{short description of image}  

ARMY

ARMY (from Fr. armee, Lat. arinata),- a considerable body of men armed- and organized for the purpose of warfare on land (Ger. Armee) or the whole armed force at the, disposal of a state or person for the same purpose (Ger. Heer=host). The application of the term is sometimes restricted to the permanent, active or regular forces of a state. The history of the development of the army systems of the world is dealt with in this article in sections I to 38, being followed by sections 39 to 59 on the characteristics of present-day armies. The remainder of the article is devoted to sections on the history of the principal armies of Europe, and that of the United States. For the Japanese Army see JAPAN, and for the existing condition of the army in each country see under the country heading,

Charles Francis Atkinson
Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th edition Volume II pgs 592-625

 

For convenience we have divided this long essay into four parts as listed here. The article is a valuable reference in two ways - the first sections provide a concise and convenient history of the development of the 'army' that is the fighting force in general of various countries from ancient times to the mid-19th century, as understood by historians around 1900. (Of course there have been many new ideas developed about this subject since 1900. The second part of the essay provides a fine description of the state of European armies on the eve of World War I. Or one can read the original encyclopedia entry in PDF format here.

  
{short description of image}

Part 1 section 1, Early Armies to section 26 Swedish army

  
{short description of image}

Part 2 section 27 English Civil war to section 49. Constitution of the Army Corps

  
{short description of image}

Part 3 section 50 Army to section 86. Franco-German War

  
{short description of image}

Part 4 section 87. The German Army to Bibliography

  

Return to Xenophon. Return toRuscity. Return to Rushistory. Return to Ukraine.