Powerful and strongest armies in the world. The best army in history

The Six Deadliest Armies in World History

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In an anarchic system like international relations, military force remains the best currency. A state may have magnificent culture, art, philosophy, splendor and glory, but all this is worthless if the country does not have sufficient military strength to defend itself. As Mao Zedong so bluntly put it, “political power comes from the barrel of a gun.”

Of all types of armed forces, ground forces undoubtedly remain the most important - for the simple reason that people live on earth, and will continue to live so in the foreseeable future. As the famous political scientist James Mearsheimer noted, "the ground forces, supported by the air force and the navy, represent the main branch of the armed forces in the modern world."

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In fact, according to Mearsheimer, the war against Japan in the Pacific was "the only example of a superpower war in modern history in which the ground forces themselves were not the main factor influencing the outcome of the war, but other instruments of power, that is, the air force and the navy, played a role." more than just auxiliary." Despite this, Mearsheimer argues that in this war, too, “ground forces played a very important role in the defeat of Japan.”

Thus, it is the ground forces that serve as an indicator that determines the military strength of the country. But how can we establish which troops were the strongest in their time? Based on their ability to achieve decisive victories time after time and their ability to allow their country to dominate other countries is the function of the ground forces as only the army can ensure such conquest and control. Here are some of the most powerful armies in history.

Roman army

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The Roman army conquered the Western world for several centuries. The advantage of the Roman army was its tenacity, the Romans returned and fought again and again even after severe defeats. The Romans demonstrated this during the Punic Wars when, despite lacking knowledge and resources, they were able to defeat the Carthaginians by first showing greater patience and then taking them by surprise by landing troops near Carthage.

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The Roman army gave soldiers ample incentive to fight with vigor and persistence. For poor soldiers, winning the war meant getting land. For landowners - protection of property and acquisition of additional wealth. For the Roman state as a whole, victory meant security.

All of these incentives encouraged Roman soldiers to fight harder, and morale is an important factor in determining the fighting efficiency of an army. No less important was the use of a battle formation of several lines, which, among other advantages, allowed the Romans to replace the soldiers of the first line with fresh soldiers who entered into battle with already tired enemies. The Roman army, often under the command of brilliant generals, used its mobility to gain an advantage in the offensive, especially against opponents who thought primarily of defense.

As a result, within three hundred years, Rome had transformed from a regional Italian power into the master of the Mediterranean Sea and the countries surrounding it. The Roman legions, army units made up of professional soldiers who served for 25 years, were highly trained and well armed with iron weapons. The legions were stationed in strategically important areas, simultaneously maintaining the integrity of the empire and keeping enemies at the borders. The Roman army, despite some setbacks, was actually unmatched in terms of strength in its region.

Mongol army

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The Mongols, who numbered approximately a million people when they began their conquests in 1206, were able to conquer most of Eurasia within a hundred years. They defeated armies and countries that often had human resources that were tens and hundreds of times greater than the Mongol ones. The Mongols were an unstoppable force that came out of nowhere and conquered the Middle East, Russia and China.

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The success of the Mongols is due to the many strategic and tactical techniques introduced by Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire. The most important factor was the mobility and endurance of the Mongols. For starters, the nomadic lifestyle allowed the Mongols to move huge armies over gigantic distances in a surprisingly short time, since the Mongols could live off their herds and the blood of their horses.

The mobility of the Mongols, indeed, was associated with their reliance mainly on cavalry. Each Mongol mounted warrior had three or four horses to keep them fresh. Cavalry, armed with bows and shooting at a gallop, gave the Mongols a great advantage over infantry armies. The mobility provided by horses, along with strict discipline, gave the Mongols the opportunity to employ new tactics, particularly the hit and run, as well as a primitive form of blitzkrieg.

The Mongols also attached great importance to terror. They deliberately ravaged cities and slaughtered defeated enemies in order to instill terror in future enemies.

Ottoman army

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The Ottoman army, at the peak of its power, conquered the Middle East, the Balkans and North Africa. It was almost always far superior to its Christian and Muslim neighbors. In 1453, she conquered one of the most impregnable cities in the world - Constantinople. For five hundred years, it remained the only player in a region that previously consisted of dozens of states, and until the 19th century it held out against its neighbors. How did the Ottoman army manage to do this?

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The Ottoman army began to actively use cannons and muskets before its opponents, who continued to fight with medieval weapons, did so. This gave a great advantage during the rise of the empire. The cannons took Constantinople and defeated the Persians and Egyptian Mamelukes. One of the main advantages of the Ottoman army was the use of elite infantry units, the Janissaries. Janissaries were trained for military service from childhood, and they were very loyal and combat-ready.

Army of Nazi Germany

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The Wehrmacht, the army of Nazi Germany, shocked Europe and the entire world accustomed to the protracted battles of the First World War, conquering most of Central and Western Europe in a few months. At some point, it seemed that the troops of Nazi Germany were about to conquer the gigantic Soviet Union.

The German army achieved these successes using the new blitzkrieg tactics, which combined the use of new weapons and communications, combining speed, the element of surprise and the concentration of forces with terrifying effectiveness. In particular, armored troops and motorized infantry, supported by short-range aircraft, were able to break through enemy lines and encircle opposing forces. In the early stages of the war, these opposing forces were often so shocked and overwhelmed that they offered minimal resistance.

To carry out a blitzkrieg, well-trained, combat-ready troops were required, and Berlin had them in abundance. As historian Andrew Roberts has noted, "One-on-one, German soldiers and their generals largely outmatched the British, Americans, and Russians in both offensive and defensive positions throughout the Second World War."

Although Nazi ideology and a crazy leader undermined the Wehrmacht's war efforts, Nazi Germany fell due to a lack of resources and soldiers.

Soviet army

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The Soviet Army (until 1946, the Red Army) contributed more than any other army to the victory in World War II. Indeed, the Battle of Stalingrad, at the end of which the entire German Sixth Army surrendered, is almost universally considered the main turning point in the European theater of war.

The USSR's victory in the war and its ability to hold the rest of Europe at risk for four decades after the end of the war was due neither to superior technology (with the exception of nuclear weapons) nor to military genius. Stalin's military leadership proved disastrous, especially early in the war, and in previous years he had purged many capable commanders from the army.

The Red Army was a military monster rather due to its gigantic size, determined by its territory, population and industrial resources. As the famous historian of Nazi Germany Richard Evans explained, “according to the USSR’s own data, the Red Army lost in the war more than 11 million soldiers, 100,000 aircraft, more than 300 thousand artillery pieces, more than 100 thousand tanks and self-propelled artillery units. Other sources estimate personnel losses even higher, up to 26 million people."

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It must be admitted that there were manifestations of military genius during the war, especially when Stalin supported the few capable commanders, as well as the appearance of promising weapons from a technical point of view, for example, the T-34 tank. But they did not play a decisive role in the success of the USSR, since the army continued to make enormous sacrifices during the Battle of Berlin.

With the exception of nuclear weapons, the Soviet army of the era cold war wasn't too different from that compared to her opponents. Although NATO had technical superiority during the forty years of struggle, the USSR had quantitative superiority in many categories, especially in the number of soldiers. For this reason, in the event of a conflict in Europe, the United States and NATO planned to use nuclear weapons at an early stage.

US Army

For most of its history, the United States has refrained from maintaining a large army. This is how it was intended: the American Constitution gives Congress the power to provide and maintain a navy, but regarding the army it says that Congress can raise and maintain an army as needed.

Until the end of World War II, the United States followed this model, raising large armies for the duration of the war, but quickly disbanding them after the end of hostilities. However, since the beginning of the twentieth century, the American army has been very effective, especially in wars against states. It was America's entry into World War I and World War II that helped tip the balance in favor of the Allies. The US also destroyed Saddam Hussein's army in Kuwait in 1991 and Iraq in 2003.

Most of XX passed in wars. By the beginning of the new millennium, serious geopolitical changes had occurred in the world, the Cold War ended, the Soviet Union collapsed, followed by the world socialist system. It would seem that the intensity of passions around the issue of world leadership should have decreased, and if not stopped, then at least slowed down. This, unfortunately, did not happen.

Economy and army

War is a continuation of politics in conditions when diplomatic norms cease to apply. And attaches and plenipotentiary representatives feel much more confident if the threatening silhouettes of aircraft carriers, tanks, strategic bombers and intercontinental missiles are discerned behind the tails of their coats.

Which army in the world is stronger? By what criteria can this be determined? By the amount of the military budget, the number of military personnel, the presence of modern weapons or information saturation? As an example, it is worth considering the four most significant armies in the world: American, Israeli, Chinese and Russian. They differ in the principles of configuration, in numbers, and in the amount of resources consumed, representing unique models of armed forces.

U.S. Army

The defeat of the command-administrative system in the field of production and distribution of vital material goods caused a certain euphoria in the camp of the winners. The immediate conclusion was that if free market countries are economically stronger, then in a military sense their superiority is undeniable, as is the assertion that the most powerful army in the world is the American one.

In terms of the size of its military budget, the United States is the world leader. The annual amount of funds spent by the Pentagon is an astronomical amount, approaching seven hundred billion dollars. This money is enough to ensure that the five types of troops (Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and the Army itself) constantly receive the most amazing weapons that are ahead of their time and at a fantastic technical level. At least, this is how the situation looks, according to the media (American, of course). In practice, things are not so rosy. After Hussein's impressive victory over Iraq and the "exemplary beating" of Yugoslavia, the list of military victories somehow began to decline. In other words, the US armed forces were unable to fulfill any of the tasks set by the government and the president. Afghanistan, Libya and Syria are actually controlled by armed groups, which are commonly called illegal. The most powerful army in the world is powerless in its fight against international terrorism. Instead of the notorious “surgical strikes,” it inflicts damage on civilians, which causes increased resistance. It should be taken into account that it was the solution of local problems that became a priority for the Pentagon after 1991.

American army problems

Over the past two decades, the level of training of personnel has decreased. Americans do not want to serve, they are not satisfied with the salaries and the risks to which the soldiers are exposed. The most powerful army in the world today is largely staffed by visitors, foreigners willing to don the uniform for the prospect of citizenship. The focus on technical superiority also influenced the physical training of US military personnel.

Nevertheless, the American army remains strong, and its area of ​​​​responsibility still includes the entire globe (this is how Pentagon leaders understand their mission). The US fleet is the largest in the world (almost 2,400 units), its nuclear potential is approximately the same as that of Russia (about 2 thousand warheads), and its personnel number almost one and a half million people. There are numerous military bases abroad.

As for the latest models of military equipment, then, apparently, among them there are both successful ones and those that do not deserve such laudatory epithets. The military-industrial complex is interested in large orders, which dictates the requirements for weapons. They must, firstly, be large, secondly, look impressive, and thirdly, they simply must be expensive. What any country can learn from the Americans is the ability to provide their soldiers with everything they need - from food and medicine to clothing and toilet paper. In supply matters, the U.S. Army is the best army in the world.

Chinese folk

According to the tradition established back in the hot year of 1927 by Mao Zedong, the Chinese army is called the People's Liberation Army. She actually fought against the Japanese invaders. The issue was resolved by itself after the successful offensive of the Soviet troops.

In 1950-1953, the PLA tried to liberate the southern part of the Korean Peninsula from capitalists, but it failed. There were also unsuccessful attacks on the USSR (1969) and Vietnam (1979). Yes, Tibet was also liberated from monks. Currently, China has no foreign policy problems that require a military solution, except, perhaps, semi-recognized Taiwan and the Senkaku Archipelago, but these issues have long since become diplomatic.

Chinese assets

The banners of the PLA are not covered in military glory. However, this does not prevent us from saying that, if it is not the most powerful army in the world, it is at least a force that neighboring countries are forced to reckon with. The military budget is one hundred billion (translated into US dollars). The nuclear potential is approximately equal to that of France. In terms of the number of soldiers and officers, the Chinese army has no equal (almost 2.3 million). There is also a militia (12 million people). Artillery - 25 thousand guns. Three-quarters of aviation consists of fighter aircraft, which indirectly indicates the defensive nature of the military doctrine. In the event of an attack on the PRC, the mobilization reserve is estimated at 300 million bayonets. It can be assumed that no one will dare to commit aggression against China. This country has the strongest army in the world in terms of numbers.

Tsahal

Israel is a small country. There are, of course, smaller states, but they didn’t have to fight as much. The hostile environment has time and again sought not just to harm Israel, but to destroy it. The situation in modern conditions is aggravated by short distances and, consequently, short flight time of ammunition delivery vehicles. The IDF, of course, is not the strongest army in the world; the country simply does not have enough economic potential and population to compare with the PRC, the USA or Russia in power and number of weapons, but the very fact of the existence of the Jewish state speaks volumes more eloquently than any statistical data. high efficiency of its defense system.

Jewish "chips"

In order to defeat a numerically superior enemy, special methods and techniques are needed. These in the Middle East include:

The maximum possible military training of the population. Both men and women (unmarried) serve in Tsahal.

Powerful intelligence network. The intelligence services, the main one of which is the Mossad, provide the country's leadership with detailed information about possible risks and promptly inform them of any problems that have arisen.

The best possible examples of military equipment, both imported and produced in the country.

Ideological training, expressed in instilling in young people the desire to defend their homeland.

The unique organizational and management structure of the armed forces.

There is reason to believe that, even with its small numbers, the IDF is the best army in the world today. This refers to the ability to quickly solve problems necessary to maintain the viability of the State of Israel.

Russian Armed Forces after the collapse of the USSR

After the collapse of the USSR, difficult times came for the former Soviet military. The soldiers and officers of the Union, who knew from childhood that the most powerful army in the world was ours, experienced a real shock in 1991. The media persistently and clearly explained that the Afghan war was fought in vain, the Czechoslovak events of 1968 were criminal, the USSR lost the war with Finland, and the sanctity of the Victory itself was in big question. The moral crisis was accompanied by a material one. The financial support of the Russian military in the conditions of a raging spontaneous market looked like a mockery. The first Chechen campaign revealed many systemic flaws. The place of the Russian army in the world could no longer be considered a leading one. It seemed that the complete collapse of the armed forces was inevitable, followed by the collapse of the federal state into separate principalities. But…

Russian Army today

The crisis was overcome. The country's leadership was able to maintain the basis of its defense capability - a nuclear shield that protects against direct military pressure from the outside.

However, new threats have emerged in the form of numerous local conflicts. With a modest military budget of $56 billion (in comparable prices), Russia has surpassed all its potential rivals in terms of efficiency in the use of funds. Military personnel receive a decent salary and are socially protected. Systematic modernization of the material part is being carried out. Even analysts who are unfriendly towards the Russian Federation are forced to admit that today the Russian army is the strongest in the world, at least in the range of tasks outlined for it. The criteria for such a high rating are indicators such as mobility, communications, coordination of actions, good supplies and high morale of personnel. Local conflicts in recent years, in which the Russian military took part, confirm the opinion of experts.

Unfortunately, the army gains experience in wars. A country that has been at peace for a long time often ceases to value its defenders. But there is another important aspect to this issue. Even the most combat-ready army in the world will be powerless if the task assigned to it is criminal or does not correspond to national interests. Our successes demonstrate that we are okay with this.

There have been many great men in various fields of human endeavor throughout history, from science to art, from philosophy to politics, from business to technology, but none of these great men have shed more blood than the greatest warriors in history. So take a deep breath and get ready to discover the 25 deadliest, most brutal and bloodthirsty warriors who ever lived.

25. Alaric I Visigoth

Alaric was a Visigoth king who was distinguished by the fact that he destroyed Rome. This made him an honorary Roman citizen and magister militum, "master of soldiers", a valued member of the Roman Empire. After taking Rome, Alaric led his troops south into Campania, taking Nola and Capua along the way. Alaric headed for the Roman province of Africa, where he intended to supply his army with provisions from the granary of Rome, but a storm destroyed his ships, temporarily blocking his passage. Only Mother Nature could defeat Alaric the Barbarian.

24. Roland

Roland was a great French warrior and medieval folk hero who was immortalized in the poem Chanson de Roland, which was written in the eleventh or twelfth century. Historically, Count Roland was Charlemagne's commander on the Breton border and his finest warrior. According to legend, he was killed at a pass in the Pyrenees when the Basques cut off the rearguard of the Frankish army as they returned from their invasion of Spain in 778

23. Horace Cockle

Horace Cockles was a legendary Roman hero who defended the bridge over the Tiber when the city was attacked by the Etruscans. Just keep in mind that Horace lost an eye in battle due to an arrow that hit him in the eye, which he removed (with his eye still on it), and continued to fight like a beast, hence the name "Cockle", which means "one eye". I don't think this man's heroism can be questioned, right?

22. Prince Rupert of the Rhine

Even though Prince Rupert looked like a soft boy and came from an insanely rich family, the man was truly ambitious. By the age of fourteen, the German prince had already joined the army and began his very varied, colorful career, although he
best known for commanding the royal cavalry during the English Civil War.

Although Prince Rupert was an inventor, an artist, and an entrepreneur, it was his fighting skills and ruthless warrior spirit that made him special. For the record, he was such a skilled warrior that his enemies at one point began to believe that he had supernatural powers and could not be killed.

21. Vercingetorix

In France, the first national hero, Vercingetorix managed to unite several independent Celtic tribes to defeat the warlike Romans. He fought valiantly and fiercely to save Gaul from the Roman army. His forces were eventually defeated at Alesia and Vercingetorix was forced to surrender after fighting a powerful Roman army with everything he had.

20. William Wallace

William Wallace became famous around the world thanks to the film "Braveheart" by Mel Gibson, but those who know European history already knew what a great warrior this legendary Scot was. Wallace is considered one of Scotland's most significant national heroes for his fight to the death to free Scotland from English rule.

19. Vasily II

Vasily the Bulgarian Slayer was one of the most cruel, ruthless emperors in history. He was a Byzantine emperor of Greek descent from the Macedonian dynasty and ruled the vast Byzantine Empire for almost fifty years from January 976 to 1025. After his death the empire stretched from southern Italy to the Caucasus and from the Danube to the borders of Palestine, this was the time of its greatest dawn, when the boundaries of the empire were the most extensive for the last four centuries, its conquest included many bloody battles, in which Basil II always fought more brutally than any other warrior in the army.

18. Attila

Attila, the Hun was born on the territory of modern Hungary and became one of the most cruel and merciless rulers. He was known for his piercing gaze and according to historian Edward Gibbon, he often rolled his eyes as if in delight at the terror he inspired. He also intimidated his opponents by the fact that his sword belonged to Ares, the Greek god of war, and judging by his brutal attacks and battles against the Roman Empire, his intimidation tactics worked.

17. Yue Fei

During his 25-year military career, Yue Fei fought in 126 battles, mostly in central China, and never lost a single battle. In addition, he rose in rank from private to Commander of the Imperial Forces, he invented many styles of martial arts and wrote a lot of epic poetry about how he defeated his enemies. He is now considered a national hero in China and a symbol of unity, patriotism and loyalty.

16. Eirik I Bloodaxe

Eric the Bloody was a Norwegian prince and the last independent king of York. He became king of the Northumbrians twice, in 947 and 952. He is considered one of the most legendary names in Viking history due to his incredible skill and bravery on the battlefield and warrior spirit.

15. Arminius

Arminius was a German military leader in the early first century AD. He is remembered as a great warrior who fought back against the Romans at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, where he literally destroyed three Roman legions and their support. Although Arminius was defeated and killed, his victory in that battle was so impressive and bloody that it had a lasting effect on both the ancient Germanic tribes and the Roman Empire. The Roman legions would never again attempt to conquer and hold Germany beyond the Rhine River forever.

14. Miltiades

According to the historian Herodotus, the sacrifice of King Leonidas and three hundred brave Spartans would have meant nothing if not for Miltiades. The masterful Athenian strategist and ruler led the Athenians and their allies to victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon, where he literally destroyed the Persian fleet and forced the most powerful empire in the world to retreat in disgrace, having failed to subjugate Greece.

13. Vlad Tepes

Very few could boast how scary Vlad the Impaler was, or how he is better known as Dracula. The man who became a legend and was called the Lord of Darkness was a real man and a great warrior. He was born in 1431 in Transylvania, the central region of modern Romania, and ruled for many years.

Vlad's victories over the invading Ottoman Empire were viewed and celebrated not only in Romania but also in the rest of Europe, and it was noted that even Pope Pius II was impressed by his skill and fighting spirit.

12. Sun Tzu

Sophisticated and experienced in the conduct of war during times of unprecedented political and military upheaval, Sun Tzu was a military specialist active during the turbulent decline of the Zhou dynasty. However, he became a legend by writing a book on Chinese military strategy and martial arts, The Art of War, which continues to have a huge influence on both Asian and Western culture.

11. Scipio Africanus

Scipio Africanus was one of the most talented and successful generals in history and he is the one who defeated Hannibal at the Battle of Zama during the Second Punic Wars. Despite the fact that Scipio was one hundred percent Roman, after his victory in Africa, he was called African.

10. Spartak

Undoubtedly the most famous and skilled gladiator who ever lived, Spartacus, along with Crixus, Oenomaus, Castus and Gannicus, was one of the slave leaders during the Spartacus Rebellion, a major slave revolt against the Roman Republic. No one else frightened the powerful republic as much as he did.

9. Xiahou Dun

Xiahou Dun offered his services as a military general to the warlord Cao Cao during the decline of the Eastern Han Dynasty and became a legend when, during a battle, he was hit by a stray arrow and lost his left eye. In front of his amazed soldiers and enemies, he pulled out an arrow and swallowed his own eyeball. After this incident, the enemy armies in China trembled in fear of the "Blind Xiahou, the One-Eyed Warrior."

8. Hannibal Barca

Hannibal was born in 247 BC. e. in Carthage, immediately after his country had lost a long and very important war with Rome. But Hannibal was destined to return multiple territories to his power after he grew up. It is believed that Hannibal was one of the greatest strategists who developed tactics to bypass and encircle the enemy using infantry and cavalry. His wars with the Roman Empire were among the most intense in all of antiquity.

7. Pyrrhus of Epirus

Pyrrhus Epirus was the king of the Greek Molossians, and the one who gave battle to the Romans. He was the first and only threat to Rome during its heyday at the beginning of the empire. In fact, he was the only man who continued to beat up the Roman legions. Some historians believe that history would have been different if Pyrrhus had not been killed in Argos. Hannibal Barca considered him the best general and greatest warrior king. Some of his battles, although victories, were so bloody and resulted in the terrible death of his own men that they gave rise to the term "Pyrrhic victory", an expression that is still used today, especially in sports and politics.

6. Richard the Lionheart

Richard was the King of England, later known as the "Lionheart", and is famous for his exploits in the Third Crusade, although he spent only six months in England during his ten-year reign. He is described as an extremely skilled warrior who showed no mercy to his enemies, and his most famous attribute was his bravery and courage. They wouldn't call him "Lionheart" just like that.

5. Miyamoto Musashi

Musashi was a skilled Japanese swordsman and an invincible ronin (samurai without a lord or master). He became a legend mainly because of his remarkable fencing in numerous duels from the age of thirteen. He was the founder of the haiha Niten Ichi-ryu or Niten-ryu style of fencing. At the end of his life, after he had perfected his Two Swords fighting style, he climbed the mountain and wrote the definitive treatise, The Zen of Decapitation, which he called The Book of Five Rings. Many historians and experts consider him the greatest swordsman who ever lived.

4. Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar is perhaps the most famous and successful Roman statesman and general in history and was the one who led Rome's army in numerous victorious battles that expanded its territory. After this, he wrote about his military adventures, from which we learn about his genius and courage on the battlefield.

3. Leonid

Leonidas was one of two kings of Sparta during the Greco-Persian Wars and the leader of one of the most ferocious military units in history: the three hundred Spartan hoplites. He remained throughout the centuries for his unrivaled courage and fearlessness, and at the end of the Battle of Thermopylae he is rumored to have stood alone, fighting hundreds of thousands of Persian soldiers before being killed.

2. Chengis Khan

He pioneered the conquest of a quarter of the world's population and is considered one of the greatest conquerors of all time. His people believed that he was the greatest man of all time and that he was sent by the gods, which is why he is also known as the "Holy Warrior".

1. Alexander the Great

Although he died at the age of thirty-three, the famous Greek king managed to conquer most of the then world, which is why most historians consider him the greatest general who ever lived. He also fought on the front lines of every battle (unlike many other kings who simply watched their troops fight). He remained undefeated and took over all the major kingdoms of his time, such as Persia, India and Egypt, among others, he was the first king to spread Greek and therefore Western civilization to other parts of the world.

If the world were ideal, then no armies or weapons would be needed and there would never be wars. But the reality is that threats both abroad and domestically put national security at risk. This reality forces many states to have a powerful army in the form of human potential and weapons.
There are several outstanding armies that are widely known for their size, combat experience and military equipment. They are among the ten largest armies in the world.

1. China

The world's largest army in terms of army size is unsurprisingly occupied by the most populous country in the world, the Chinese People's Army. This nation is known not only for its large territory, but also for its huge population and, accordingly, the largest army. The Chinese People's Liberation Army was founded in 1927.

Its main part consists of citizens aged 18 to 49 years. Number of people: 2,300,000. Budget $129 billion per year. About 240 installations for launching nuclear missiles. The Chinese army is well trained and has large resources in weapons and mobilization resources in the event of war, it can put 200,000,000 people under arms. It is armed with 8,500 tanks, 61 submarines, 54 surface ships and 4,000 aircraft.

Russian army

The Russian army is one of the most experienced in the world. Its strength is 1,013,628 military personnel (according to the presidential decree of March 28, 2017). The annual budget is $64 billion and ranks 3rd in the world in terms of military spending. It is armed with 2,867 tanks, 10,720 armored vehicles, 2,646 self-propelled guns, and 2,155 towed artillery pieces. Russia also has the most a large number of nuclear warheads in the world.

3.United States of America

US Army

The US Army was founded in 1775. The United States currently has 1,400,000 active military personnel and 1,450,000 in the active reserve. The defense budget is what truly sets the US apart from all the other countries on the list; it is over $689 billion per year.
The United States also has the most trained troops and a powerful arsenal. Its ground forces use 8,325 tanks, 18,539 armored combat vehicles, 1,934 self-propelled guns, 1,791 towed artillery pieces, and 1,330 nuclear warheads.

Indian Army

Located in southern Asia, India is the world's largest arms importer. With a strength of 1.325 thousand soldiers and officers. The Army's military budget is $44 billion a year. There are also about 80 nuclear warheads in service.

5. North Korea

North Korean Army

North Korea has a well-trained and coordinated army of 1,106,000, as well as a large number of reservists, 8,200,000 as of 2011. It also has a large number of weapons, they include: 5,400 tanks, 2,580 armored vehicles, 1,600 self-propelled guns, 3,500 towed artillery pieces, 1,600 air defense systems and other powerful weapons. Military conscription in this state is compulsory for everyone; the period of military service is 10 years.
While the totalitarian regime in North Korea has built a large army, much of its military equipment is considered obsolete. However, they have nuclear weapons, which in turn poses a threat to the stability of peace in this region.

6. South Korea

Photo of the South Korean Army

Next on the list of the largest armies in the world is the South Korean army. In this state, the conscription age is from 18 to 35 years, the service period is 21 months.
Its armed forces are called the Republic of Korea Army. It uses both domestic and imported weapons. It is armed with 2,300 tanks, 2,600 armored vehicles, 30 air defense systems and 5,300 artillery pieces. The number of its troops reaches approximately 1,240,000 people.

7. Pakistan

Pakistan Army

The Pakistan Army rightfully ranks among the largest armies in the world. It has a workforce of 617,000 people and a personnel reserve of about 515,500 people as of 2011.
Its ground forces use a wide range of weapons: 3,490 tanks, 5,745 armored vehicles, 1,065 self-propelled guns, 3,197 towed artillery pieces. The Air Force is armed with 1,531 aircraft and 589 helicopters. The naval force consists of 11 frigates and 8 submarines. With a budget of just over $5 billion, it is the smallest budget of the top ten military powers. Pakistan may be a small country in size, but it is undoubtedly one of the largest armies in the world in terms of size and military prowess. This army is also a permanent ally of the United States.

Iranian army

They say that the most powerful army in the Middle East is the army of Iran. Iran is also known for its large troop numbers. It has approximately 545,000 personnel, divided into 14 infantry divisions and 15 air bases. Their army is equipped with 2,895 tanks, 1,500 armored vehicles, 310 self-propelled guns, 860 air defense systems, 1,858 aircraft and 800 helicopters. The defense budget is just over $10 billion.

Turkish army

Türkiye has the largest army at the meeting point of Asia and Europe. Citizens are called up for service at the age of 20. Conscription lasts approximately from 6 to 15 months, depending on the educational level of the students. The size of the Turkish army is 1,041,900 people, of which 612,900 are regular military personnel and 429,000 are in the reserve. Its army is also well armed and has 4,460 tanks, 1,500 self-propelled guns, 7,133 armored vehicles, 406 air defense systems, 570 airplanes and helicopters. The annual budget of this army is 19 billion dollars.

10. Israel

Israeli army

The army of the State of Israel is known as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Men over 18 years of age are subject to conscription every year. Every year, about 121,000 men can be drafted into the army to serve in any of its military branches. Currently, the Israeli army consists of 187,000 regular military personnel and a reserve of 565,000 people. As a result, the number of troops in the Israel Defense Forces is about 752,000. The army is equipped with the latest technology and is armed with 3,870 tanks, 1,775 armored vehicles, 706 self-propelled guns, 350 towed artillery pieces, and 48 air defense systems.

Not all countries in the world need a large army for reliable protection. However, maintaining peace and order would be impossible without a well-organized and armed army.

Superiority over the enemy has always been determined not by the number of troops, but by the correct strategy and tactics. We decided to remember the most victorious armies of the world in history, which won with their minds.

Army of Alexander the Great

Imagine that against a well-played football team, eleven people take to the field, seeing each other for the first time and running scatteredly around the field. Even if there are fifteen of them. Or twenty - the difference is small, victory will still go to the team that adheres to a certain tactic in its game.

And perhaps the first person to fully understand the need for an army to hold formation and turn on command in one direction, without asking questions, was the ruler of the insignificant ancient state of Macedonia. But not the famous Alexander, but Philip – his father.

Thanks largely to this, Alexander’s army was able to conquer Athens, the invincible and great Sparta, Persia and Egypt, and even go to India.

Roman legion

Now imagine that at the age of eighteen you are not given any rights until you serve in the army. In addition, you must buy all the military equipment yourself, and the training weapons and armor at the young fighter’s courses will weigh three times more than the combat ones. Welcome to the Roman Legion, tiro! In it, anyone became a jack of all trades - recruits not only fought, but built roads, bridges and aqueducts. One glance at the history of the ancient cities of Western Europe is enough to understand that they are based on either a Roman military camp, or a market, or the intersection of trade routes. The number of tactical innovations brought to military affairs by the Roman army is difficult to count.

In addition to the various formations and combat formations, which it is pointless to go into a description of in one article, the Roman legionaries invented almost perfect protection against any type of projectile weapons, except, perhaps, heavy stones, logs and boiling oil pouring from the walls - a formation called "turtle". The front row of legionnaires closed their shields edge to edge in such a way that a solid wall was obtained, while the rear rows raised their shields above their heads, also closing their edges, creating a kind of “roof”. Arrows, throwing spears and small stones simply slid off such a living structure, causing virtually no harm.

Mongol army

No borders, just the horizon. The horse's hooves are dry and cracked, and the only thing that will help is washing them in the waters of the Last Sea. Any manifestation of weakness or cowardice costs not only your own life, but also the lives of nine close associates. And for cowardice shown by a dozen, a hundred will be cut, and for cowardice shown by a hundred... and so on. No wonder there is no word for “back” in the Mongolian language. Only forward - to the Last Sea. Along the way, he conquered China, the state of the Khorezm Shahs, ruined the great Abbasid caliphate, crossed the waters of the Tigris, filling them with scrolls and books from the Baghdad library.

The main type of Mongol troops was cavalry - heavy and light. Due to the fact that the Mongols were excellent shooters, including at a gallop, their main weapon was a bow - each warrior could have several of them. The armor was predominantly leather, with melee weapons including a spear and a curved saber. The high speed and mobility of the Mongol army was ensured by a large number of spare horses and the general unpretentiousness and endurance of the soldiers.

The success of the Mongols was largely due to their siege techniques. Unlike most nomadic tribes, they did not rely on their numerical superiority, using all possible means to minimize potential losses. They dug tunnels, used local rivers to dam or, conversely, to divert water from the besieged city. They also borrowed the latest technology from the China they conquered - a multi-shot crossbow and a stone-throwing tower.

Spanish tercio

For many centuries, bows, and even later crossbows, which today are just a sport and a hobby, flooded the Earth with blood. Their role finally faded into the background with the advent of firearms, which pierced almost any armor. But still, the reload time left much to be desired and almost any rider managed to get to the least accurate musketeers. The most effective way to protect riflemen from cavalry and infantry was developed in Spain.

The military formation - tertia - allowed musketeers and arquebusiers to fire at enemy cavalry units, while being covered by pikemen. Almost any cavalry attack ran into a “forest” peak, after which the surviving reitars (cavalry riflemen in heavy armor) tried to hit the shooters standing in the third. But since a horseman, by definition, was a much easier target than foot musketeers and arquebusiers, this was of little use. Breaking the Spanish third became possible only thanks to the invention of silicon weapons, which were distinguished by a greater rate of fire and range than matchlock muskets and arquebuses.

Grand Army of Napoleon

The Corps of the Grand Army, under the command of a marshal or division general, included all types of troops that existed at that time and was an autonomous operational unit that was able to conduct combat operations in isolation from all other forces.

The size of the corps is from 20 to 70 thousand people - infantrymen, cavalrymen, artillery, sappers and supply troops. This kind of autonomy and balance of power was a strategic innovation that allowed Napoleon to conquer almost all of Europe and part North Africa(of course, the personal qualities and military genius of the emperor also played a significant role in this).

A kind of innovation in supplying troops was the organization of food points every fifteen miles, called the well-known word “store”.

Kutuzov’s strategic talent, not least of all, consisted in turning the noble guards and soldiers, distinguished by a high level of training and discipline, into a gang of embittered marauders, having surrendered Moscow.

Russian army

Russia has been at war almost its entire history. Bismarck believed that the Russians could not be defeated. Attempts at military expansion of our country were made more than once, but ended in the same thing - the defeat of the aggressor.

Russian military glory was forged by both our commanders and ordinary soldiers and sailors, whose heroic behavior has always served as an example for subsequent generations.