Military

Plate armour: construction, history, and uses Plate armour Plate armour is rigid body protection formed from shaped iron or steel plates. This article surveys its materials, components, regional styles, functions in battle and sport, and i…

Platoon (military unit) Platoon A platoon is a small military unit formed from several squads or sections, usually led by a commissioned officer with NCO support and serving as a basic tactical element in many ar…

Polearm A polearm is a long-shafted melee weapon topped with a blade, spearpoint, hook, or hammerhead, used worldwide from antiquity through the early modern era for reach, formation fight…

Police action (military and political term) Police action Use of armed force without a formal declaration of war: includes international interventions, UN-authorized missions, counterinsurgency and domestic military support, with legal an…

Polish–Soviet War (1919–1921) Polish–Soviet War A post‑World War I conflict between Poland and Soviet states over control of territories in present‑day Ukraine and Belarus, culminating in the 1921 Peace of Riga and shaping inter…

Political general: officers appointed for political reasons and their impact Political general A political general is an officer whose rank or influence stems largely from political connections rather than professional military training, a phenomenon common in 19th-century c…

Polygar Wars (Palayakkarar Wars): South Indian Resistance, c.1799–1802 Polygar Wars Armed conflicts between Tamil polygars (palayakkarars) and the British East India Company around 1799–1802, whose suppression removed regional autonomy and aided colonial consolida…

Port Arthur Port Arthur denotes several places and historical events, notably the Manchurian naval base (Lüshunkou), the Tasmanian penal settlement and 1996 massacre, and towns in North Americ…

Portuguese Colonial War (1961–1974) Portuguese Colonial War Armed conflicts between Portugal and African nationalist movements in Angola, Guinea‑Bissau and Mozambique that contributed to the end of Portugal's colonial empire.

Powder monkey: youth who supplied gunpowder aboard sailing warships Powder monkey Powder monkeys were boys and young teenagers who carried gunpowder from ship magazines to gun crews on sailing warships. They served during the Age of Sail, facing danger, speed, a…

PPSh-41: Soviet World War II submachine gun PPSh-41 PPSh-41, designed by Georgi Shpagin, is a widely produced Soviet submachine gun known for stamped-steel construction, high rate of fire, and use of 7.62×25mm ammunition in WWII, Ko…

Praetorian Guard Elite unit that served as the personal protectors and political instrument of Roman emperors from the early Empire until their disbandment in the 4th century AD.

Preemptive War: Definition, Criteria, History, and Legal Debate Preemptive war An overview of preemptive war—military action taken to thwart an imminent attack—covering its characteristics, historical context, legal status, differences from preventive war, an…

Presidency armies of British India Presidency armies The Presidency armies were the separate military forces maintained by the East India Company for Bengal, Madras and Bombay. They played central roles in expansion, colonial rule an…

Prisoner of War (POW): Definition, History, Rights and Treatment Prisoner of war A practical overview of prisoners of war: who they are, how they have been treated historically, the legal protections under the Geneva Conventions and contemporary issues in captu…

Private (military rank) Private (rank) Private is the most junior enlisted rank in many armies and marines, denoting a service member who has completed initial entry training and performs basic duties under supervision.

Private First Class (PFC) Private First Class Private First Class (PFC) is a junior enlisted military rank found in several armed forces. It denotes a level above entry private, with modest responsibilities, identifiable insig…

Privateer (state‑commissioned maritime raider) Privateer A privateer was a privately owned vessel and crew commissioned by a government to attack enemy commerce under a letter of marque. It operated legally in wartime, distinct from pira…

Proxy war: definition, characteristics, history and effects Proxy war A proxy war is an armed confrontation in which rival powers use third parties to fight on their behalf; this article explains how proxy wars work, their history, common features, e…

Psychological warfare The deliberate use of information, messaging and actions to influence the perceptions, emotions and decisions of rival forces or populations during conflict and competition.

PT boat (Patrol Torpedo boat) PT boat Small, fast US Navy patrol torpedo boats used in World War II for hit-and-run attacks on larger ships; wooden-hulled, heavily armed for size, and remembered for actions like PT-109…

Pump-action shotgun: design, history, and common uses Pump action shotgun A pump-action shotgun is a manually operated long gun with a sliding fore-end. Used for hunting, sport shooting, law enforcement and home defense, it balances reliability, capacity…

Purple Heart (United States military decoration) Purple Heart United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to service members wounded or killed in action; successor to the Badge of Military Merit and the oldest U.S.…

Pyrrhic victory: costly win with damaging consequences Pyrrhic victory A Pyrrhic victory is a win whose cost negates or outweighs its benefits; named after King Pyrrhus of Epirus, now used for military, political, and business contexts.

Quartermaster A quartermaster is a military or maritime logistics specialist responsible for procuring, storing, issuing and maintaining supplies and material that sustain operations and units.

Quasi-War (1798–1800) — Undeclared Naval Conflict Between the United States and France Quasi-War An undeclared naval war between the United States and the French Republic, triggered by maritime seizures and the XYZ Affair; ended by the Convention of 1800 and influential in the…

Quds Force: Iran's Extraterritorial Operations Branch of the IRGC Quds Force Overview of the Quds Force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unit responsible for Iran's extraterritorial operations, its roles, history, leadership, international designation…

Radar jamming: methods, history, and operational uses Radar jamming Radar jamming is the deliberate transmission or deployment of signals or materials to degrade radar performance. This article explains types, techniques, history, uses, and counter…

Raid (military attack) Raid A raid is a fast, limited attack designed to damage, disrupt, or gather information rather than seize and hold territory.

Railway gun (railroad artillery) Railway gun Large artillery pieces mounted on specially built railcars for long-range bombardment. Widely used in World War I and II; fell into obsolescence with air power, rockets, and guided…

Rate of fire — measuring how quickly a weapon fires Rate of fire Rate of fire quantifies how many projectiles a weapon can discharge per unit time, commonly given as rounds per minute or per second. It affects tactics, design, cooling and ammuni…

Rearguard (military unit and action) Rearguard A rearguard is a military element assigned to protect a main force from attack from the rear during advances, withdrawals, or to secure communications; it performs delay, screening…

Recoilless rifle: design, history, uses, and operational considerations Recoilless rifle Recoilless rifles are anti-armor and support weapons that vent propellant gases rearward to cancel recoil, allowing infantry to fire large projectiles from lightweight mounts.

Reconnaissance: Military Scouting, Methods, History and Civil Uses Reconnaissance Reconnaissance is deliberate exploration to gather information about enemy forces, terrain, or conditions. This article explains its methods, history, organization, and non‑militar…

Red Army (Soviet armed force) Red Army The Red Army was the military force created by the Bolsheviks in 1918 that became the Soviet Union's principal armed service; it played a central role in the Civil War, World War I…

Regiment (military unit) Regiment A regiment is a longstanding military formation whose size, role and structure vary by country; it can be an operational unit, an administrative grouping, or a traditional corps wi…

Regular army (standing armed forces) Regular army An overview of a country's regular army: definition, structure, roles, legal status, recruitment, and differences from militias or rebel forces.

Reichsmarschall (Reich Marshal) Reichsmarschall Reichsmarschall was the highest military rank created in Nazi Germany during World War II, conferred on Hermann Göring to give him precedence above other field marshals; it remaine…

Reichswehr: Germany's interwar armed forces (1919–1935) Reichswehr The Reichswehr was the limited German military established after World War I, constrained by the Treaty of Versailles, active from 1919 until its reformation as the Wehrmacht in 19…

Remington Model 700: bolt‑action rifle and its military and civilian roles Remington 700 The Remington Model 700 is a widely used bolt‑action rifle introduced in the early 1960s, prized for accuracy, reliability, and adaptability. It has civilian, law‑enforcement and m…

Republic F-105 Thunderchief (Thunderchief / 'Thud') Republic F-105 Thunderchief USAF supersonic fighter-bomber introduced in 1958, widely used in Vietnam for strike and SEAD (Wild Weasel) missions; designed by Republic Aviation and known as the Thunderchief.

Republic of Vietnam Military Forces (QLVNCH) Republic of Vietnam Military Forces The Republic of Vietnam Military Forces (QLVNCH) were South Vietnam's armed forces from 1955–1975, organized into army, navy, air force and local defense units and shaped by Americ…

Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Reserve Officers' Training Corps ROTC is a college-based officer commissioning program used by several national militaries to train students in leadership, military skills, and ethics before commissioning as offic…

Resistance Movement A resistance movement is organized civilian opposition to an occupying power, authoritarian rule, or unjust policy, using a range of tactics from nonviolent civil resistance to arm…

Revolver: design, history, use and distinctions Revolver A revolver is a repeating firearm with a rotating cylinder that holds cartridges. This article summarizes its design, operation, historical development, common uses and how it diff…

Revolver (disambiguation) Revolver commonly denotes a type of firearm with a rotating cylinder; it also names albums, songs, a film, a magazine, and other cultural or mechanical uses.

Richard Machowicz — U.S. Navy SEAL and Television Host Richard Machowicz Richard “Mack” Machowicz (1965–2017) was a U.S. Navy SEAL who became a television presenter, tactical instructor and public figure, best known for hosting Discovery’s Future Weapon…

Rifle: design, function, history and common uses Rifle A rifle is a shoulder-fired firearm with a rifled barrel. This article covers parts and operation, rifling and ballistics, types and development, common uses such as hunting, milit…