World history and civilization

History of Military & Weapons Systems

The military and weapons systems are critical components employed by the state in ensuring two aspects; one would be their internal security and the other being to deter other states from engaging them into any form of armed conflict. An advanced and sophisticated military and weapons system translates into a more secure state and more importantly creates a condition wherein any form of hostile actions from other states are deterred. Throughout time, states have been consistently improving their military capabilities; they have made active strides in making weapons that can inflict substantial collateral damage and casualties with the effective use of technology. Moreover, weapons that can instill fear into the enemy were developed. Weapons and military systems were predicated on the use of force, as such the more force utilized corresponds to greater chances that the state's interest is upheld. This is the tipping point in any form of conflict resolution; states with advanced military and weapons system are seen as dominant players that set the rules of the game in the international arena.

The Romans can be cited as a good example of how dominant states can become with the possession of an advanced military and weapons system. The Roman Army was divided into units known as legions, which combined from 4,500 to 6,000 men. Each legion was divided into smaller groups of 60 to 120 legionnaires, as the soldiers were called. Because these smaller groups could separate and attack an enemy from the sides and rear as well as the front, the Roman Army had much maneuverability. The weapons developed during this time was the double edged swords used by the infantry, the iron headed ram utilized for breaking down gates and walls, offensive weapons such as catapults which functions at throwing iron darts and ballistae used to hurl heavy stones at the enemy. (Stearns et.al. 1991, 217) With the strength of the Roman Army they were able to expand Rome's sphere of influence throughout Europe and in Africa. Roman soldiers were professionally trained in the art of warfare and their military leaders have been honed by their battlefield experience and were defined by their tactical prowess. The Roman Army gave the Roman Empire a distinct advantage over their enemies because of the characteristics I have mentioned.

With the collapse of the Roman Empire, the world witnessed a shift from the focus on the Army to the Navy. During the 1400s, the emergence of Portugal, Spain and England as military powers was grounded on their superior Navy strength. Their ships were heavily armed and could carry the infantry to other places, as a result their expansionist views were well served by their Navy. The Spanish Armada was dreaded by other states because of its armaments and was extensively used to set forth Spanish influence to other parts of the world. During this time, the introduction of gun powder and firearms replaced the swords of the infantry and the canon was likewise used in the battlefield. The introduction of these weapons made the military more efficient in inflicting casualties to their enemies. The advent of these weapons likewise showed the application of technology in the art of warfare, states that possess such weapons were able to gain the upper hand. Countries such as Spain and England were able to colonize other countries with their advanced military and weapons system.

With the two World Wars in the 1900s, weapons and military have evolved to meet the challenges posed by the times. States are in particular looking for more technological applications in developing their army and navy. Another branch of the military service was developed in this era, the birth of the air force. The invention of the airplane led to its development from a means of transportation to a formidable military weapon. The quest of military superiority was now determined by an advanced air force, planes well armed to drop bombs at the opposing navy and army as well as deploy infantry in the battlefield. Germany and Japan in World War II had good fighter planes that won them several battles in the onset of the war, but the consolidated air force and navy of the U.S. And Britain provide to be more superior over them at the later period of the war. During the World Wars, the army had its share of weapons refinement, the introduction of the machine gun and armored tank to replace the cavalry was evident during this time. With their armor, tanks were able to cross enemy lines and inflict considerable damage to the opposing infantry.

The end of World War II ushered in the entry of the nuclear age of weapons development. This was initially seen when the U.S. detonated two atomic bombs in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the later part of the war. The world saw first hand the substantial damage that nuclear technology can inflict in human lives and property. The development of these types of weapon coincided with the introduction of missiles in the weapons arsenal of states. Missiles are long-range weapons dispatched from ships, planes and military installations that can destroy enemy targets quite effectively. Said weapons were extensively during the Cold War era whereby the U.S. And USSR have been actively developing nuclear weapons as a form of deterring one another. This period was called the arms race of the Cold War between the U.S. And USSR.