Defense World's - Fact of the Day

Virendra

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Folks, I am starting this thread to post and discuss Defense-military facts everday.
We can share historical battle facts, benchmark inventions and the most interesting procedural intricacies of various forces/bodies in action all around the world.
I hope that it will help us improve our Defense-Military general knowledge.
We can discuss as much as we'd want, but please post only one "Fact of the Day" per day to maintain consistency and decorum.

Here's my inaugural autograph ;)
The shortest war in history was between Zanzibar and England in 1896. Zanzibar surrendered after 38 minutes.

Regards,
Virendra
 

Zebra

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Top 3 - Shortest War .....

1. Anglo-Zanzibar War

Year Fought:
1896
Between: British Empire vs Zanzibar
Outcome: British victory




2. Six- Day War

6 days
Year Fought:
1967
Between: Israel vs Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq
Outcome: Israeli victory






3. Indo-Pakistani War

13 days
Year Fought:
1971
Between: India vs Pakistan
Outcome: Bangladesh becomes an independent state

 
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W.G.Ewald

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The Anglo-Zanzibar War was fought between the United Kingdom and Zanzibar on 27 August 1896. The conflict lasted 38 minutes[SUP][nb 1][/SUP] and is the shortest war in history.[SUP][7][/SUP] The immediate cause of the war was the death of the pro-British Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini on 25 August 1896 and the subsequent succession of Sultan Khalid bin Barghash. The British authorities preferred Hamud bin Muhammed, who was more favourable to British interests, as sultan. In accordance with a treaty signed in 1886, a condition for accession to the sultanate was that the candidate obtain the permission of the British consul, and Khalid had not fulfilled this requirement. The British considered this a casus belli and sent an ultimatum to Khalid demanding that he order his forces to stand down and leave the palace. In response, Khalid called up his palace guard and barricaded himself inside the palace.

The ultimatum expired at 09:00 East Africa Time (EAT) on 27 August, by which time the British had gathered three cruisers, two gunships, 150 marines and sailors, and 900 Zanzibaris in the harbour area. The Royal Navy contingent were under the command of Rear Admiral Harry Rawson whilst their Zanzibaris were commanded by Brigadier-General Lloyd Mathews of the Zanzibar army. Around 2,800 Zanzibaris defended the palace; most were recruited from the civilian population, but they also included the sultan's palace guard and several hundred of his servants and slaves. The defenders had several artillery pieces and machine guns which were set in front of the palace sighted at the British ships. A bombardment which was opened at 09:02 set the palace on fire and disabled the defending artillery. A small naval action took place with the British sinking a Zanzibari royal yacht and two smaller vessels, and some shots were fired ineffectually at the pro-British Zanzibari troops as they approached the palace. The flag at the palace was shot down and fire ceased at 09:40.
Anglo-Zanzibar War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

H.A.

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Good initiative Virendra. I hope this thread is updated regularly and is made a sticky...
 

Virendra

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Fact of the Day
The term "Sniper" is derived from "Snipe", which is a Eurasian bird that was difficult to hunt.
The term dates back to the 18th century (1770s) among soldiers in British India where a hunter skilled enough to kill the elusive snipe was dubbed a
"sniper". This term was first attested in 1824 in the sense of the word "sharpshooter".

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Virendra
 

Virendra

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Fact of the Day
Blitzkrieg: was the name given to the fast, violent and intensive German military offensive of World War II including bombing via aerial attacks.
It is also called the 'lightning war'. Heinz Guderian was arguably the first to fully develop and advocate the principles associated with blitzkrieg.
Like in most cases of important discoveries/inventions, Guderian was initially laughed at and his theories discarded.
The Blitzkrieg warring method involved all motorised force concentration of military hardware.which moves overwhelmingly and at high speed.
It was used by the Germans to surprise and swiftly break through the enemy defense lines.
The origin and strategic/doctrinic intent of Blitzkrieg is still debated.

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Virendra
 

W.G.Ewald

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Seems like we have lots of Sitzkrieg in the world today.
 

bengalraider

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Continuing with the next defense fact(it's sad that no one posted anything in the last 13 days., myself included)

Simo Häyhä (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈsimÉ” ˈhæy̯hæ]) (December 17, 1905 – April 1, 2002), nicknamed "White Death" (Russian: Белая смерть, Belaya Smert; Finnish: valkoinen kuolema; Swedish: den vita döden) by the Red Army, was a Finnish sniper. Using a modified Mosin–Nagant in the Winter War, he has the highest recorded number of confirmed sniper kills – 505 – in any major war.



Simo Häyhä - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

Ray

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The rank of field marshal was used by some countries as the highest rank, while in other countries it was used as a divisional or brigade rank. Many countries (notably pre-revolutionary France and eventually much of Latin America) actually used two brigade command ranks, which is why some countries now use two stars as their brigade general insignia. (Mexico and Argentina still use two brigade command ranks.)

In some nations (particularly in the Commonwealth), the equivalent to brigadier general is brigadier, which is not always considered by these armies to be a general officer rank, although it is always treated as equivalent to the rank of brigadier general for comparative purposes. Unlike other general officers, the brigadier general rank is not derived from a field rank of brigadier.

The rank of major general is a shorter form of sergeant major general, and is lower than lieutenant general as a lieutenant outranks a sergeant major, although outranked by a major.

Wiki
 

Ray

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Field marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.

Some nations use the title of marshal instead, while some have used field marshal general. The Air Force equivalent in the Commonwealth and many Middle Eastern air forces is marshal of the air force (not to be confused with air marshal). The corresponding naval ranks are normally fleet admiral, grand admiral or admiral of the fleet.

Traditionally, upon their promotion, field marshals are awarded a decorative baton as a symbol of their rank. The baton is often studded with jewels and inlaid with precious metals. In many countries like Austria-Hungary, Prussia and Germany, extraordinary military achievement by a general (a wartime victory) is required for a field marshal.

Historically, however, several armies used field marshal as a divisional command rank, notably Spain and Mexico (Spanish: mariscal de campo). In France, Portugal and Brazil (French: maréchal de camp, Portuguese marechal de campo) it was formerly a brigade command rank.

Wiki
 

Armand2REP

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Top 3 - Shortest War .....

1. Anglo-Zanzibar War

Year Fought:
1896
Between: British Empire vs Zanzibar
Outcome: British victory




2. Six- Day War

6 days
Year Fought:
1967
Between: Israel vs Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq
Outcome: Israeli victory






3. Indo-Pakistani War

13 days
Year Fought:
1971
Between: India vs Pakistan
Outcome: Bangladesh becomes an independent state]


You have to bump that last one, Russia beat Georgia in 6 days. There are so many operations that last less than a week but aren't called wars it would put Zanzibar in that category.
 

utubekhiladi

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In history, till today,

it is Indian Air-Force who draw the last blood for the legendary Mig-21 fighter and Mig family in the entire world. remember Atlantique Incident ??? since then Mig-21's were never engaged in action in any part of the world. it is also the last kill of the MIG family in the entire world.

India Airforce was the largest operator of Mig-21 outside russia.
 

Virendra

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Continuing with the next defense fact(it's sad that no one posted anything in the last 13 days., myself included)

Simo Häyhä (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈsimÉ” ˈhæy̯hæ]) (December 17, 1905 – April 1, 2002), nicknamed "White Death" (Russian: Белая смерть, Belaya Smert; Finnish: valkoinen kuolema; Swedish: den vita döden) by the Red Army, was a Finnish sniper. Using a modified Mosin–Nagant in the Winter War, he has the highest recorded number of confirmed sniper kills – 505 – in any major war.
Holy hell .. devil's hand incarnate. 505 killed !!
God, never put me in even miles around a sniper :yield:
 

Virendra

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Fact of the day - First Recipient of Param Vir Chakra, the highest military decoration in India:

Major Som Nath Sharma was the first recipient of Param Vir Chakra (PVC). Param Vir Chakra is the highest Indian gallantry award. Major Somnath Sharma was awarded PVC for his bravery in Badgam, Kashmir in November 1947 while fighting Pakistani invaders.

Major Somnath Sharma, was born on 31 January 1923, in Himachal Pradesh. He was commissioned in the Kumaon Regiment on 22 February 1942. On 22 October 1947, Pakistan launched the tribal invasion of Jammu & Kashmir. The intention was to grab the Kashmir valley by force. To save the State from a tribal invasion, India dispatched troops to Srinagar.

On 3 November 1947, Major Somnath Sharma's company was ordered on a fighting patrol to Badgam Village in the Kashmir Valley. He was soon surrounded by the enemy from three sides and his company sustained heavy casualties from the ensuing artillery bombardment. He realized the importance of holding onto his position as both the city of Srinagar and the airport would be vulnerable if it were lost. Under heavy fire and outnumbered seven to one, Major Somnath Sharma and his troops fought till last blood and halted the advance of Pakistani invaders for a few crucial hours till Indian reinforcements arrived.

Regards,
Virendra
 

Ray

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Sveltyana Savistskaya was the second woman in space. In August 1982, she and her crew mates docled with the Salyut 7 space station. The crew of the Salyut 7 had been in orbit for months. They eagerly greeted Savitskaya and presented her an apron. Pointing to the galley they said, "Good! Now you can cook for us."
 

Ray

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John Travolta is a qualified 747 First Officer flying for Quantas airlines. He was also the first non-test pilot to fly the Airbus380.
 

Ray

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Major George Welch (USAF) was the first pilot to break the sound barrier. Welch was the chief test pilot of the F-86 and completed the flight at Muroc AFB, California on October 1st, 1949. He went supersonic a second time on October 14th, about thirty minutes before Chuck Yeager flew the X-1 through the sound barrier.
 

Ray

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n Honor of the 40th anniversary of the flight of Apollo 11, the First Moon Landing, we humbly offer the following:

The only watch worn on the Moon as an Omega.

The Apollo 12 Lunar EVA checklists featured pictures from Playboy magazineSee check list here.

The lives of Armstrong and Aldrin were saved when Aldrin used his pen to reset the Ascent Engine circuit breaker. It was a Fisher Model AG7E.

Fisher Pens spent $2 million to develop a pen that would work in zero gravity. The Soviets used a pencil.See proof here.

Dr. Eugene Shoemaker, the person who trained the Apollo astronauts in Lunar geology has his remains interned on the moon.

The only person to have golfed on the Moon was Commander Allen Sheppard. He sliced a six iron.

 
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Virendra

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Pointing to the galley they said, "Good! Now you can cook for us."
:pound: :pound:

Fact of the day - BumbleBee and F-117
The Lockheed's F-117 aircraft of US Air Force uses the aerodynamics discovered during the research into how bumblebees fly.
Interestingly, the F-117 is a 'ground attack' aircraft which renders its 'F' designation misleading.


Regards,
Virendra
 

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