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| The US military represents a highly trained combat power that uses advanced technology (Reuters) |
Military power is the most important gain in the system of international relations, and the state may have an important asset in culture, art and philosophy, but it is not important if it does not have a strong army.
This was explicitly expressed by the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong when he said, "Power emanates from the barrel of the gun."
In a report for them published in the American magazine "National Interest", the authors, Zachary Kake and Akhilesh Belalamari, said that armies are the most important of all other elements of the military forces for the simple reason that people live on the ground and this is not expected to change in the future.
According to the famous political scientist John Joseph Mearsheimer, the Pacific War against Japan was "the only superpower war in modern history in which not only the land force was primarily responsible for determining the outcome, but the air or navy was more than just a catalyst, However, Mearsheimer emphasizes that "the ground force played a crucial role in defeating Japan."
The authors pointed out that armies are the most important factor in assessing the relative strength of the nation, and the strongest armies can be determined through their ability to win the battles decisively and continuously, as well as the extent to which they allowed their countries to control other countries.
Here are summaries of the six most powerful armies in history:
Romanian Army
The authors state that the Roman army occupied the western world for hundreds of years. They pointed out that the Roman army was characterized by perseverance and its ability to hit again after fleeing again and again even in the face of absolute defeat, which was shown by the Romans - as they say - during the Punic Wars. Despite the lack of knowledge and resources, they managed to defeat the Carthaginians by using tactics based on the element of surprise.
The Roman army gave its soldiers many initiatives to fight for the army with strength and determination. For the poor soldiers, winning the war meant winning lands. As for the landowners, this meant protecting their properties and earning additional fortunes. For the Romanian state, victory meant securing Rome's security.
And the authors indicated that all these initiatives pushed Roman soldiers to fight with more force, as morale was a very important element in the performance of armies.
As a result, Rome moved, within three years, from an Italian regional force to the "lady" of the entire Mediterranean and the territories surrounding it. Despite some setbacks the Roman army experienced, they had no competitors to match their strength anywhere in the world.
The Roman army gave its soldiers many initiatives to fight for the army with strength and determination. For the poor soldiers, winning the war meant winning lands. As for the landowners, this meant protecting their properties and earning additional fortunes. For the Romanian state, victory meant securing Rome's security.
And the authors indicated that all these initiatives pushed Roman soldiers to fight with more force, as morale was a very important element in the performance of armies.
As a result, Rome moved, within three years, from an Italian regional force to the "lady" of the entire Mediterranean and the territories surrounding it. Despite some setbacks the Roman army experienced, they had no competitors to match their strength anywhere in the world.
Mughal army
The authors reported that the Mongols had conquered most of Eurasia (an ancient huge earth mass consisting of 54 million square kilometers of Europe and Asia) and subjugated it within a hundred years, and they also defeated armies and states that had armed forces ten or even hundreds of times larger than the Mongol forces. In fact, the Mongols were an unstoppable force that suddenly appeared to dominate the Middle East, China and Russia.
The authors note that the success of the Mongols is due to the many strategies and tactics used by their leader Genghis Khan, who founded the Mughal Empire. Mobility and endurance were among the most important factors for the Mughal forces. Initially, their nomadic way of life enabled them to move large armies over amazing distances in short times.
Moreover, the movement of the Mongols was strengthened by their heavy dependence on horses, as each knight kept three or four horses to keep them active. The horsemen bearing bows and arrows while riding, gave the Mongols distinct advantages over the infantry during the fighting. In addition, the Mongols relied heavily on terrorism, and inflicted heavy damage and losses on their defeated enemies in order to break their morale in the future.
The authors note that the success of the Mongols is due to the many strategies and tactics used by their leader Genghis Khan, who founded the Mughal Empire. Mobility and endurance were among the most important factors for the Mughal forces. Initially, their nomadic way of life enabled them to move large armies over amazing distances in short times.
Moreover, the movement of the Mongols was strengthened by their heavy dependence on horses, as each knight kept three or four horses to keep them active. The horsemen bearing bows and arrows while riding, gave the Mongols distinct advantages over the infantry during the fighting. In addition, the Mongols relied heavily on terrorism, and inflicted heavy damage and losses on their defeated enemies in order to break their morale in the future.
Ottoman army
As for the Ottoman army, it occupied most of the Middle East, Balkans and North Africa regions at the height of its authority, as it controlled its Christian and Muslim neighbors. Moreover, Constantinople (Istanbul), one of the most impenetrable cities in the world, was occupied in 1453 AD. It was the only Ottoman Empire consisting of dozens of countries, and it was able to defend it against its neighbors until the nineteenth century.
The Ottoman army began taking advantage of cannons and rifles before its enemies, many of whom continued to fight using medieval weapons, which helped the Ottoman Empire emerge when it was still a small empire.
One of the main advantages of the Ottomans is the use of elite infantry units made of elite and Janissary. It is worth noting that members of the Janissary units were trained from childhood to be soldiers, and therefore they were loyal and very effective on the battlefield.
The Nazi German Army
Regarding the Nazi German army, the so-called Wehrmacht, the two authors said that it surprised the Europeans after the stalemate that followed the World War, when within months it had defeated most of Central and Western Europe, but almost overpowered the massive army of the Soviet Union.
Indeed, the German army managed to achieve these tremendous accomplishments by using the innovative concept of blitzkrieg, which, thanks to its use of new technologies in the field of weapons and communications, had combined speed, surprise, and troop concentration to achieve excellent efficiency during combat. Specifically, with the close-range air support, armored and mechanized infantry units were able to penetrate enemy lines and encircle their forces.
The implementation of flash war attacks requires highly trained and capable fighting forces, which Berlin possessed in huge quantities. Although the Nazi ideology and the Nazi leader hindered the war efforts of the Blitzkrieg, the scarcity of resources and the lack of individuals were responsible for defeating Nazi Germany.
Indeed, the German army managed to achieve these tremendous accomplishments by using the innovative concept of blitzkrieg, which, thanks to its use of new technologies in the field of weapons and communications, had combined speed, surprise, and troop concentration to achieve excellent efficiency during combat. Specifically, with the close-range air support, armored and mechanized infantry units were able to penetrate enemy lines and encircle their forces.
The implementation of flash war attacks requires highly trained and capable fighting forces, which Berlin possessed in huge quantities. Although the Nazi ideology and the Nazi leader hindered the war efforts of the Blitzkrieg, the scarcity of resources and the lack of individuals were responsible for defeating Nazi Germany.
The soviet army
For the Soviet army, which before 1946 was known as the Red Army, it was it that managed to turn the tide of World War II. It is worth noting that the victory of the Soviet Union in the war, and its ability to threaten the rest of Europe over the four decades that followed the cessation of hostilities, had nothing to do with superior technologies (outside of nuclear weapons) or military genius (in fact, the leadership of former Soviet President Joseph Stalin was military Very disastrous, especially in the beginnings of the Second World War).
The Soviet army was a military idol, thanks in large part to its immense size compared to land area, population, and industrial resources. As the prominent historian of Nazi Germany, Richard Evans explained, "The losses of the Red Army in the war amounted to more than 11 million soldiers, more than a hundred thousand aircraft and more than three hundred thousand artillery, and about a hundred thousand tanks and self-propelled guns."
The authors added that there were moments of military genius, the most important of which was to give Stalin military authority to his few distinguished leaders, and to use promising technology to develop T-34 tanks.
However, these were not the decisive factors for the eventual victory of the Soviet Union, as its colossal sacrifices continued even after the Battle of Berlin. While NATO retained many technological advantages during the four-decade Cold War, the Soviet Union enjoyed tremendous numerical superiority.
The Soviet army was a military idol, thanks in large part to its immense size compared to land area, population, and industrial resources. As the prominent historian of Nazi Germany, Richard Evans explained, "The losses of the Red Army in the war amounted to more than 11 million soldiers, more than a hundred thousand aircraft and more than three hundred thousand artillery, and about a hundred thousand tanks and self-propelled guns."
The authors added that there were moments of military genius, the most important of which was to give Stalin military authority to his few distinguished leaders, and to use promising technology to develop T-34 tanks.
However, these were not the decisive factors for the eventual victory of the Soviet Union, as its colossal sacrifices continued even after the Battle of Berlin. While NATO retained many technological advantages during the four-decade Cold War, the Soviet Union enjoyed tremendous numerical superiority.
United State
As for the sixth force, it is the United States of America that was keen to avoid maintaining a tractor army all the time. In fact, during the Second World War period, the United States followed the idea that the American constitution allows Congress to create and support armies only when needed, although it can provide forces Freely and supported. As a result, the United States created large armies during the war, which it soon disbanded.
However, since the beginning of the twentieth century the U.S. military has been very effective, especially during the battle against nation-states. It is worth noting that the entry of the United States into World War I and World War II helped turn the balance of power in favor of the Allies. The United States also destroyed Iraq’s army in Kuwait in 1991 and Iraq in 2003.
More clearly, the United States is the only force in history that has deployed massive numbers of soldiers in a rapid and effective manner. Although the number of US military personnel is not large compared to countries such as the Soviet Union, the US military represents a highly trained combat force that uses advanced technology, and the US military enjoys the support of air and naval forces the world has never seen before.
However, since the beginning of the twentieth century the U.S. military has been very effective, especially during the battle against nation-states. It is worth noting that the entry of the United States into World War I and World War II helped turn the balance of power in favor of the Allies. The United States also destroyed Iraq’s army in Kuwait in 1991 and Iraq in 2003.
More clearly, the United States is the only force in history that has deployed massive numbers of soldiers in a rapid and effective manner. Although the number of US military personnel is not large compared to countries such as the Soviet Union, the US military represents a highly trained combat force that uses advanced technology, and the US military enjoys the support of air and naval forces the world has never seen before.
Source: National Interest
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