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An 'army' (from Latin ''armata'' "act of arming" via Old French ''armée'') is the land-based armed forces of a nation. It may also include other branches of the military such as an air force.
In several countries the army is officially called the 'Land Army' to differentiate it from an air force called the Air Army, notably France. In such countries, the word "army" on its own retains its connotation of a land force in common usage.

Within a national army, "army" can also refer to a large formation, usually comprising one or more corps.

Contents

Other Uses

Field Army

Formations

See also

Other Uses

Army is also often used in the description or title of military or paramilitary organizations which are not part of a country's official armed forces (and may well be illegal), such as the Irish Republican Army, and also in some non-military organizations organized on a quasi-military basis, such as the Salvation Army and the Church Army.

Field Army

A Field Army is composed of a headquarters, army troops, a variable number of corps, and a variable number of divisions. A battle is influenced at the Field Army level by transferring divisions and reinforcements from one corps to another to increase the pressure on the enemy at a critical point. Armies are controlled by a General or Lieutenant General.

Formations

A particular army can be named or numbered to distinguish it from military land forces in general. For example, the First United States Army and the Army of Northern Virginia. In the British Army it is normal to spell out the ordinal number of an army (e.g. First Army), whereas lower formations use figures (e.g. 1st Division).
Armies (as well as army groups and theaters) are large formations which vary significantly between armed forces in size, composition, and scope of responsibility.
In the Soviet Red Army, "armies" were actually corps-sized formations, subordinate to an army-sized "front" in wartime. In peacetime, a Soviet army was usually subordinate to a military district.
For the hierarchy of land force organizations, see military organization.

See also

★ Military unit

★ War

★ Military history

★ Militia

★ Mercenary

★ List of armies

★ List of armies by country

★ List of armies by number

★ List of countries by size of armed forces

★ List of countries by number of active troops

★ List of countries by number of total troops