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Shalikashvili, John Malchase David

(Encyclopedia)Shalikashvili, John Malchase David shälēˌkäshvēˈlē [key], 1936–2011, U.S. army general, b. Poland. Drafted into the army, he became a commissioned officer in 1959, served in Vietnam (1968–6...

shield, armor

(Encyclopedia)shield, piece of defensive armor, worn on the arm or shoulder to ward off weapons during combat, used prior to the dominance of gunpowder. Originally for individual defense during hand-to-hand combat,...

buffalo soldiers

(Encyclopedia)buffalo soldiers, name given to the African-American U.S. army regiments commissioned by Congress to patrol the American West after the Civil War. Consisting of two infantry and two cavalry regiments,...

Suleiman, Michel

(Encyclopedia)Suleiman or Sleiman, Michel mēshĕlˈ so͞olāmänˈ, slāˈmän [key], 1948–, Lebanese army officer, president of Lebanon (2008–14). He joined the army in 1967, graduated from Lebanon's military...

phalanx

(Encyclopedia)phalanx, ancient Greek formation of infantry. The soldiers were arrayed in rows (8 or 16), with arms at the ready, making a solid block that could sweep bristling through the more dispersed ranks of t...

Hagel, Chuck

(Encyclopedia)Hagel, Chuck (Charles Timothy Hagel), 1946–, U.S. politician and government official, b. North Platte, Nebr. He served (1967–68) in the infantry in the Vietnam War, receiving several decorations. ...

Maha Vajiralongkorn

(Encyclopedia)Maha Vajiralongkorn (Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun), 1952–, king of Thailand (2016–). He attended school in Australia, where he graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, a...

bazooka

(Encyclopedia)bazooka, in warfare, portable, lightweight metal tube from which rockets are launched, usually operated by two men. It is used by infantry as an antitank weapon and also for attacking pillboxes and bu...

Davis, Benjamin Oliver, Jr.

(Encyclopedia)Davis, Benjamin Oliver, Jr., 1912–2002, American air force general, b. Washington, D.C.; son of Benjamin Oliver Davis. After studying at Western Reserve and Chicago universities, he attended West Po...

Gordon, John Brown

(Encyclopedia)Gordon, John Brown, 1832–1904, U.S. public official and Confederate general, b. Upson co., Ga. Gordon began his Civil War service as an infantry captain and so distinguished himself through four yea...

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