The most unusual military inventions of the first world war. The cat received a medal for the extermination of communist rats

They say that when Arkady Averchenko brought a story on a military theme to one of the editorial offices during the First World War, the censor deleted the phrase from it: "The sky was blue." It turns out that according to these words, enemy spies could have guessed that the matter took place in the south.

In England during the time of James I, in order to become a soldier, it was enough to drink a mug of beer at the expense of the king and take an advance from the recruiter - one shilling. Recruiters wandered through the beer halls on a public account, treated them to beer, and at the bottom of the mug lay the said shilling. So after a while, any Briton who was treated to a beer first stared at the light for a long time.

In Nebraska, you can buy an Admiral's degree for $25. Absolutely real and giving the right to command all warships, however, only in the state. Yes, in general, and it’s not a pity - Nebraska is located in the very center of the United States and two thousand kilometers from all sides to the nearest sea.

Colonel Yermolov, the future hero of the war of 1812, received the rank of general in a very interesting way - he spoke so boldly with his colleagues, who were higher than his rank, that they asked for a general rank for him - after all, listening to such nasty things from the general is not so offensive.

During Franco-Prussian War in French army there were already machine guns. But, despite the obvious advantages, no one used them, because, for reasons of secrecy, the developers did not write instructions for machine gunners! Our Nicholas II did not like automatic weapons very much: they believed that because of machine guns and machine guns, the army could be left without cartridges.

One Siamese king, retreating, ordered to fire at the enemy from cannons not with cannonballs, but with silver coins. Than disorganized the enemy completely and won the battle.

Do you know how the Greek scout Sinon convinced the Trojans to bring a horse into the city? He lied to them that the Greeks deliberately made the horse so big that the Trojans, God forbid, would not bring it into the city. The Trojans, as you know, even dismantled the wall to spite the enemy.

During the war of 1812, a lot of Russian officers died for no reason: in the dark, soldiers (from the common people) were guided by French speech, and - it just so happened - some Russian officers and they didn’t really know a language other than French.

In Switzerland, pigeon army mail was canceled only two years ago.

In Britain, only in 1947 was the post of a person obliged to fire a cannon at the time of Napoleon's invasion of England canceled.

In November 1923, Germany decided to calculate the amount of military spending in the First World War. It turned out that the war cost former empire... at 15.4 pfennigs - because due to inflation, the Reichsmark has fallen in price by this time exactly a trillion times!

Soldiers in the battles near Lake Khasan generously showered our tanks with ordinary bullets, hoping to break through them. The fact is that the Japanese soldiers were assured that the tanks were supposedly made of plywood! As a result, our tanks returned from the battlefield shiny - to such an extent they were covered with a layer of lead from bullets that melted when they hit the armor. However, this did not bring any harm to the armor.

2. Our troops included the 28th reserve army, in which camels were the draft force for the guns. It was formed in Astrakhan during the battles near Stalingrad: the lack of cars and horses forced them to catch wild camels in the vicinity and tame them. Most of the 350 animals died on the battlefield in various battles, and the survivors were gradually transferred to economic units and "demobilized" to zoos. One of the camels named Yashka came with soldiers to Berlin.

3. Before the advent of modern radars, and even before the advent of special sound pickup devices, they used special people- hearers. So, defending London in 1914-1915, the British used the blind as hearers. After all, as you know, the blind have much sharper hearing. Blind listeners, turning the special chair on which they sat (the chair is capable of rotating both in horizontal and vertical planes, and the angles of rotation can be measured by special limbs), determined the direction to the plane (azimuth and elevation) with an accuracy of three degrees!

4. In April 1943, a body in the uniform of a major was found on the Spanish coast. marines. Handcuffed to his wrist was a suitcase containing secret documents about the plans for the Allied invasion of Greece. Since Spain was overrun German agents, the documents quickly got to, and he ordered to prepare for the defense of Greece and Sardinia instead of Sicily, which Mussolini called for. However, the allies landed precisely in Sicily and without special efforts took over the island. It turned out that it was for this purpose that this operation with code name The “minced meat” was turned by British intelligence, putting on a military uniform on the body of a homeless man who committed suicide, and delivering him to Spain on a submarine.

5. During the Soviet-Chinese armed conflict on the China East railway In 1929, a prostitute in a Japanese brothel was accidentally killed by a Soviet shell. The Japanese consulate sued the Soviet commander Blucher for 22,500 yen. This amount was calculated based on how many years this prostitute could live, how many clients to serve during this time, and how much income to bring to the Japanese budget. Blucher dismissed the claim.

6. In 1931 in Chinese province In Xinjiang, an uprising of the Turkic-Muslim population broke out. Russian emigrants were mobilized into the government troops - like the White Guards, who had lived in Xinjiang since the times civil war in Russia, and those who fled from hunger and collectivization in the USSR. Two years later, the governor-general of the province, Sheng Shicai, managed to reach an agreement with Soviet Union for help in putting down the uprising. The 13th Alma-Ata regiment of the OGPU was transferred to China, the soldiers of which were dressed in White Guard uniforms. In addition, the USSR directly financed units that were already fighting, made up of Russian emigrants. Thus, the "reds" and "whites" participated in this conflict on the same side.

7. Only in October 2010 did Germany complete the payment of reparations for the First world war imposed on it under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.

8. There is a grave of Harry Potter in one of the cemeteries in Israel. It was a 17-year-old private in the British army who died in 1939 in a clash with the rebels. Recently, this grave has become the most visited in Israel and has been included in the list of local attractions.

9. If the city of Hiroshima was originally chosen by the Americans main goal the first atomic strike on Japan, then the city of Nagasaki, one might say, was unlucky. The target of the second bomb drop was the town of Kokura, but due to heavy cloud cover, the American pilot decided to act according to a fallback plan and attack Nagasaki.
according to materials:

1. About buttons

One of the decrees of Peter I introduced a special style of soldier's uniforms. According to this decree, buttons were to be sewn on the sleeves on the front side. The reason for the introduction of such a "luxurious" style was not at all the desire for ostentatious brilliance, it was much more prosaic. Most of the soldiers were former peasants, with an ingrained habit of wiping his mouth with his sleeve after dinner. Here the buttons were supposed to help keep the cloth intact.

2. About the kilt and underwear

In principle, a kilt can be worn as you like, with or without underwear. But according to tradition, soldiers are required to wear this uniform only on their naked bodies. In the army units, reviews were even held before, at which an officer with a special mirror inspected the correctness of wearing a “skirt” and, if underwear was found, he immediately demanded to get rid of it.

3. About the color of the Nazi uniform

With color, everything turned out to be simple. In warehouses in Germany, there were a lot of field uniforms for the army in the African colonies, which were lost by Germany after the First World War. It was this uniform at the cheapest price that the National Socialist Party bought for its units.

4. Pentagon and toilets

As you know, in the US Army, racial segregation persisted until 1948. Naturally, there could be no talk of any mixed detachments in the army. Therefore, during the construction of the Pentagon, separate toilets were provided for whites and for everyone else. As a result, the building has twice as many toilets. required amount. By the way, it was planned to hang appropriate signs on them, but they did not hang them by order of Roosevelt.

5. Weapons and religion

1857 turned out to be the most unfortunate year for the British colonial troops in India. This year, the most new long-range rifles were delivered to arm the Indian army. But to lubricate the Anfields, animal fat was used, which was also impregnated with cardboard cartridges. And at the same time, the British did not at all take into account the interesting fact that for Hindus a cow is a sacred animal, and for Muslims it is a terrible sin to touch a pig.

Adherents of both religions formed the backbone of the army, and each group decided that this was a special insult just for them. As a result, they all united and raised an uprising, which entailed massive casualties among the military and civilians of the British.

6. Victory and acrobatics

The battle at Zarabulak originally began in 1868. Approaching the gunshot, the Bukhara soldiers fell on their hands, and the comrades began to shake them by the legs ... It turned out that in this way they tried to attract good luck to their side.

The source of the behavior was the battle that happened a month before in the war between Russia and the Emirate of Bukhara. Then the Russians under the command of General Golovachev crossed the Zeravshan River. The infantry managed to overcome the barrier with difficulty, it was necessary to go almost chest-deep in water, but this most unexpected maneuver made it possible to take the height of Chapan-Ata in a swift bayonet attack.

I had to act so quickly that I didn’t even have time to pour the water out of my boots, so I had to literally shake out. So the enemy considered these strange actions to be peculiar magic ritual calling for good luck.

7. Elite Squads and homosexuals

In Greece, homosexuality was treated as commonplace, in Thebes they even formed an elite military detachment of 300 warriors, which they called the Sacred Detachment from Thebes. The most interesting thing is that the entire detachment completely died in the battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC. e., while no one retreated, according to Plutarch, preferring to die next to his beloved, and not dishonor himself by flight.

8. Army and lots

Decimation was one of the most severe punishments in the Roman army. At the same time, the entire unit was divided into dozens, and it is interesting that there were no exceptions either by age, or by experience or merit. Lots were cast among each ten, and the other nine colleagues killed the one who pulled it out.

9. Nazis and Muslims

Among the units of the Nazi army there were several completely exotic ones. For example, the ‘Free India’ (‘Freies Indien’) squad consisted of Muslims from East India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. These "volunteers" were captured by the German troops in North Africa.

10. Military satellites and telephone

In Brazil, it is a popular business to reconfigure civilian radios in the 144-148 MHz band to use the satellites of the FLTSATCOM group. These satellites belong to the US Navy and are used by the Brazilians for free phone calls.
Usually, to use satellite communications, you need only $ 50, which will be used to purchase a modified conventional trucker's walkie-talkie, and they can also be used to make emergency phone repairs, such as replacing the glass of a samsung galaxy s3. The key to the success of this operation is the presence good craftsmen and prompt deliveries of branded components. In this case, the repaired phone will not be inferior to the new one.

11. Paratroopers and Indians

Watching American action films, you can hear a strange scream during the jumps of paratroopers. The history of this call is as follows. In the 2nd half of the 19th century for the armies of the USA and Mexico big problem represented by the Indian Geronimo with a small group of comrades, he is well remembered for his elusiveness and courage.
In 1939, a film was made about the elusive Indian, in one of the episodes of which the hero jumps into the river from a steep cliff with his name on his lips. After the film, the paratroopers also began to shout “Geronimo!” while jumping, so the tradition took root and exists today.

12. Bayonet and Geneva Convention

In 1864, the First Geneva Convention was drawn up, one of the points of which was the prohibition of bayonet strikes in the stomach during hostilities. First of all, this concerned the Russian army, but as an alternative, interestingly, it was proposed to beat with bayonets in the chest.

Some samples and characteristics of the Russian military equipment.

Name: Prospective aviation complex of front-line aviation PAK-FA: T-50

Type: fifth generation multirole fighter

Developer: Sukhoi Design Bureau, Russia

Crew: 1

Length, m: 19.7

Height, m: 4.7

Wingspan, m: 14

Wing area, m2: 79

Masses, kg:

Empty: 18500

Normal takeoff: 26000

Maximum takeoff: 36000

Fuel in internal tanks: 10400

Speed, km/h:

At altitude: 2440 (M=2.3)

Near the ground: 1700

Practical ceiling, m: 20000

Rate of climb, m/sec: 330

Maximum operating overload: 10.5

Takeoff / run length, m: 350/350

Practical range, km:

4300 without PTB,

5500 with 2 PTB

Range, km: 1500…1800

Flight duration: up to 5.8 hours

Engine: 2 TRDDF Saturn "Product 117S" AL-41F1 (flight at supersonic speed without afterburner and resource increased to 4000 hours, in 2016 it is planned to install a promising engine "Product 129", which has flat nozzles to reduce radar visibility).

Thrust, kgf:

Max: 2x8800

Afterburner: 2x14500

Name: Tank T-14 "Armata"

Type: main tank

Manufacturer: KB UralVagonZavod, Russia

Crew, people: 3

Length, body m: 8.35

Length with gun forward, m: 10.40

Width, m: 4

Height, m: 2.80 on the roof of the tower

Combat weight, kg: 57000

Engine: 12 - cylinder, X-shaped diesel turbo piston engine A-85-3A (aka 12N360 and 2V12-3)

Power, hp: lowered from 1500 to 1200 to save engine life

Dry engine weight, kg: 1550

Speed, km/h:

Highway: 70

Power reserve, km: 520

Armament:

1 x 125mm 2A82 smoothbore gun capable of firing guided missiles

1 x 7.62 mm tank modernized Kalashnikov machine gun

1x12.7 mm machine gun "Kord" (6P49) is mounted synchronously with the commander's panorama

Like a tank gun, machine gun control is remote-digital

Ammunition, pcs:

Shots to the gun: 45 (of which 32 in the automatic loader)

Cartridges for machine guns: caliber 7.62 - 2000 pcs. Ammunition ready for battle - 1000 rounds. Another 1000 rounds in the belts at the rear of the turret.

Caliber 12.7 mm - 300 pcs. and 300 cartridges in tapes are stored in a box

Loading: automatic loader

Rate of fire in combat conditions, rds / min: 10

Target detection range, m: up to 5000

Target engagement range, m: up to 7000

Built on the universal tracked platform "Armata", it uses the best developments in projects experimental tanks T-95 and "Black Eagle". The tank is larger and heavier than the T-90 and has seven rollers on board. The crew consists of three people. Among the main features of "Armata" is an uninhabited tower. None of the crew members are stationed in the tower during the battle. Resistant armor is created using a new grade of steel, and the addition of ceramic and composite layers. Steel grade 44S-SV-Sh was created at JSC Research Institute of Steel.

The operation of the tower is fully automated and has remote control. Emphasis was placed on the comfort and safety of the crew. The crew must be better protected than any other tank in the world. The capsule has active protection.

Name: T-72B

Type: main tank

Developer: Design Bureau of the Ural Carriage Works, Russia

Start of production: 1985

Combat weight, t: 42.5

Crew, people: 3

Dimensions:

Length (with gun forward), m: 9.53

Width, m: 3.46

Height (on the roof of the tower), m: 2.226

Clearance, m: 0.47

Booking: anti-projectile combined with hinged dynamic protection

Armament: 1 x 125 mm 2A46M cannon 1 x 7.62 mm PKT machine gun 1 x 12.7 mm NSVT anti-aircraft machine gun

1 x 9K120 Svir guided weapon system (ATGM 9M112 with radio control and optical feedback)

Cannon firing range, m:

Maximum: 4000

Effective: n/a

Projectile weight: up to 23kg

Beginning projectile speed, m / s: up to 850 (at 23 kg) up to 1700 (at 7.05 kg)

Ammunition for the gun, pcs.: 45

Ammunition for the PKT machine gun, piece: 2000

Ammunition for the NSVT machine gun, pcs.: 300

Ammunition for anti-tank systems, pcs.: 4

Pointing angles:

Horizontally, degrees: 360

Vertical, degrees: -6 to +14

Engine: V-84-1 diesel

Power, l/s: 840

Max, speed, km/h:

Highway: 60

Cross country: 35

By water: n/a

Power reserve, km: 500 (700 with external tanks)

Overcome obstacles:

Rise at an angle, deg.: 30

Roll, degrees: 25

Wall height, m: 0.85

Ditch width, m: 2.8

Ford depth, m: 1.2 (with OPVT - 5)

Equipment:

R-173 radio station, R-174 intercom, GPK-59 navigation equipment, TDA smoke screen installation, 8 x 902B, commander's sighting system TKN-ZV, fire extinguishing equipment ZETS13 "Hoarfrost" with freon cylinders.

Adoption Soviet army in 1985, tanks of a new modification T-72B became a kind of response to the appearance in the armed forces of NATO of tanks of the third post-war generation: "Leopard-2", Ml "Abrams" and "Challenger". The design of the T-72B implemented recent achievements the then Soviet defense industry - a dynamic protection system and a complex of tank guided weapons.

Armor protection:

The armor of the T-72 is rolled and cast steel, the VLD of the hull (on all models) and the frontal armor of the turret (most models) are combined. The hull of the tank is welded, made of rolled armor parts of various thicknesses and designs. VLD combined, inclined at an angle of 68° from the vertical. NLD made of homogeneous steel, its thickness is 80 mm (on the T-72A it was increased to 100 mm). The steel sheets of the side armor are 70-80 mm thick.

Name: Tu-160 "Blackjack"

Type: Strategic supersonic missile bomber

Crew: 4

Length, m: 54.1

Height, m: 13.1

Wingspan, m: 55.7/35.6

Wing area, m2: 360

Masses, kg:

Empty: 118000

Normal takeoff: 267600

Maxim. takeoff: 275000

Fuel: 148000

Maxim. combat load: 40000

Normal combat load: 9000

Speed, km/h:

Altitude: 2200

Near the ground: 1030

Cruising: 850

Practical ceiling, m: 15000

Maxim. rate of climb, m/min: 4200

Maxim. operating overload: 3.5

Takeoff / run length, m: 2000/1600

Required runway length, m: 3050

Breakaway speed, km/h: 284

Landing speed, km/h: 300

Practical range, km (without refueling):

With normal loading - more than 12500

With max. Loading - 10500

Flight duration, h: 15

Engine: 4xTRDDF NK-32

Thrust, kgf:

Afterburner: 4x25000

Armament: no built-in armament. Two weapons compartments can accommodate various options loads weighing up to 40000 kg: up to 12 KR type X-55, up to 12 KR type X-15, KAB various types caliber up to 1500kg, thermonuclear and conventional bombs, mines.

avionics: the aircraft is equipped with an integrated sighting and navigation system, including a backup INS, an astronavigation system, a radar, an optoelectronic automatic bombing sight. There is an electronic warfare complex.

Name: Tu-142M "Bear-E"

Type: Anti-submarine aircraft

Developer: Tupolev Design Bureau, Russia

Crew, people: 10-11

Length, m: 55.1

Height, m: 13.6

Wingspan, m: 50.04

Wing area, m2: 289.9

Masses, kg:

Empty: 91800

Maxim. takeoff: 182000

Fuel: 86000

Maxim. combat load: 9000

Speed, km/h:

Maxim. at height: 855

Cruising: 735

Practical ceiling, m: 10600

Takeoff / run length, m: 2530 / n.d

Practical flight range, km: 10050

Range, km: 5000

Flight duration, h: 12

Engine: 4xTVD NK-12MV

Power, hp: 4х15000

Armament:

Ammunition: n / a

The bomb bays can accommodate various weapons weighing up to 9000 kg; depth charges, torpedoes, rockets, as well as various sonar buoys. Up to 8 Kh-35 anti-ship missiles can be suspended on parts of the aircraft under the wings.

Airborne avionics: aircraft are equipped with various search and sighting systems: Korshun, Korshun-Kaira, 2 Korshun-K, Berkut, as well as electronic warfare systems.

Name: Su-30 (T-10PU) "Flanker-C"

Type: Air defense fighter-interceptor

Manufacturer: OKB Sukhoi, Russia

Crew: 2

Length, m (with PVD): 21.93

Height, m: 6.35

Wingspan, m: 14.7

Wing area, m2: 62.04

Masses, kg:

Empty: 17500

Normal takeoff: 24000

Maxim. takeoff: 30500

Fuel in internal tanks: 9400

Maxim. combat load: 4000

Speed, km/h:

At height: 2125(M=2.0)

Near the ground: 1400 (M=1.14)

Practical ceiling, m: 17500

Rate of climb, m/s: 13700

Maxim. operating overload: 9

Takeoff / run length, m: 750/650

Breakaway speed, km/h: 270

Landing speed, km/h: 240

Practical range, km:

Altitude: 3000

Near ground: 1300

With one refueling: 5200

Engine: 2xAL-31F

Thrust, kgf:

Max: 2x7600

Afterburner: 2x12500

Armament:

1хGSh-301 (30mm, 1500 rds/min)

Ammunition, pcs: 150

Air-to-air missile armament is similar to that of the Su-27P, but with the possibility of using R-77 missiles with an active RGSN.

avionics: SUV similar to that used on the Su-27P. Additionally, the Su-30 avionics includes special communication and guidance equipment for fighters operating in the group. All data on the tactical situation is displayed on a widescreen display in the rear cockpit, from where the target distribution in the group takes place. Also on the Su-30, the navigation system, SDU, have been modernized, there is an in-flight refueling system. The defense complex is similar to the Su-27P. Serial production started in 1991. in Irkutsk.

Name: MiG-25PD (ed. 84D) "Foxbat-E"

Type: Interceptor

Producer: OKB MiG, Russia

Crew: 1

Length, m (with LDPE): 22.3

Height, m: 6.6

Wingspan, m: 14.056

Wing area, m2: 61.9

Masses, kg:

Empty: about 20,000

Normal takeoff: 34920

Maxim. takeoff: 41000

Fuel in internal tanks: 14750

Maxim. combat load: 1800

Speed, km/h:

At altitude: 3000 (M=2.83)

Near ground: 1200

Practical ceiling, m: 20700

Rate of climb, m/sec: n/a

Maxim. operating overload: 5

Takeoff / run length, m: 1250/800 (with TP)

Breakaway speed, km/h: 360

Landing speed, km/h: 290

Practical range, km: 1730

Ferry range, km: n/a

Engine: 2xRD-15BD-300

Thrust, kgf:

Max: 2x8000

Afterburner: 2x11200

Armament: up to four R-40RD missiles with PARGSN and R-40TD with IKGSN, or up to four R-60 and R-60M missiles with IKGSN in various combinations. There is no built-in cannon armament. It is possible to hang one PTB (5300kg) under the fuselage.

Airborne: N005 Sapphire-25 radar with AVM-25 computer and TP-23Sh1 heat direction finder.

The interceptor is guided using the Lazur-M command radio control line, SPO-15 Bereza is installed to warn about exposure.

The first flight of the MiG-25PD was made on November 19, 1977 under the control of test pilot Menitsky V.E. Serial production took place at the Sokol NGAZ in 1978-79, more than 150 units were produced, some of the machines were exported to Iraq, Syria and Algeria.

Type: 130-mm self-propelled gun mount of the coastal artillery complex A-222 "Bereg"

Producer: TsKB "Titan", Russia

Crew: 8

Length, m: 12.95

Width, m: 3.2

Height, m: 3.925

Combat weight, kg: 43700

Booking: n/a

Engine: diesel, D-12A-525A

Power, hp: 525

Max. speed, km/h:

Highway:60

Power reserve, km: 650

Armament:

1x130mm gun

Firing range, km: 23

Projectile type: high-explosive F-44

Projectile weight, kg: 33.4 (all types)

Beginning projectile speed, m/s: 850.

Ammunition, pcs: 48

Pointing angles, degrees:

Vertical: -5/+50

Horizontal: +/-120

Rate of fire, rds / min: 14

State tests of the 130-mm self-propelled coastal artillery system A-222 "Bereg" were completed on May 30, 1993.

The complex is designed to defend the coast from ships, aircraft and KR (within the guidance angles) of the enemy.

The complex consists of a self-propelled artillery mount (up to 4 pieces), a fire control system BR-136 and a combat duty support vehicle.

All components of the A-222 "Bereg" complex are placed on the MAZ-543M chassis with the wheel arrangement 8X8. The weight of the chassis is 21 tons.

The gun mount cannon uses shells from the AK-130 ship gun mount, but the barrel has a muzzle brake and an ejector. The length of the barrel is about 54 calibers, a number of elements of the swinging part are taken from the self-propelled guns 2S19 "Msta".

Charging unitary type.

The installation is equipped with a ballistic computer, a laser rangefinder and an optoelectronic command sight, which allows you to autonomously fire at targets in the event of the destruction or failure of the BR-136 Podacha fire control system.

Type: Heavy aircraft carrier cruiser(project 1143.5 "Eagle")

Displacement, tons: 55000 standard 67500 full

Dimensions, m: 302.5 × 72.3 × 10.5.2 aircraft lifts

Speed, knots: 30

Power plant: 8 boilers, 4 GTZA. 200000 hp 4 screws.

Range, miles: 3850 at 29 knots, 8500 at 18 knots, 12000 at 10 knots

Crew: 2590 people, incl. 626 air wing.

Armament: 12 launchers SM-233 SCRC P-700 "Granit", 4 × 6 VPU air defense systems "Dagger" 192 SAMs 9M-330, 8 SAMs "Kortik" - 2x4 SAMs 9M311 + 2x500 pieces, 6 × 6-30mm AK- 630M - in the installation of 2000pcs, 2x10 RKPTZ-1 "Udav-1M" - 60 RSL-120, 24 Su-33, 18 Ka-27 missiles of various modifications.

REO: CICS "Lesorub", navigation and communication radar, space communication system, Mars-Passat complex, Fregat-MA radar, Podkat radar, antenna launchers for air defense systems and artillery, Rezistor flight control radar, landing system "Moon", the electronic warfare system "Constellation-BR".

The autumn call makes us remember the army of many of our compatriots. As a rule, these thoughts are not too rosy. But we have to admit that, despite all the unflattering and frightening reviews about the army, there are many interesting facts from its history and present.

Therefore, before dismissing this topic, it is worth finding out whose army is the most beautiful, who was the most unusual officer, why the soldiers walk upside down and much more.

Who has the most powerful army in the world

No matter how proud our servicemen of the Russian army power are, they failed to lead the rating. So far, Russia, with its million soldiers, is in second place, but they have been in first place for several years. Their leadership is determined not by the number of soldiers, but by the quantity and quality of military equipment, as well as the amount of funding.

Where did the buttons on the soldiers' sleeves come from?

Design military uniform began to discuss not at all in the 20th century, as is commonly believed. So Peter I himself, famous for his ability to find an unconventional solution to any problem, ordered to sew buttons on the front side of the soldier's sleeves. This was explained not by love for style, but by the fact that it became inconvenient for ordinary people, most of whom came from peasant families, to wipe their mouths with their sleeves. Expensive cloth, from which the uniforms were sewn, was no longer soiled daily, and the uniform served longer.

Gay squad - myth or reality

It is we who have recently refused to call people with gay on the military service. In Thebes, however, this was approached differently. The ancient Greek rulers formed the Sacred Bands, which were considered invincible. This was explained simply - the men, in order not to disgrace themselves in the eyes of their beloved, fought furiously and preferred death to capitulation.

beauty will save the world

About a year ago, restless British journalists from the newspaper The Sun conducted a poll, trying to determine which army is the sexiest. Of course, they chose only between those countries in which women are called up for service. 16 thousand participants unanimously decided that the most charming army belongs to Romania, and in this list it took an honorable third place.

"Secret rite" of the Bukhara army

AT mid-nineteenth century, soldiers of the Bukhara Emirate “peeped” at Russian soldiers"secret rite" that brings victory. During the assault on one height, the Russian infantry had to cross the river, and since everything happened very quickly, the soldiers did not have time to pour water out of their boots. Then each of them grabbed a comrade by the legs, turned it over and shook it. The height was captured, but the beginning of the next battle amazed everyone present. Before the eyes of the astonished Russians, the Bukhara soldiers carefully shook their upside-down fellow soldiers by the legs, apparently to lure good luck.

Where you can talk on the phone for free using a military satellite

Cheerful Brazilians showed themselves not only as good dancers, but also as quite experienced pirates. One of them figured out that if the walkie-talkie could be improved, it would be possible to use US Navy military satellites for free calls. The cost of such a "refinement" is no more than $ 50, and you can save hundreds of times more on communications.

What and why are American paratroopers shouting, jumping from an airplane

Those who have had the opportunity to see how American paratroopers make jumps know that they do not do it in silence. No, the brave guys do not squeal and do not call their mother - a step out of the plane is marked by the cry of "Geronimo". Surprisingly, this is a very real character. That was the name of the Indian, who for many years haunted the American and Mexican armies in the United States. And now, wanting to gain the perseverance and courage of this man, the paratroopers make their jumps, shouting out the name of this brave man.

Which army dictates the coordinates of Santa Claus

In the middle of the 20th century, just before Christmas, a store in Colorado Springs decided to put on an advertising campaign and advertised in the newspaper with the phone number of Santa Claus. Either the compilers of the ad were inattentive, or the newspaper made a mistake, but a typo appeared in the text. Just one wrong number - and now hundreds of children are calling the local command center air defense. To the credit of the military, they did not hang up the phones or demand a retraction in the newspaper, but began to dictate to the children the coordinates of Santa, or rather, the place where he is now flying. This tradition continues to this day, and now the whole of December, children can find out where Santa is.

How Braille was Created

The famous dotted font for the blind was originally a military development from the time of Napoleon. It was intended to allow soldiers to exchange information without noise or illumination, but proved to be too difficult to learn. It wasn't until many years later that Braille simplified the type and made it readable. By that time, the military had no longer needed such technology, but it turned out to be very useful for visually impaired people.

Why is a sledgehammer in service with the Strategic Missile Forces

The harsh troops of the USSR surprised with their unexpected decisions. So, for example, when, during a check of one of the points of the missile troops, the commander was asked what he would do if the safe with the control panel did not open after three attempts, the military man replied that in this case he had a sledgehammer with which to knock down the lock. The inspectors were shocked, but appreciated the resourcefulness of the officer. Since then, the sledgehammer has been an indispensable tool at the Strategic Missile Forces command post.

Dogs and bees guard the world

Dogs in the armies of some countries of the world still play decisive role. For example, in Denmark there is a special patrol that controls the coast. The dog sled there is the only way movement, therefore, not only people, but also fluffy huskies are annually called up to serve in the Sirius squad.

By the way, Pentagon employees have gone even further, using bees for the benefit of their homeland. These insects are attracted to detect certain explosives, the smell of which is not able to perceive neither people nor dogs.

Why does the Bolivian Navy

Bolivia, which lost its part of the Pacific coast back in late XIX century, never came to terms with this loss. The country still officially has Navy, consisting, however, of small boats patrolling lakes and rivers. Moreover, the authorities of Bolivia did not calm down, and the idea to recapture the coast from Peru arises in society with enviable constancy.

Who is a sniper

The term "sniper" is of British origin. In English, a small snipe bird is called snipe. The camouflage coloration of its plumage, small size and complex flight paths made the snipe an extremely difficult prey. Those who managed to shoot the treasured bird from an ordinary flintlock gun were called snipers.

Boots of the Japanese army

An interesting way to combat theft was developed in Japanese army. To prevent theft of boots, they were divided into left and right pairs and stored separately in specially built warehouses. One of these warehouses with thousands of left boots still exists on the island of Kunashir.

Winged Colonel

Not only dogs received officer ranks during the course of hostilities. Carrier pigeon of England No. 888 received the rank of colonel for services to his homeland and participation in numerous important operations World War I. When the winged colonel died, he was buried with full honors.

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