A military or An Army are groups of people who are leveraged with the responsibility to protect the common people of a nation and have the right to take lethal actions against perceived threats.
Given the safety and risk of an entire nation depend on their actions, they are carefully selected people who are highly trained before being deployed to the field.
Key Takeaways
- The military is a broader term encompassing a nation’s entire armed forces, including the army, navy, air force, and other specialized units.
- The army is a specific military branch responsible for conducting land-based operations and defending a country’s territorial borders.
- While both terms relate to a nation’s defense, the military refers to the collective armed forces, whereas the army is a distinct component within the military structure.
Military vs. Army
The military includes various forces including the army, navy, air force, etc. They safeguard the country on land, seas, and air. It is used to maintain law and order. The Army is a part of the military responsible for the security of the country and performs different land-based operations.
The military and Army differ in size since the army is a part of the military, whereas the military is all forces that safeguard a country combined.
The military has several ranks respective to the navy, air force, and troops on land, whereas Army, which operates only on land, has limited ranks.
The main ranks in an Army are Lieutenant General, Major General, Brigadier General, Colonel, Major, etc.
The military includes ranks such as Midshipman, Commander, Rear Admiral, and Admiral from the navy, and Air Chief Marshal, Air Marshal, and Wing Commander from the air force, besides the one from Army.
Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | Military | Army |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Larger than an Army | The army is a part of the military, thus, small than the later |
| Includes | Military involves land, air, and navy forces | The army is limited to the land |
| Operation area | Operates on International borders | Operates both on international and national borders |
| Ranks | Midshipman, Commander, Rear Admiral, and Admiral from the Navy, and Air Chief Marshal, Air Marshal, and Wing Commander from the air force besides the one from Army | Lieutenant General, Major General, Brigadier General, Colonel, etc. |
| Political Influence | Controlled by the central government and Politicians | Has less influence from politicians |
What is Military?
A military is a large unit of armed forces that is charged with the responsibility of protecting the country from all threats and attacks that are posed internationally or within the nation.
The Government also uses it to regulate law and order among the country’s people.
The word military was derived from the Latin word “militaris,” which meant soldiers.
They were named so because they are authorized to carry lethal weapons and use them when ordered and required primarily to retaliate to any threats posed to the country.
Militaries have their subculture with separate hospitals, schools, shopping complexes, and other facilities.
The military being extremely disciplined and trained, is always bound by orders from the higher ranks.
The military includes ranks such as Midshipman, Commander, Rear Admiral, and Admiral from the navy, and Air Chief Marshal, Air Marshal, and Wing Commander from the air force, besides the one from Army.
The military may be used as a noun to denote the armed forces under the government or to refer to the higher-ranking officers in command. As an adjective, it may denote anyone involved with the military organizations of the country.
What is Army?
The army is part of the military that operates on land and is limited to protection from enemies on land.
They are also highly trained and carefully chosen since they are leveraged with the duty to protect the citizens from all foreign threats that operate through the land.
Army also includes forces like paramilitary and field army, excluded from the military. They may also have an exclusive aviation unit that operates to work only for the land forces.
These forces are armed, but their operation is strictly controlled by laws and regulations set by the government.
An army may also include irregular armies not bound by any laws and doctrines and can be privately owned by organizations such as those that provide personal bodyguards.
However, several non-statutory forces may exist, such as the Guerilla and revolutionary armies.
The word Army is derived from “Armata,” Latin for Armed Forces. Whichever army it may refer to, an army is always land-based. The largest army is the People’s Liberation Army or PLA from China, followed by the Indian Army.
Main Differences Between Military and Army
- The main difference between a military and an army is that the military is a combined force involving land, air, and navy forces. In contrast, an army is a group of people limited to the land.
- The military and Army differ in size since the army is a part of the military, whereas the military is all forces that safeguard a country combined.
- The military has several ranks respective to the navy, air force, and troops on land, whereas Army, which operates only on land, has limited ranks.
- The word military was derived from the Latin word “militaris,” meaning soldiers, whereas the word Army is derived from the word “Armata,” Latin for Armed forces.
- Army also includes forces like paramilitary and field army, excluded from the military.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1047279705001109
- https://muse.jhu.edu/article/447081/summary
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