Random Military Facts

[third eye]

Am listing random Military facts for those who'd be keen to know.

Fact: Boats vs Ships
In American naval slang, submarines are the only vessels referred to as "boats", whereas surface vessels are colloquially referred to as "ships".

Fact: Nuclear Submarine
USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was the world's first operational nuclear-powered submarine and the first vessel to complete a submerged transit across the North Pole. During testing she traveled from New London to San Juan, Puerto Rico and covered 2,223 km (1,200 nmi) in less than ninety hours. At the time this was the longest submerged cruise by a submarine and at the highest sustained speed (for at least one hour) ever recorded. The improvements rendered the progress made in anti-submarine warfare during the Second World War virtually obsolete.

Fact: The First Tanks

The first tank was developed by the British in World War I as a solution to the trench warfare stalemate. The first prototype of the Mark I tank was tested for the British Army on September 6, 1915. To preserve secrecy the initial vehicles were referred to as "Water-carriers". The workers of were given the impression that they were building "Water-carriers for Mesopotamia"; hence the name Tank.

Fact: Bulgarian Army

The Bulgarian Army is the only force in the world which never lost a single flag, although it actively participated in all major wars in Europe since the end of the 19th century.
The validity of this fact is questionable...

Fact: Mongol Empire

The largest continguous land empire was the 13th century Mongolian Empire, covering over 33 million km² at its peak, with an estimated population of over 100 million people. Modern estimates suggest that as many as 30 million people died during the Mongol conquests.

Fact: Paratroopers

The hard shock that many of the paratroopers spoke of when they jumped at Normandy--causing them to lose their leg bags, helmets, and other equipment--was caused by the parachute the troopers were using (not the type shown in the film). That parachute was called a T-1, and as it deployed out of its pack the canopy came out first, then the suspension lines and finally the risers connected to the harness. With this design, by the time all of the lines are fully deployed the canopy has completely filled with air, acting as a brake for the lines, causing the paratrooper to come to an abrupt stop at the end of the deployment. The heavier the paratrooper and the more equipment he was carrying, the more sudden the stop or shock. Current design parachutes deploy in the completely opposite way (lines first, then canopy), greatly reducing the opening shock.

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Fact: Helicopter Battle

The Iran-Iraq war saw the only confirmed air-to-air helicopter battles in history with the Iraqi Mi-24 Hinds flying against Iranian AH-1J SeaCobras (supplied by the United States before the Iranian revolution) on many separate occasions.


Fact: Helmets in Modern Warfare

At the start of World War I, none of the participating forces issued metal helmets to their troops. The first helmets were designed and issued after it was noticed that there was a significant number of head wounds inflicted on the soldiers in the trenches that were caused by exploding shrapnel overhead

Hmm.. Not sure of this one.

 

[third eye]

Some more..

During the Battle of the bulge, The Germans had deployed special operations units under Otto Skorzeny's battalion Germans dressed in American uniforms, speaking English and operating behind American lines,creating confusion and sabotage. Americans soldiers responded by creatively inventing methods to smoke out the German infiltrators. Questions at cross roads were being asked of every unit that passed through, such as "Who won the 1939 word series?", or "What is your shirt size?" (Americans will answer in Imperial units while Germans will answer in metric units).

General Omar Bradly, commander of the American forces in the Battle, was stopped at a crossroads and asked by an MP Private, "What's the capital of Illinois?"...Bradley immediately answered, "Springfield." The Soldier immediately pointed his rifle at the General and ordered him to put his hands up....the General was arrested and detained for more than an hour at a critical time during the battle. Finally an MP Sergeant came by checking on his men and Bradly loudly demanded the Sargent get his men under control...The Sergeant quickly sorted out the mess and released the General. Before leaving, Bradley asked the Sergeant why the private thought he was a spy, the Sergeant replied, "The Private thought the capital of Illinois was Chicago."

 

[zer_0]

At the Battle of Karansebes in 1788, Austrian soldiers succeeded in wiping out nearly 10,000 of their own men. As darkness descended, a few drunken Austrians began shouting that the enemy Turks were upon them. The cry created such panic that the Austrians started firing indiscriminately at each other.

The entire Mexican army was routed in just 18 minutes by Texan troops in 1836 when the Mexican general ordered his men to take a siesta.

At the American Civil War Battle of Antietam in 1862, Unionist Major General Ambrose Burnside surrendered his overwhelming numerical advantage by ordering his men to march in single file across an exposed bridge. This strategy enabled Confederate marksmen to pick them off one by one. Only later did Burnside discover that the river beneath the bridge was so shallow it could easily have been crossed on foot.

During the First World War, the strategic Fort Douaumont at Verdun was captured by a single German soldier after French General Chrétien (pronounced “cretin&#8221 forgot to pass on a message. His orders were to defend the fortress to the last man, but when he went on leave he forgot to tell his successors. As a result the mighty fortress was manned by just a handful of gunners who were taken completely be surprise. In fact, 20 were captured while attending a lecture!

The vast Inca empire which dominated South America 500 years ago was finally toppled by fewer than 200 men. Boasting an army of thousands, the Inca ruler Atahualpa lined up against Francisco Pizarro’s tiny Spanish army of 180 men and 37 horses. But the Inca warriors were exhausted by years of civil war and when Atahualpa was captured, they fled in terror, unnerved by their first encounter with firearms and cavalry.

When relations with Bolivia soured in 1865, Queen Victoria ordered the Royal Navy to send six gunboats to Bolivia and sink its fleet. Her admirals pointed out that Bolivia had to coastline and therefore no fleet, so the queen sent for a map and a pair of scissors and cut Bolivia from the world.

The shortest war in history was that between Britain and Zanzibar in 1896. It was all over in 38 minutes when Zanzibar’s only warship, the ageing Glasgow, was sunk by two shells.

The Battle of Tanga in East Africa in 1914 was decided by a swarm of bees. Supported by untrained Indian troops, the British took on the might of the German army. All went well until, angered by the noise and bullets, the aggressive African bees emerged from their hives and chased the Indians back to the coast. The British were forced to evacuate and ended up losing over 1000 men.

 

[zer_0]

On July 28th 1945, a United States B-25 bomber, flying in heavy fog, crashed into the 79th and 80th floor of the north side of the Empire State Building. 11 people in the building, and all 3 crew men on the bomber were killed.


Anechoic tiles are rubber-like tiles containing thousands of tiny voids, applied to the outer hulls of military ships and submarines. The technology of anechoic tiles was developed by Germany in the Second World War. After the war it was not used until the 1970s when the Soviet Union began coating its submarines in rubber tiles. Modern Russian tiles are about 4 inches thick, and apparently reduced the acoustic signature of submarines to 10% to 1% of its original strength. The US Navy began applying a similar coating to its submarines in 1988, and navies around the world quickly followed suit.

Israel enjoys a GDP per capita 21 times that of the Palestinian West Bank and 33 times that of the Gaza Strip. Its military spending per capita tops the world.

North Korea spends the most of its GDP on its military.

The United States spends more money on its military than the next 12 nations combined.
In the 1990's, nearly half of all arms exported to developing countries came from the United States of America.

If you're looking to invade someone by sea, try Canada! Canada has only 9000 Navy personnel guarding the longest national coastline in the world.

Bolivia has 4,500 Navy personnel - which seems like quite a lot for a landlocked country.

 

[third eye]

The United States spends more on its military than rest of the top 15 nations with the highest military expenditure. The rest of the list includes China ($119 bn), UK ($59.6 bn), France ($59.3bn), Russia ($58.7bn), Japan ($54.5bn), Germany ($45.2bn), Saudi Arabia ($45.2bn), India ($41.3bn), Italy ($37bn), Brazil ($33.5bn), South Korea ($27.6bn), Australia ($24bn), Canada ($22.8bn) and Turkey ($17.5bn). The US spends $698 billion. (Figures courtesy Stockholm International Peace Research Institute).

The total known land area occupied by US bases and facilities is 15,654 square miles — bigger than Washington DC, Massachusetts, and New Jersey combined.

By 2033, the US will be paying $59 billion a year to its veterans injured in the wars.

In 2007, the amount of money labeled ‘wasted’ or ‘lost’ in Iraq — $11 billion — could pay 220,000 teachers salaries.

Defence spending is higher today than at any time since the height of World War II. The yearly cost of stationing one soldier in Iraq could feed 60 American families. Each day in Afghanistan costs the government more than it did to build the entire Pentagon.

In 2008, the Pentagon spent more money every five seconds in Iraq than the average American earned in a year.

Decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US Defence Department still has more than 40 generals, admirals or civilian equivalents based in Europe.

The amount the government has spent compensating radiation victims of nuclear testing ($1.5 billion) could fully educate 13,000 American kids.

The Pentagon spends more on war than all 50 states combined spend on health, education, welfare, and safety.

The US has 5 per cent of the world’s population — but almost 50% of the world’s total military expenditure.

 

[T90TankGuy]

really nice mate . thanks.

 

[zer_0]

The United States spends more on its military than rest of the top 15 nations with the highest military expenditure. The rest of the list includes China ($119 bn), UK ($59.6 bn), France ($59.3bn), Russia ($58.7bn), Japan ($54.5bn), Germany ($45.2bn), Saudi Arabia ($45.2bn), India ($41.3bn), Italy ($37bn), Brazil ($33.5bn), South Korea ($27.6bn), Australia ($24bn), Canada ($22.8bn) and Turkey ($17.5bn). The US spends $698 billion. (Figures courtesy Stockholm International Peace Research Institute).

The total known land area occupied by US bases and facilities is 15,654 square miles — bigger than Washington DC, Massachusetts, and New Jersey combined.

By 2033, the US will be paying $59 billion a year to its veterans injured in the wars.

In 2007, the amount of money labeled ‘wasted’ or ‘lost’ in Iraq — $11 billion — could pay 220,000 teachers salaries.

Defence spending is higher today than at any time since the height of World War II. The yearly cost of stationing one soldier in Iraq could feed 60 American families. Each day in Afghanistan costs the government more than it did to build the entire Pentagon.

In 2008, the Pentagon spent more money every five seconds in Iraq than the average American earned in a year.

Decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US Defence Department still has more than 40 generals, admirals or civilian equivalents based in Europe.

The amount the government has spent compensating radiation victims of nuclear testing ($1.5 billion) could fully educate 13,000 American kids.

The Pentagon spends more on war than all 50 states combined spend on health, education, welfare, and safety.

The US has 5 per cent of the world’s population — but almost 50% of the world’s total military expenditure.

that was new to me !!! thanks

 

[saiyan0321]

if it military facts i might put some out too
1..Tipu sultan was the first to use missiles
2..Chinese were the first to create and use gun which was called the chinese fire lance. These bamboo or metal tubes projected flames and shrapnel at their targets.
3..The Maxim gun was the first self-powered machine gun, invented by the American-born British inventor Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim in 1884. It has been called "the weapon most associated with [British] imperial conquest". later Dr Gatling working on an electric motor powered machine gun which still needed hand to work was made called the gatling gun which was taken by the us navy

 

[AHMED85]

i know one thing beside this is
The world spend a lot of money on wars but not on humanity.
And it is the fault of Strategies in gaining more competence and natural treasure of the countries.......

 

[Chogy]

The United States spends more on its military than rest of the top 15 nations with the highest military expenditure. The rest of the list includes China ($119 bn), UK ($59.6 bn), France ($59.3bn), Russia ($58.7bn), Japan ($54.5bn), Germany ($45.2bn), Saudi Arabia ($45.2bn), India ($41.3bn), Italy ($37bn), Brazil ($33.5bn), South Korea ($27.6bn), Australia ($24bn), Canada ($22.8bn) and Turkey ($17.5bn). The US spends $698 billion. (Figures courtesy Stockholm International Peace Research Institute).

And yet all that spending is still only 1/5th of the U.S. budget...

It's also because the bulk of the $$ goes towards pay and benefits for an all-volunteer military. An O-3 just 4 years out of college makes about $65,000 per year.

 

[third eye]

1. The first German serviceman killed in WW II was killed by the Japanese in China (1937), the first American serviceman killed was killed by the Russians in Finland (1940); and the highest ranking American killed was Lt. Gen Lesley McNair, killed by the US Army Air Corps. So much for allies!

2. The youngest US serviceman was 12 year old Calvin Graham, USN. He was wounded and given a Dishonourable Discharge for lying about his age. His benefits were later restored by act of Congress.

3. At the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, the top US Navy command was called CINCUS (pronounced 'sink us'), the shoulder patch of the US Army's 45th Infantry Division was the Swastika, and Hitler's private train was named 'Amerika'!!! All three were changed shortly thereafter for PR purposes.

4. More US servicemen died in the Air Corps than the Marine Corps. While completing the required 30 missions in one tour of duty, an Aviator's chance of being killed was 71%.

5. Generally speaking, there was no such thing as an average Fighter Pilot. You were either an Ace, or a Target. For instance, Japanese Ace Hiroyoshi Nishizawa shot down over 80 planes. He died while travelling as a passenger in a cargo plane.

6. It was a common practice on Fighter Planes to load every 5th round with a Tracer Round to aid in aiming. This was a mistake. Tracers had different ballistics so (at long range) if your tracers were hitting the target, 80% of your Live Rounds were missing it. Worse, Tracers instantly told your enemy that he was under fire and from which direction. Worst of all, it was the practice to load a string of Tracers at the end of the belt to tell when you were out of ammunition. This was definitely not something you wanted to tell the enemy! Units that stopped using Tracers saw their success rate nearly double and their loss rate go down.

7. When the Allied Armies reached the Rhine, the first thing men did was pee in it. This was pretty universal from the lowest private to Winston Churchill (who made a big show of it) and Gen. Patton who had himself photographed in the act.

8. German Me-264 Bombers were capable of bombing New York City ...but the Germans decided it wasn't worth the effort.

9. German submarine U-120 was sunk by a malfunctioning toilet.

10. Among the first 'Germans' captured at Normandy were several Koreans. They had been forced to fight for the Japanese Army until they were captured by the Russians and forced to fight for the Russian Army until they were captured by the Germans and forced to fight for the German Army until they were captured by the US Army.

11. Following a massive naval bombardment, 35,000 United States and Canadian troops stormed ashore at Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands (Alaska). 21 troops were killed in the assault on the island. It could have been worse if there had been any Japanese on the island !!





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[untitled]

9. German submarine U-120 was sunk by a malfunctioning toilet.

Some say it was the U-1206

 

[untitled]

8. German Me-264 Bombers were capable of bombing New York City ...but the Germans decided it wasn't worth the effort.

The bomber was designed under the Luftwaffe's Amerika Bomber project.

 

[Charlie1]

here's something i practically witnessed
1.The butt end of G3 really hurts if banged at ur head

 

[Chogy]

Operation Tiger

Before D-Day in WW2, a rehearsal for the landings ended in a huge German victory when some German torpedo boats ripped into the convoy that was going to practice beach landings.

The first practice assaults took place on the morning of 27 April. These proceeded successfully, but early in the morning of 28 April, nine German E-boats that had left Cherbourg on patrol spotted a convoy of eight LSTs carrying vehicles and combat engineers of the 1st Engineer Special Brigade in Lyme Bay and then attacked.[nb 1] One transport (LST-507) caught fire and was abandoned. LST-531 sank shortly after being torpedoed while LST-289 was set on fire but eventually made it back to shore.[7] USS LST-511 was damaged by friendly fire. The remaining ships and their escort fired back and the E-boats made no more attacks. 638 servicemen were killed[nb 2]: 441 United States Army and 197 United States Navy personnel.[1] Many servicemen drowned in the cold sea while waiting to be rescued. Soldiers unused to being at sea panicked and put on their lifebelts incorrectly. In some cases this meant that when they jumped into the water, the weight of their combat packs flipped them onto their backs, pushing their heads underwater and drowning them. Dale Rodman, who travelled on LST-507, commented "The worst memory I have is setting off in the lifeboat away from the sinking ship and watching bodies float by."[6]

As a result of official embarrassment and concerns over possible leaks just prior to the real invasion, all survivors were sworn to secrecy by their superiors. Ten missing officers involved in the exercise had Bigot-level clearance for D-Day, meaning that they knew the invasion plans and could have compromised the invasion should they have been captured alive. As a result, the invasion was nearly called off until the bodies of all ten victims were found.[1]

There is little information about how exactly individual soldiers and sailors died. Various eyewitness accounts detail hasty treatment of casualties and unmarked mass graves in Devon fields.[1]