Warblogging.com: War and Military History

The War in Iraq: The True Costs

The Iraq War began with the initial invasion spear-headed by the United States in the year 2003. A long, bloody conflict the war dragged on for years, but was officially declared over in December 2011. The eight years spent in Iraq exacted a huge toll though, and it’s one that is only now beginning to truly see the light of day.

The Financial Costs of The Iraq War

The Iraq War was fraught with problems that led to a massive bill. The expenditures on changing equipment for the army, the huge sums paid out to civilian contractors (many of which over-charged the government egregiously for their services), and the general costs of soldiers, gear, and upkeep was also adding up on top of everything else. President Bush originally predicted the war would cost between $100 billion and $200 billion dollars when he pitched the idea to Congress, and that cost was ridiculed as being overblown by some in the government at the time.

The final bill for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars has been added up to over $6 trillion, $2 trillion of which was borrowed in large part from foreign lenders. This was responsible for 20 percent of the increase in the U.S.’s debt between 2001 and 2012, and since that time the U.S. has paid over $260 billion in interest on those loans. This is a far cry from the president’s statements at the time that oil revenues would pay for the war effort, and then some. [Read more…]

World War I–How It Started

The beginning of the First World War marked a drastic change from the way people perceived battle, glory and the meaning of heroism. Until this point in history, men had headed into the battlefield with high-minded notions of making a name for themselves through battle, even if it meant death. “The Great War” changed all that. The nationalism and mechanized units of war made people question the underlying meaning of conflict and duty.

A History of Conflict

file3291282401419 Over the previous centuries, Europe had been in a relatively constant state of warfare. Regional divisions and alliances stretched back hundreds, even thousands, of years. One such schism had built up in the Austro-Hungarian Empire holding of Serbia. Serbian nationalists had long antagonized the empire and sought a separate Slavic state. Serb nationalists assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand on the 28th of June, 1914. This assassination would set off a chain of events throughout Europe and, eventually, the world.

Falling Dominoes

The initial Austro-Hungarian reaction was to deal directly with the Serbs, which brought Serbia’s Slavic brothers, the Russians, into the mix. Arguably, the first domino to fall was Germany, which sided with the Austro-Hungarians. The French declined to remain neutral in a conflict between Russia and Germany. [Read more…]

World War II – Why America Won

file000990625508 The suggestion that America won World War 2 has several flaws, though from an American perspective this is the reality. While it is true that American forces played a key role in the victories, what has to first be acknowledged is that America won two wars. The war against the Germans in Europe was the result of the participation of a number of other countries: Britain, France and Russia. However, in the war against the Japanese, America fought alone.

On the European theatre, Germany was a juggernaut, particularly in the air. The coordination of air and ground forces left opposing militaries virtually helpless. The United States, uninvolved in the War until its later stages, had established centralized government planning and strategic offices that would play a key role in the primary reason for its success. The establishment of the Industrial War College in the 1920’s laid the foundation for the development of military technology that would prove decisive in winning the war. [Read more…]

The Types of Modern Combat Knives Used in Historical Warfare

War has been around since the dawn of man it seems. Weapons and combat tactics have evolved from sticks and rocks to laser guided missiles and nuclear warheads. One type of weapon that’s always been around since the early days of warfare is the knife.

Almost every civilized military on the planet requires their troops to be equipped with standard issue military knives.

We are going to dive in head first and look at several of the different types of modern combat knives that have been used in the past and present day that have helped protect millions of people during warfare. There are many modern combat knives that were made specifically for the art of modern combat. Many knives like KA-BAR and Buck have been around for over a century.

Fixed blade knives, survival machetes, tactical knives and some of the newer models of survival knives that have been made in recent years are hands down the best options for a survival knife in today’s knife market in almost any era – and these are all just variations of classic types of knives that have been used for centuries.

You could argue that certain types of pocket knives could be the best in this category as well but most combat knives have traditionally been fixed blade knives due to the need for having them in direct combat. Let’s look at some of the more classic types of knives that we can credit in use during modern warfare over the last two centuries. [Read more…]

Modern Rifle Optics Used by LEOs, Military Personnel & Civilians

Rifle Optics As warfare technology has advanced, so has technology in the optics space. Because of this, certain branches of law enforcement, as well as the US Military have started equipping their rifles with aftermarket optics. Most modern LEOs and Military SWAT personnel are using AR-15s, which are tactical rifles on their missions and peacekeeping duties. The AR-15 is not a military or LEO only firearm, as it’s often been used or carried by civilians in different settings. In fact, recent unrest in the United States has caused many second amendment enthusiasts to start carrying guns more frequently, even at protests.

Improving Tactical Combat

With tactical rifles and firearms gaining steam, Optics sales have been surging too. Civilians, LEOs and Military Personnel have all been eager to chase the latest optic trends in order to improve the accuracy of their rifles. Most often, they are turning to tactical optics for their AR-15 rifles. Tactical optics can range from long range optics, red-dot optics, or even holographic sites like the Eotech.

Depending on the type of activity that these people see, there’s really no one-size fits all approach. Many people recommend that you have multiple optics, depending on your setup and budget. People facing longer range Personnel will often need something with magnification, whereas military personnel and law enforcement officers will more likely be close range.

[Read more…]

KA-BAR Becker BK2 vs. Buck 119 Special: Which Knife is Better?

Comparing the KA-BAR BK2 and the Buck 119 for your next fixed blade knife purchase? In this article, we compare these two knives, highlighting which we think is better, and why. We compare knife manufacturer history, blade steels, tang design, cost, and more. Let’s jump in and find out which of these we think should join you on your next outdoor excursion!

KA-BAR Brand History

KA-BAR Knives, Inc. is a well known and highly respected American knife manufacturer. Their roots actually lie in Sheffield, England which was, at one time, one of the most well known knife manufacturing centers in the world. However, due to the demand for quality cutlery in America at the time of KA-BAR’s formation, a group of 38 English knifemakers decided to leave their guilds and immigrate to America. They there settled in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and there formed a limited partnership which they named the Tridioute Cutlery Company.

With the formation, they had the intention of manufacturing and selling high quality cutlery on the American market and, this limited partnership is widely considered to be the origins of the present day KA-BAR Knives, Inc. Therefore, KA-BAR is one of the oldest American knife manufactures still in business today. They presently manufacture more than 100 high quality cutlery products and accessories which are sold through various distributors. They are also sold by many different independent retailers and mail order catalogs as well as through their online store.

Buck Brand History

In contrast, Buck Knives was started in 1902 by a young Kansas blacksmith name Hoyt Buck. At the time, he used worn out files as his raw material from which he handcrafted each of his custom knives. However, Hoyt was not completely happy with the performance of his blades. As a result, he started his quest to find a way to make his blades hold an edge longer led to the production of the first Buck Knife. As a result, Buck Knives became well known for their quality and craftsmanship.

The company continued to grow as demand for Buck Knives increased. Then, in 1947, Hoyt and his son Al decided to move to San Diego, California where they reestablished their knife company under the name H.H. Buck & Son. There they continued to supply the public with high quality knives. Then, in 1964, Al Buck used the skills that he had learned from his father to design and introduce the Buck model 110 Folding Hunter which revolutionized the production knife industry.

This knife eventually became one of the single most iconic lockback folding knives ever designed. Hoyt and Al Buck’s ingenuity and quality craftsmanship made Buck Knives one of the best known and most popular production knife companies in existence. This extended to their commitment of developing innovative new products by third and fourth generation Buck family members and continues today through their ongoing improvement of existing designs.

BK2 vs. 119 Knife Comparison

Therefore, both KA-BAR Knives and Buck Knives still have the reputation today among knowledgeable knife users of manufacturing high quality production knives and both the KA-BAR/Becker BK2 “Companion” and the Buck model 119 “Special” are prime examples of these two companies’ capabilities. However, although both knives are very popular models among avid outdoorsmen, they do drastically differ in both design and materials.

[Read more…]