Military

Brown Bess: the British Land Pattern Musket Brown Bess The Brown Bess was the standard .75-calibre smoothbore flintlock musket used by British land forces from the early 18th century until the 1830s. This article summarizes design, ser…

Budō — The Japanese martial ways Budō Budō is a Japanese term for the modern martial 'ways' that combine fighting techniques with ethical, spiritual and educational aims; it includes arts such as judo, kendo, aikido an…

Bullet: projectile, cartridge components, types, history and uses Bullet A concise guide to bullets: the projectile and its role inside a cartridge, common materials and types, historical development, uses in sport and defense, and safety and environmen…

Bullet-proof vest (body armor) Bullet-proof vest A garment worn over the torso to reduce injury from projectiles and fragments; available as soft or hard armor with different materials, threat ratings, uses, and limitations.

Bullpup (firearm layout) Bullpup A bullpup places the action and magazine behind the trigger and grip, allowing full barrel length in a shorter overall weapon. Covers design, history, pros and cons, technical solu…

Bundeswehr — The German Federal Defence Force Bundeswehr Overview of the Bundeswehr, Germany's unified armed forces: organization, history, missions, command structure, and distinctive principles such as Innere Führung and post‑war devel…

Bunker: fortified military shelters, design, history, and modern uses Bunker A bunker is a fortified shelter—often below ground—used for protection and command. This article explains design, variants, historical roles in major wars, Cold War civil defense,…

Bushwhacker (guerrilla fighter and ambusher) Bushwhacker A bushwhacker is an irregular fighter who uses ambushes and hit‑and‑run tactics—common in rough rural terrain during conflicts such as the American Revolutionary and Civil Wars.

Cadet (military and service trainee) Cadet A cadet is a trainee preparing for a commissioned role in armed forces or uniformed services. The term covers academy students, reserve officers, youth corps, and similar preparato…

Calibre (firearms): definition, measurement, and common types Calibre Calibre describes the internal diameter of a firearm's barrel and the size of compatible ammunition. This article explains measurements, naming conventions, history, uses, and dist…

Caligae — Roman military footwear Caligae Caligae were heavy-soled, hobnailed leather sandals worn by Roman soldiers. Open design, durability, and traction made them suited to marching and campaigning across varied terrain…

Caltrop: spiked anti-personnel and anti-vehicle device Caltrop Small multi‑pointed spikes used to impede movement of men, animals and vehicles from antiquity to the present; simple geometry, many cultural variants, and modern legal and safety…

Cambodian Civil War (1970–1975): Causes, Course, and Aftermath Cambodian Civil War The Cambodian Civil War (1970–1975) pitted the US- and South Vietnam–backed Khmer Republic against the communist Khmer Rouge; its victory ushered in a brutal regime and long region…

Camp Caves (Queensland) — World War II US Army training camp Camp Caves, Queensland Camp Caves was a temporary US Army training and support camp near Rockhampton, Queensland, established during World War II for units including the 24th Infantry Division.

Camp Curtin: Union Army Training and Logistics Center in Harrisburg Camp Curtin Camp Curtin was a major Union Army training, supply and medical center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania during the American Civil War, later remembered through local preservation and pl…

Camp Zama — U.S. Army Base in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan Camp Zama Camp Zama is a United States Army installation in Kanagawa Prefecture that serves as a regional headquarters and support complex, hosting military units, family services, and liais…

Canada Command (Canadian Forces) Canada Command Canada Command (CANCOM) was the Canadian Forces organization responsible for coordinating domestic operations, national security support and emergency assistance inside Canada from…

Canadian Armed Forces The unified armed forces of Canada responsible for defence, sovereignty, international operations, and disaster response. Covers structure, history, roles, components, traditions a…

Canadian Army (Land Force Command) Canadian Army The Canadian Army is the land force branch of the Canadian Armed Forces. This article summarizes its role, organization, history, operations, equipment types, and traditions.

Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM) Canadian Expeditionary Force Command Former Canadian Forces command (2006–2012) responsible for planning and leading military operations outside Canada; merged into the Canadian Joint Operations Command in 2012.

Canadian Operational Support Command Overview of the Canadian Operational Support Command, the Canadian Forces branch that provides logistics, engineering and health services for domestic and overseas operations.

Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) Canadian Special Operations Forces Command CANSOFCOM is the unified command of the Canadian Armed Forces responsible for planning and conducting special operations, including counterterrorism, special reconnaissance, and sp…

Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) Canadian Special Operations Regiment CSOR is a Canadian special operations infantry regiment formed in 2005. It supports Joint Task Force 2, conducts independent special operations, and is part of the Canadian Special…

Canet gun: late 19th‑century artillery by Gustave Canet Canet gun Overview of the Canet gun family by Gustave Canet for Schneider et Cie: design features, roles in naval and coastal defence, international marketing and their place in late 19th‑ce…

Cannon: history, design, types, and uses Cannon An overview of the cannon — a large gun that fires projectiles using explosive propellants. Covers parts, operation, historical development, types (guns, howitzers, mortars, autoca…

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station A major U.S. launch site on Florida’s Atlantic coast, historically known as Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and now part of U.S. Space Force operations for military, scientific an…

Captain (rank and title) Captain Captain is a leadership title used in military, maritime, aviation and civilian contexts. It denotes a specific rank in some services and a role or courtesy title in others.

Captain (United States O-3) Captain (O-3) is a company-grade officer rank in the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force. It sits above first lieutenant and below major and typically carries company-level comm…

Captain America — Steve Rogers, origin, powers, gear, and cultural legacy Captain America Captain America is Marvel Comics' patriotic superhero alter ego of Steve Rogers, introduced in 1941; known for the super‑soldier origin, his vibranium shield, wartime debut, role w…

Car bomb An explosive device concealed in or attached to a vehicle, used to destroy property or cause casualties; overview of design, methods, history, effects, and countermeasures.

Carbine (short, lightweight rifle) Carbine A carbine is a shorter, lighter form of rifle designed for mobility and ease of handling; used by armed forces, law enforcement, and civilians for roles where a full‑length rifle i…

Cartridge (firearm ammunition) Cartridge (firearms) A cartridge is a self-contained firearm projectile including case, primer, propellant and projectile. This article explains parts, history, common types, operation and safety disti…

Casualty (person): definition, military and civilian uses Casualty (person) A casualty is a person rendered unavailable for duty or harmed by an event. Definitions vary between military and civilian contexts and reporting systems; the term covers death, in…

Cat o' nine tails: design, history, and cultural context Cat o' nine tails A multi-thonged whip historically used for corporal punishment in military and naval settings, now remembered as a symbol of judicial flogging and sometimes used in consensual adul…

Catapult: history, types, and how they work Catapult Mechanical siege engines that hurl projectiles by storing and releasing energy; covers design, principal types (trebuchet, ballista, mangonel), history, physics, and modern uses.

Caucasus Emirate An unrecognised militant Islamist organization formed in 2007 that sought to establish an Islamic state across Russia's North Caucasus; successor claims to Chechen separatism and l…

Cavalry: mounted troops and their evolution into mechanized forces Cavalry Overview of cavalry as mounted soldiers, their equipment and tactics, historical development from chariots to knights to tanks, and the modern roles of armored and reconnaissance u…

CBRNE: Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive Hazards CBRNE Overview of CBRNE hazards: categories, effects, history, detection and emergency response. Explains distinctions between agents and summarizes prevention, treaties, and public-safe…

Ceasefire (truce) Ceasefire A ceasefire is a temporary or permanent halt to hostilities agreed by parties to an armed conflict. It can enable negotiations, humanitarian aid, monitoring, and steps toward a las…

Chaff (radar countermeasure) Chaff (countermeasure) Chaff is a radar countermeasure consisting of small metallic or metallized fibers released by aircraft or ships to produce false radar echoes and protect against detection or radar…

Chain mail (maille): construction, history and uses Chain mail Chain mail, or maille, is a flexible armor of interlinked metal rings. This article explains how it was made, its historical development, typical forms, advantages and modern uses.

Chamber (firearms) The chamber is the part of a firearm that receives and holds a cartridge for firing. This article explains its function, components, variations across actions, history, safety issu…

Offensive Charges in Warfare: Tactics, Effects, and Historical Change Charge (warfare) Examination of offensive charges in warfare—tactics, mechanics, risks and historical evolution from massed infantry and cavalry to modern combined‑arms, plus the factors commanders…

Charge of the Light Brigade (Battle of Balaclava, 1854) Charge of the Light Brigade A brief, balanced account of the Charge of the Light Brigade: its background in the Crimean War, the mistaken assault on Russian guns, its aftermath and cultural legacy.

Charleville musket A French .69-caliber flintlock infantry musket widely used in the late 18th and early 19th centuries; influential in American arms and copied as the Springfield Model 1795.

Chaturanga: early Indian predecessor of modern chess Chaturanga Chaturanga is an ancient Indian board game, emerging in or before the 6th century CE, regarded as the principal ancestor of chess. This article outlines its name, pieces, reconstru…

Chełmno extermination camp: history, operation, and legacy Chełmno extermination camp Chełmno (Kulmhof) was the first Nazi extermination camp in occupied Poland, used primarily for mass murder by gas vans; it operated in 1941–1945 and is a key early site of the Holo…

Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC): Overview, Provisions, and Impact Chemical Weapons Convention The Chemical Weapons Convention is a global treaty banning the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons, enforced through declarations, inspections and veri…