Surena over the Roman general Crassus near The signa militaria were the Roman military Ensigns or standards The most ancient standard employed by the Romans is said to have been a handful ( maniple For the Spanish saint see Ctesiphon of Vergium. Ctesiphon (قطسيفون تیسفون was one of the great cities of the Persian Empire The result was one of the worst defeats suffered by the Roman Republic in its entire history. Romans, whose armies consisted mainly of heavy infantry and only smaller cavalry contigents until then, after this defeat learnt the importance of cavalry from Iranians and eventually introduced it into their army, just as nearly a thousand year earlier the first Iranian to reached the Iranian Plateau introduced the Assyrians to a similar reform. The Iranian Plateau, also known as the Persian plateau is a Geological formation in Southwest Asia, Southern The Assyrians are an Ethnic group whose origins lie in what is today Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. ^[18] Rome experienced numerous civil wars, notably the power struggles of Roman generals such as Marius and Sulla. Caesar was also notable for his role in the civil war against the other member of the Triumvirate (Pompey) and against the Roman Senate. The successors of Caesar - Octavian and Mark Anthony, also fought a civil war with Caesar's assassins (Senators Brutus, Crassus, etc). Octavian and Mark Anthony eventually fought another civil war between themselves to determine the sole ruler of the Rome.

By the time of Marcus Aurelius, the Romans had expanded from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to Mesopotamia in the east and controlled Northern Africa and Central Europe up to the Black Sea. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (often referred to as "the wise" ( April 26, 121 – March 17, 180) was Roman Emperor Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey However, Aurelius marked the end of the Five Good Emperors, and Rome quickly fell to decline. The Five Good Emperors is a term that refers to five consecutive emperors of the Roman Empire who represented a line of virtuous and just rule — Nerva, Trajan The Huns, Goths, and other barbaric groups invaded Rome, which continued to suffer from inflation and other internal strifes. The Huns were an early confederation of Central Asian equestrian nomads or semi-nomads with a Turkic core of aristocracy The Goths ( Gothic: Gothic usvg|14px|u]]Gothic asvg|14px|a]]Gothic s In economics inflation or price inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services over a period of time Despite the attempts of Diocletian, Constantine I, and Theodosius I, western Rome collapsed. Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus ( ca. December 22 244 The modern historian Timothy Barnes takes December 22 as his birthdate Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February ca. 272 &ndash 22 May 337 commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine Flavius Theodosius (January 11 347 – January 17 395 also called Theodosius I and Theodosius the Great ( Greek: Θεοδόσιος Α΄ The Byzantine empire continued to prosper, however. This article is about the city See also Byzantine Empire. Byzantium ( Greek: Βυζάντιον Latin: la BYZANTIVM

Medieval warfare

For more details on this topic, see Medieval warfare. Medieval Warfare is the warfare of the Middle Ages. In Europe technological cultural and social developments had forced a dramatic transformation in the character

When stirrups came into use some time during the dark age militaries were forever changed. For the bone see Stapes. For other uses of the word stirrup see Stirrup (disambiguation. This article is about the phrase "Dark Age(s" as a characterization of the Early Middle Ages in Western Europe This invention coupled with technological, cultural, and social developments had forced a dramatic transformation in the character of warfare from antiquity, changing military tactics and the role of cavalry and artillery. Classical antiquity (also the classical era or classical period) is a broad term for a long period of cultural History centered on the Mediterranean A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking Military tactics ( Greek: Taktikē, the art of organizing an army are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine Similar patterns of warfare existed in other parts of the world. In China around the fifth century armies moved from massed infantry to cavalry based forces, copying the steppe nomads. The 5th century is the period from 401 to 500 in accordance with the Julian calendar in Anno Domini / Common Era. In physical Geography, a steppe ( German, from степь - "a flat and arid land" степ - /stɛp/ тал - tal дала - /dɑlɑ/ pronounced Nomadic people, (from the νομάδες nomádes, "those who let pasture herds" also known as nomads, are communities of people that The Middle East and North Africa used similar, if often more advanced, technologies than Europe. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan In Japan the Medieval warfare period is considered by many to have stretched into the nineteenth century. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar In Africa along the Sahel and Sudan states like the Kingdom of Sennar and Fulani Empire employed Medieval tactics and weapons well after they had been supplanted in Europe. See also Sahel Tunisia, a region of eastern Tunisia. The Sahel or Sahel Belt (from Arabic ساحل sāḥil For the country in north-east Africa see Sudan. The Sudan, from the Arabic bilâd as-sûdân or "land of the The Funj sultanate of Sinnar, also Sennar, was a Sultanate in the north of Sudan, named Funj after the ethnic group of its dynasty or Sinnar (or Sennar The Sokoto Caliphate is an Islamic spiritual community in Nigeria, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’adu Abubakar.

In the Medieval period, feudalism was firmly implanted, and there existed many landlords in Europe. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed Landlord is the owner of a House, Apartment, Condominium, or Real estate which is rented or Leased to an individual or business Landlords often owned castles to protect their territory. A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages.

The Islamic Arab Empire began rapidly expanding throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, initially led by Khalid ibn al-Walid, and later under the Umayyads, expanded to the Iberian Peninsula in the west and the Indus Valley in the east. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Khālid ibn al-Walīd (592-642 ( خالد بن الوليد) also known by Sunnis as Sayf-'ullah al-Maslul (the Drawn Sword of God, God's Withdrawn The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd The Abassids then took over the Arab Empire, though the Umayyads remained in control of Islamic Spain. Al-Andalus (الأندلس was the Arabic name given to those parts of the Iberian Peninsula governed by Muslims or At the Battle of Tours, the Franks under Charles Martel stopped short a Muslim invasion. The Battle of Tours (October 10 732 also called the Battle of Poitiers and in معركة بلاط الشهداء (ma‘arakat Balâṭ ash-Shuhadâ’ Battle of Court The Franks or Frankish people (Franci or gens Francorum) were West Germanic tribes first identified in the 3rd century as an Ethnic group Charles "The Hammer" Martel (Carolus Martellus Charles "the Hammer" (ca The Abassids defeated the Tang Chinese army at the Battle of Talas, but were later defeated by the Seljuk Turks and the Mongols centuries later, until the Arab Empire eventually came to an end after the Battle of Baghdad in 1258. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by The Battle of Talas in 751 CE was a conflict between the Arab Abbasid Caliphate and the Chinese Tang Dynasty for control The Seljuq (also Seljuq Turks, Seldjuks, Seldjuqs, Seljuks; in Turkish Selçuklular; in Ṣaljūqīyān; in The Mongol Empire ( Mongolyn Ezent Güren or mn Их Mонгол улс Ikh Mongol Uls; 1206–1368 was the largest contiguous Empire The Battle of Baghdad in 1258 was a victory for the Mongol leader Hulagu Khan, a grandson of Genghis Khan.

In China, the Sui Dynasty had risen and conquered the Chen Dynasty of the south. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Sui Dynasty ( 581 - 618 AD and in the undertaking of other construction projects including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. They invaded Vietnam (northern Vietnam had been in Chinese control since the Han Dynasty), fighting the troops of Champa, who had cavalry mounted on elephants. The kingdom of Champa ( Chăm Pa in Vietnamese or Chiêm Thành in Hán Việt records was an Indianized kingdom and controlled what After decades of economic turmoil and a failed invasion of Korea, the Sui collapsed and was followed by the Tang Dynasty, who fought with various Turkic groups, the Tibetans of Lhasa, the Tanguts, the Khitans, and collapsed due to political fragmentation of powerful regional military governors (jiedushi). The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family The Tibetan people are indigenous to Tibet and surrounding areas stretching from Central Asia in the North and West to Myanmar and China Proper Lhasa, ( in English l̥ʰásə or in Tibetan; Chinese: 拉萨 Pinyin: Lāsà sometimes spelled Lasa, is the administrative capital of the The Tangut ( identified with the state of Western Xia, were a Qiangic - Tibetan people who moved to northwestern China sometime before The Khitan (or Khitai,) were a Nomadic people, located in Mongolia and modern Manchuria (Northeast China from the 4th century dominating much of it The innovative Song Dynasty followed next, inventing new weapons of war that employed the use of Greek Fire and gunpowder (see section below) against enemies such as the Jurchens. The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Greek fire was a burning-liquid weapon used by the Byzantine Empire. Gunpowder is a an explosive mixture of Sulfur, Charcoal and Potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre/saltpeter that burns rapidly producing volumes The Jurchens ( were a Tungus people who inhabited the region of Manchuria ( Northeast China) until the 17th century when they adopted the name Manchu

The Mongols under Genghis Khan, Ogedei Khan, Mongke Khan, and finally Kublai Khan later invaded and eventually defeated the Chinese Song Dynasty by 1279. Genghis Khan ( or;, Chinggis Khaan, ʧiŋgɪs χaːŋ Činggis Qaɣan; 1162–1227 born (meaning "ironworker" was the Mongol founder Ögedei Khan, (Өгэдэй Ögedei; also Ogotai or Oktay, 窩闊臺 c Möngke Khan (Мөнх хаан also transliterated as Mongke Mongka Möngka Mangu or Mangku ( c Early years Kublai Khan studied Chinese culture and became enamoured of it The Mongol Empire continued to expand throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, but following the death of Genghis Khan, the Mongol expansion halted and the empire was divided among his successors. The Mongol Empire ( Mongolyn Ezent Güren or mn Их Mонгол улс Ikh Mongol Uls; 1206–1368 was the largest contiguous Empire Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. Genghis Khan ( or;, Chinggis Khaan, ʧiŋgɪs χaːŋ Činggis Qaɣan; 1162–1227 born (meaning "ironworker" was the Mongol founder

In New Zealand, prior to European discovery, oral histories, legends and whakapapa include many stories of battles and wars. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Whakapapa or Genealogy is a fundamental principle that permeates the whole of Māori culture. Maori warriors were held in high esteem. This article discusses the Māori people of New Zealand For their language see Māori language, and for other meanings see Māori (disambiguation. One group of Polynesians migrated to the Chatham Islands, where they developed the largely pacifist Moriori culture. Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over The Archipelago of the Chatham Islands ( Rekohu in the Moriori language and Wharekauri in the Māori language) is a territory Moriori are the indigenous people of the Chatham Islands ( Rekohu in the Moriori language, Wharekauri in the Māori language Their pacifism left the Moriori unable to defend themselves when the islands were invaded by mainland Māori in the 1830s. They proceeded to massacre the Moriori and enslave the survivors. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another ^[19][20] Warrior culture also developed in the isolated Hawaiian Islands. According to the Random House Dictionary, the term warrior has two meanings The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an Archipelago of 19 Islands and Atolls numerous smaller During the 1780s and 1790s the chiefs and alii were constantly fighting for power. After a series of battles the Hawaiian Islands were united for the first time under a single ruler who would become known as Kamehameha I. Kamehameha I, also known as Kamehameha the Great, (born February 1758 or November 1737 or May 1, 1738 – died May 8, 1819) ^[21]

Gunpowder warfare

For more details on this topic, see Gunpowder warfare. Early Modern warfare is associated with the start of the widespread use of Gunpowder and the development of suitable weapons to use the explosive

After Gunpowder weapons were first developed in Song Dynasty China (see also Technology of Song Dynasty), the technology later spread west to the Ottoman Empire, from where it spread to the Safavid Empire of Persia and the Mughal Empire of India. Gunpowder is a an explosive mixture of Sulfur, Charcoal and Potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre/saltpeter that burns rapidly producing volumes The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms The Song Dynasty (宋朝 960–1279 CE provided some of the most significant technological advances in Chinese history, many of which came from talented statesmen The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most The arquebus was later adopted by European armies during the Italian Wars of the early 16th century. The Arquebus (sometimes spelled harquebus, harkbus or hackbut; from Dutch haakbus, meaning "hook gun" is This all brought an end to the dominance of armored cavalry on the battlefield. The simultaneous decline of the feudal system — and the absorption of the medieval city-states into larger states — allowed the creation of professional standing armies to replace the feudal levies and mercenaries that had been the standard military component of the Middle Ages. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed The period spanning between the 1648 Peace of Westphalia and the 1789 French Revolution is also known as Kabinettskriege (Princes' warfare) as wars were mainly carried out by imperial or monarchics states, decided by cabinets and limited in scope and in their aims. The term Peace of Westphalia refers to the two peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster, signed on May 15 and October 24 of The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an Kabinettskriege (English "Cabinet War" is the German expression referring to the type of Wars which affected Europe during the period of Absolute They also involved quickly shifting alliances, and mainly used mercenaries. Over the period of The long 19th century all military Arms and Services underwent significant developments that included a more mobile Field artillery, the transition from use of Battalion Infantry drill in close order to open order formations and the transfer of emphasis from the use of bayonets to the rifle that replaced the Musket, and virtual replacement of all types of cavalry with the universal Dragoons, or mounted infantry. The long 19th century, defined by Eric Hobsbawm, a British Marxist Historian and Author, refers to the period between the years Field artillery is a category of mobile Artillery used to support armies in the field A battalion is a Military unit of around 500-1500 men usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel A bayonet (from French baïonnette) is a Knife - Dagger - or spike-shaped Weapon designed to fit on or over the muzzle A rifle is a Firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves ("rifling" cut into the barrel walls A musket is a muzzle -loaded Smoothbore Long gun, which is intended to be fired from the shoulder The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on A dragoon is a soldier intended primarily to fight on foot but trained also in Horse riding and cavalry combat especially Mounted infantry were Soldiers who rode Horses instead of marching but actually fought on foot in the modern era with Muskets or Rifles but before

Industrial warfare

For more details on this topic, see Industrial warfare. Industrial warfare is a period in the History of warfare ranging roughly from the start of the Industrial Revolution to the beginning of the Information Age

As weapons—particularly small arms—became easier to use, countries began to abandon a complete reliance on professional soldiers in favor of conscription. Conscription (also known as the draft, the call-up or national service) is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by some established authority Technological advances became increasingly important; while the armies of the previous period had usually had similar weapons, the industrial age saw encounters such as the Battle of Sadowa, in which possession of a more advanced technology played a decisive role in the outcome. The Battle of Königgrätz (Schlacht von Königgrätz also known as the Battle of Sadowa, Sadová, or Hradec Králové, was the decisive Battle

Conscription was employed in industrial warfare to increase the amount of soldiers that were available for combat. Conscription (also known as the draft, the call-up or national service) is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by some established authority This was used by Napoleon Bonaparte in the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions

Total war was used in industrial warfare, the objective being to prevent the opposing nation to engage in war. Total war is a conflict of unlimited scope in which a Belligerent engages in a total mobilization of all available resources at his disposal William Tecumseh Sherman's "March to the Sea" and Philip Sheridan's burning of the Shenandoah Valley are examples of total warfare. Philip Henry Sheridan (March 6 1831 &ndash August 5 1888 was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War The Shenandoah Valley region of western Virginia and West Virginia is bounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian

Modern warfare

For more details on this topic, see Modern warfare. Modern warfare, although present in every Historical period of Military history, is generally used to refer to the concepts, methods and

In modern times, war has evolved from an activity steeped in tradition to a scientific enterprise where success is valued above methods. Scientific enterprise refers to Science -based Projects developed by or in cooperation with private Entrepreneurs For example in the Age of Exploration The notion of total war is the extreme of this trend. Total war is a conflict of unlimited scope in which a Belligerent engages in a total mobilization of all available resources at his disposal Militaries have developed technological advances rivalling the scientific accomplishments of any other field of study.

However, it should be noted that modern militaries benefit in the development of these technologies under the funding of the public, the leadership of national governments, and often in cooperation with large civilian groups, such as the General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin corporations, in the United States. Public is of or pertaining to the people relating to or affecting a nation state or community opposed to private; as the public treasury a road or lake National governments (alternatively national unity governments or national union governments) are broad Coalition governments consisting of all parties (or A civilian under International humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her Country 's Armed forces. General Dynamics Corporation ( is a defense conglomerate formed by Mergers and Divestitures and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest Defense contractor Lockheed Martin ( is a large multinational Aerospace manufacturer and advanced technology Company formed in 1995 by the merger of The United States of America —commonly referred to as the And as for "total war," it may be argued that it is not an exclusive practice of modern militaries, but in the tradition of genocidal conflict that marks even tribal warfare to this day. An ethnic conflict or ethnic war is a war between Ethnic groups often as a result of Ethnic nationalism. What distinguishes modern military organizations from those previous is not their willingness to prevail in conflict by any method, but rather the technological variety of tools and methods available to modern battlefield commanders, from submarines to satellites, from knives to nuclear warheads. A submarine is a Watercraft that can operate independently below water as distinct from a Submersible that has only limited underwater capability This article is about artificial satellites For natural satellites also known as moons see Natural satellite. A knife is a handheld sharp-edged instrument consisting of handle attached to a Blade used for cutting A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion.

Some of the military unit types and technologies which were developed in modern times are:

• Ammunition
• Armory
• Conscription
• Grenadier
• Sappers and Miners
• Marine
• Aviation
• Rifleman
• Special Forces
• Naval Combatant
• Global Information Grid
• Active Electronically Scanned Array
• Network-centric warfare
• Supercomputer
• Space warfare
• Cyberwar

World War I was sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, leading to the mobilization of Austria and Serbia. Ammunition, often referred to as ammo, is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which An armory (Armoury is a Military depot used for the storage of Weapons and Ammunition. Conscription (also known as the draft, the call-up or national service) is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by some established authority A grenade launcher is a Weapon that launches a Grenade with more accuracy higher velocity and to greater distances than a soldier could throw it by hand Sapping is a term used in siege operations Any trench excavated under defensive musket or artillery fire that was intended to advance a besieging army's position in relation to the works Mining, undermining, or sapping was a Siege method used since antiquity against a Walled city, Fortress or Castle Marines (from the English adjective marine, meaning of the sea, from Latin language mare, meaning sea via French adjective Military aviation is the use of Aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare including national airlift ( Cargo) capacity Rifleman is a private Soldier in a rifle unit of Infantry. Origins Although ultimately originating with the 16th century handgunners and the 17th In most countries special forces (SF is a generic term for highly-trained Military teams/units that conduct specialized operations such as Reconnaissance The Global Information Grid (GIG is an all-encompassing communications project of the United States Department of Defense. An Electronically Scanned Array (AESA also known as active Phased array Radar is a type of Radar whose Transmitter and Network-centric warfare (NCW, now commonly called network-centric operations (NCO, is a new Military doctrine or theory of war pioneered by the United States A supercomputer is a Computer that is at the frontline of processing capacity particularly speed of calculation (at the time of its introduction Space warfare is combat that takes place in Outer space, ie outside the Atmosphere. Cyber-warfare (also known as cybernetic war, or cyberwar) is the use of Computers and the Internet in conducting Warfare in Cyberspace World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Franz Ferdinand ( December 18, 1863 &ndash June 28, 1914) was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Prince Imperial of Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country The Germans joined the Austrians to form the Central powers; the French, British, and Russia formed the Allied powers. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Following the Battle of the Marne and the outflanking attempt of both nations in the "Race to the Sea", trench warfare ensued, leaving the war in a great deadlock. The Race to the Sea was a name given to a period of World War I when on the Western Front, the two sides were still engaged in mobile warfare Trench warfare is a form of warfare where both combatants have fortified positions and fighting lines are static Major operations by the Germans at the Battle of Verdun and by the British and the French at the Battle of the Somme were carried out, and new technology like tanks and chlorine gas were used. The Battle of Verdun was one of the most critical battles in World War I on the Western Front, fought between the German and French The Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive, fought from July to November 1916 was among the largest battles of the First World War Following the USA's entrance into the war, the Germans and their allies were eventually defeated. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

World War II ensued after Germany's invasion of Poland, forcing Britain and France to declare war. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany quickly defeated France and Belgium, later aided by Italy. A hasty evacuation occurred at Dunkirk to save the Allied army from complete disaster. Dunkirk ( French: Dunkerque, dœ̃kɛʀk or; Dutch:; is a harbour city and a commune in the northernmost part of France, in the The Germany then attacked USSR and marched to take over the Soviet resources, but were thwarted. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. Meanwhile, Japan, who had already been at war with the Chinese since 1937, had launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, leading the United States to join the Allied powers. The Second Sino-Japanese War ( July 7, 1937 to September 9, 1945) was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the Pearl Harbor is a Harbor on the Island of O{{okina}}ahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the In Europe, the Allies opened three fronts: in the west, after securing Normandy; in the east, aiding the Soviet Union; and in the south, through Italy. Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. Germany eventually surrendered, upon which the Allies turned and focused troops to do island hopping. Island hopping is a term that has several different definitions as it is applied in various fields The dropping of the atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to the surrender of Japan and the end of the Second World War. A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. The Japanese city of ( is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshū, the largest of Japan 's ( is the Capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan.

Worsening relationships between wartime Allies developed into the Cold War, reaching a climax during the Cuban Missile Crisis at the same time as the Sino-Indian War. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the United States, the Soviet Union, and Cuba during the Cold War. The Sino-Indian War ( Hindi: भारत-चीन युद्ध Bhārat-Chīn Yuddh) also known as the Sino-Indian Border Conflict, was a war between Hostilities never actually occurred, though the US-backed UN forces did engage against the communist states in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

See also

References and footnotes

Sources

• Cowley, Robert, and Parker, Geoffrey, The Reader's Companion to Military History, Society for Military History (U. S. ), Houghton Mifflin Books, 1996, ISBN 0618127429
• Black, Jeremy, Rethinking Military History, Routledge, 2004 ISBN 0415275334
• Morillo, Stephen, and Pevkovic, Michael F. , What is Military History (What is History series), Polity Press, Cambridge, 2006
• Warburton, Annie (November 28, 2003). Herodotus: the father of history. Accessed on May 18, 2006.
• Farah, Mounir A. ; Karls, Andrea Berens, et al. (1999). "5 The Height of Greek Civilization", World History: The Human Experience (in English). United States: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-02-821576-1.  
• Otterbein, Keith (2004). How War Began. Texas A&M University Press.   ISBN 1585443301

Recommended readings

• Fry, Douglas P. , 2005, The Human Potential for Peace: An Anthropological Challenge to Assumptions about War and Violence, Oxford University Press.
• Kelly, Raymond C. , 2000, Warless Societies and the Origin of War, University of Michigan Press.
• Antiquity, Volume 70, Number 270, pp. 934–939, M. A. Littauer, and J. H. Crouwel, The origin of the true chariot, Antiquity Publications Ltd, 1996

External links

• Why Study War?, by Victor Davis Hanson, City Journal, Summer 2007
• Military History Encyclopedia
• Military History Wiki

Military history of continents