Military animals are creatures that have been employed by humankind for use in warfare. They are a specific application of working animals. Generally these animals are domesticated creatures, such as the dog or horse; more exotic animals such as the elephant, pig, and even the spider have also seen use during wartime. Animals have even been awarded medals for their courage in battle. For other uses of War, see War (disambiguation). ... A working animal is an animal that doesnt live in the wild but is kept by humans, and often trained, to perform various tasks, regardless whether they are also used for consumption of meat and milk or for other produce such as leather etc. ... Domesticated animals, plants, and other organisms are those whose collective behavior, life cycle, or physiology has been altered as a result of their breeding and living conditions being under human control for multiple generations. ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris (Linnaeus, 1758) The dog is a canine mammal of the Order Carnivora that has been domesticated for at least 24,800 years and perhaps for as long as 150,000 years based on recent evidence. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The Horse (Equus caballus) is a sizeable ungulate mammal, one of the seven modern species of the genus Equus. ... Genera and Species Loxodonta Loxodonta cyclotis Loxodonta africana Elephas Elephas maximus Elephas recki † Stegodon † Mammuthus † Elephantidae (the elephants) is a family of animals, and the only remaining family in the order Proboscidea. ... Species Sus barbatus Sus bucculentus Sus cebifrons Sus celebensis Sus domesticus Sus heureni Sus philippensis Sus salvanius Sus scrofa Sus timoriensis Sus verrucosus Pigs are ungulates native to Eurasia collectively grouped under the genus Sus within the Suidae family. ... Suborders Araneomorphae Mesothelae Mygalomorphae See the taxonomy section for families Spiders are invertebrate animals that produce silk, have eight legs and no wings. ... A Medal can mean three things: a wearable medal awarded by a government for services to a country (such as Armed force service); strictly speaking this only refers to a medal of coin-like appearance, but informally the word also refers to an Order (decoration); a table medal awarded by...

Transport and hauling

The horse has been the most widely-used animal throughout the recorded history of warfare. Early mounts could be used to pull the chariot or to carry lightly armored skirmishing forces. With the appearance of heavier mounts and the invention of the stirrup, the horse-mounted cavalry became the dominant military arm in Europe for several centuries. The combination of the horse-mounted warrior armed with a bow made the Mongol army the most powerful military force of its time. Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The Horse (Equus caballus) is a sizeable ungulate mammal, one of the seven modern species of the genus Equus. ... Chariot was the name of a WW2 naval weapon, the British manned torpedo. ... See also the town of Battle, East Sussex, England Generally, a battle is an instance of combat between two or more parties wherein each group will seek to defeat the others. ... Haniwa horse statuette, complete with saddle and stirrups, 6th century, Kofun period, Japan. ... Italian cavalry officers practice their horsemanship in 1904 outside Rome. ... Europe forms the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Bow may mean: Bow (knot): A type of knot Bow (music): A device used to play string instruments Bow (ship): The foremost point of the hull of a ship or boat Bow (weapon): An archery weapon that uses elasticity to propel arrows Bow (human): Bowing is the act of lowering... Honorary guard of Mongolia. ...

With the appearance of modern ranged weapons and motorized vehicles, the use of the horse for military purposes fell into decline. However the horse was still used extensively by the German army during World War II for transporting supplies and equipment, including artillery. The U.S. Army also used pack horses during the war. Heer (   listen?) is the German word for army. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ... Historically, artillery refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ...

While elephants are not considered domesticable, they can be trained to serve as mounts, or for moving heavy loads. Sanskrit hymns record their use for military purposes as early as 1,100 B.C. A group of elephants were notably employed by Hannibal during the Punic Wars. They were employed as recently as World War II by both the Japanese and Allies. Elephants could perform the work of machines in locations where vehicles could not penetrate, so they found considerable use in the Burma theater. For more information on the military utilization of elephants, see war elephant. Genera and Species Loxodonta Loxodonta cyclotis Loxodonta africana Elephas Elephas maximus Proboscidea is an order including only one extant family, Elephantidae or the elephants, with three species: the Savannah Elephant and Forest Elephant (which were collectively known as the African Elephant), and the Asian Elephant (formerly known as the Indian... Domesticated animals, plants, and other organisms are those whose collective behavior, life cycle, or physiology has been altered as a result of their breeding and living conditions being under human control for multiple generations. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम्) is a classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... BC may stand for: Before Christ (see Anno Domini) : an abbreviation used to refer to a year before the beginning of the year count that starts with the supposed year of the birth of Jesus. ... Hannibals feat in crossing the Alps with war elephants passed into European legend: a fresco detail, 1510, Capitoline Museum, Rome Hannibal (from Punic, literally Baal is merciful to me, 247 BC – 182 BC) was a politician, statesman and considered one of the greatest military commanders of ancient Carthage, best... History -- Military History -- War The Punic Wars were a series of three wars fought between Rome and the Phoenician city of Carthage. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ... The group of countries known as the Allies of World War II came together as World War II unfolded and progressed. ... Indian war elephant, relief at Mathura, 2nd century BC War elephants were important, although not widespread, weapons in ancient military history. ...

Other

• Camels have typically seen use as mounts in arid regions. They are better able to traverse sandy deserts than horses, and require far less water. Camels were employed in both world wars.

• Mules were used by the U.S. Army during World War II to carry supplies and equipment over difficult terrain. These pack animals that are innately patient, cautious, and hardy; mules could carry heavy loads of supplies where Jeeps and even pack horses could not travel. Mules were used in North Africa, Burma, the Philippines, and in Italy.

• During the Second World War, over 100,000 reindeer were used by Finland to tow sleds. They were employed during raids, for carrying wounded to hospitals, and for bringing supplies to the troops.

• Oxen have occasionally been used in war as improvised beasts of burden.

Species Camelus bactrianus Camelus dromedarius A camel is either of the two species of large even-toed ungulate in the genus Camelus, the Dromedary (Single hump) and the Bactrian Camel (Double hump). ... A dune in the Egyptian desert In geography, a desert is a landscape form or region that receives little precipitation. ... There have been two World Wars, now more commonly known as World War I or First World War (from 1914 to 1918), and World War II or Second World War (from 1939 to 1945). ... For other uses of the word mule, see mule (disambiguation). ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ... Bold textJEEPS RULE!!!!!! ... North Africa is a region generally considered to include: Algeria Egypt Libya Mauritania Morocco Sudan Tunisia Western Sahara The Azores, Canary Islands, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Madeira are sometimes considered to be a part of North Africa. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Binomial name Rangifer tarandus (Linnaeus, 1758) The reindeer, known as caribou in North America, is an Arctic and Subarctic-dwelling deer (Rangifer tarandus). ... A sled, sledge or sleigh is a vehicle with runners for sliding instead of wheels for rolling. ... A hospital today is an institution for professional health care provided by physicians and nurses. ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ...

Communications

Homing pigeons have seen use since the time of the French Revolution for carrying messages. They were employed for a similar purpose during the first world war. In WWII, experiments were performed in the use of the pigeon for guiding missiles. The pigeon was placed inside so that they could see out through a window. They were trained to peck at controls to the left or right, depending on the location of a target shape. See also: War pigeon. The homing pigeon is a variety of domesticated Rock Dove (Columba livia) that has been selectively bred to be able to find its way home over extremely long distances. ... During the French Revolution (1789-1799) democracy and republicanism replaced the absolute monarchy in France, and the French sector of the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. ... Pigeons have played an important role in wars for a long time. ...

Other specialized functions

Dogs were used by the ancient Greeks for war purposes, and they were undoubtedly used much earlier in history. During their conquest of Latin America, conquistadores used Mastiffs to kill indian warriors in the Caribbean, Mexico and Peru. More recently, canines with explosives strapped to their backs saw use during World War II in the Soviet Army as anti-tank weapons. In other armies, they were used for detecting mines. They were trained to spot trip wires, as well as mines and other booby traps. They were also employed for sentry duty, and to spot snipers or hidden enemy forces. Some dogs also saw use as messengers. Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris (Linnaeus, 1758) The dog is a canine mammal of the Order Carnivora that has been domesticated for at least 24,800 years and perhaps for as long as 150,000 years based on recent evidence. ... Ancient Greece is the term used to describe the Greek-speaking world in ancient times. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... Conquistador (meaning Conqueror in the Spanish language) is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under Spanish rule between the 15th and 17th centuries. ... Mastiffs are a group of large, solidly built breeds of dogs typically with heavy bones, pendant ears, a relatively short and well-muscled neck, and a short muzzle. ... ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ... This article is about the armed forces of the Soviet Union. ... An anti-tank dog and tank Anti-tank dogs, also known as dog mines, are dogs with explosives harnessed to their back, trained to run under enemy tanks. ...

Beginning in the Cold War era, research has been done into the uses of many species of marine mammals for military purposes. The U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program uses dolphins and sea lions for underwater sentry duty, mine clearance, and object recovery. On land, the Gambian giant pouched rat has been used with considerable success in demining, as its keen sense of smell helps in the identification of explosives and its small size prevents it from triggering mines. For the generic term for a high-tension struggle between countries, see cold war (war). ... A marine mammal is a mammal that is primarily ocean-dwelling or depends on the ocean for its food. ... The U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program (NMMP) is a program within the U.S. Navy that studies and trains marine mammals â€” principally Bottlenose Dolphins and California Sea Lions â€” for military activities, such as ship protection, mine clearance, and equipment recovery. ... Genera See article below. ... Genera Eumetopias Zalophus Otaria Neophoca Phocarctos A sea lion is any of several marine mammals of the family Otariidae. ... Binomial name Cricetomys gambianus Waterhouse, 1840 The Gambian pouch rat, Cricetomys gambianus, also known as the African Giant Pouch rat, is a nocturnal pouched rat native to Africa. ... Hydrema mine clearing vehicle Demining is the process of removing landmines or naval mines from an area, which is usually done to enable military action in that area or for humanitarian reasons, as old minefields represent an important hazard to civilians. ... This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ... A landmine is a type of mine which is placed onto or into the ground and explodes when triggered by a vehicle or person. ...

Pliny the Elder wrote about the use of pigs against elephants. As he relates it, elephants became scared by the squeal of a pig and would panic, bringing disaster to any soldiers who stood in their path of flight. Pliny the Elder: an imaginative 19c portrait. ... Binomial name Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758 The domestic pig is usually given the scientific name Sus scrofa, though some authors call it , reserving for the wild boar. ...

During the Second World War, spiders were employed by the Allies to spin silk for use in cross-hairs on bomb scopes and other optical instruments. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Suborders Araneomorphae Mesothelae Mygalomorphae See the taxonomy section for families Spiders are invertebrate animals that produce silk, have eight legs and no wings. ... A spider web made by a linyphid spider Spider silk is a fibre secreted by spiders. ... A telescopic sight, commonly referred to as a scope, is a device used to give an accurate point of aim for a firearm. ...

Against citizens

Animals have also been used by military, paramilitary, and police forces against civilian populations. German Shepherds were used in slave labor camps in the Soviet Gulag, as documented by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in The Gulag Archipelago. Similarly, police dogs were used to attack people during the Civil Rights Movement in the USA in the 1960s. A paramilitary organization is a group of civilians trained and organized in a military fashion. ... A civilian is a person who is not a member of a military. ... Country of origin Germany Classification and breed standards The German Shepherd Dog (known also as the Alsatian or Schäfer(hund)) is an intelligent breed of dog. ... State motto (Russian): Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Transliterated: Proletarii vsekh stran, soedinyaytes!) (Translated: Workers of the world, unite!) Capital Moscow Official language None; Russian (de facto) Government Federation of Socialist republics/ Communist state Area  - Total  - % water Largest on the planet 22,402,200 km² ?% Population  - Total  - Density 3rd before collapse 293,047,571 (July... GULAG (Russian: Glavonoye Upravleniye Lagerey, Main Camp Administration) was the branch of the Soviet secret police (the NKVD and later on the KGB) that dealt with concentration camps. ... Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn (Russian: ), born December 11, 1918, in Kislovodsk, Russia, is a novelist and winner of the 1970 Nobel Prize for Literature. ... The Gulag Archipelago The Gulag Archipelago, probably the most powerful and accurate account of the Soviet prison system, is a three volume series written by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn based on extensive research, as well as his own experiences as a prisoner in the Gulag. ... Belgian Malinois as K-9 unit A police dog is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and similar law-enforcement personnel with their work. ... Civil Rights Movement in the United States, political, legal, and social struggle to gain full citizenship rights for African American and to achieve racial equality. ... The 1960s in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1960 and 1969, but the expression has taken on a wider meaning over the past twenty years. ...

Additional reading

• Jilly Cooper, Animals In War, The Lyons Press, 2002, ISBN 1585747297.

2002 (MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• War elephant
• War Dogs
• Other Animals Who Served