Whats the Best Overall Army in the World?

[danzig]

I did not bias my stats at all. If there had been a WMD category, I'm sure the US would be higher up. But I'm concentrating on the soldier and his equipment here, not the general power, where I'm sure the US would be higher. Also note, Germany and Britain are TIED on my test. If I had been biased, Germany would be way out front. And, find someone who has been a German regular soldier. All the people I know say they drill you into the ground. Also, I am not saying the Americans are poorly trained. American soldiers are not badly trained, just not trained on average by the average standards of the above mentioned armies. Also, remember that technology includes the operating of the technology, and now efficient and how well used it is.

The problem is alot of your stats are simply your opinion plus all the training in the world doesnt equal real world experience in combat something the Brits, US and Israel all have on a level Germany simply doesnt. What do you think American training is vacation time? What Im amazed at is you leave the French off the list who imo are superior to Germans (and see I didnt even toss in a French joke!).

Germany's troops have good morale because it hasn't lost a war since WW2...now, this may be because they haven't foguht a major war 'till 1999 (Serbia) or 2001 (Afghanistan- yes they did participate in that.)....but, eh.

Well I suppose that is one way of looking at, an entirely bizarre and twisted way but that is beside the point.

[Polemides]

I almost did that. I was gonna head out to Parris Island. After a summer and a few months of training I was going to attend the citadel in the following spring. But then I met my woman and I had to decide between the two, I think it was 3 years active and 4 reserve or my better half. So I picked her, but I keep going back and fourth, I almost settled for dogface in ROTC at Florida state, but I wouldn't accomplish nearly as much as I could and would with the citadel backing. Goodluck, the guys at the citadel told me it's not bad, atleast after the first month or so. Until then, it'll be rough.

Thanks for the encouraging words. I realize that this is going to be the hardest thing I've had to do in my life, but I gotta do something with my life, and a nine to five job isn't for me. I'm not officer material since I'm 10E (high school dropout with a GED). I'm not necessarily dumb, I just made bad choices when I was a punk teenager. Hell, I got a 91 on my ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) out of a possible 99 (for those who don't know), so I could do any job in the Corps other than being a linguist, since I don't speak another language. My recruiter seemed a bit dismayed when I doggedly stuck to my plan of being infantry after he saw my test scores.

Anyway, I'm getting pretty off topic with the story of my life, so I'll stop.

My pick is of course the United States armed forces with the addendum that the Marines are the best.

[ErikinWest]

India's army is the second largest troop donator to the UN forces. Their army is rapidly advancing in technology and training. Also they make their own tanks, planes, and small arms. Go India!

Erik

[1{H][NA]

US has the most versatile and advanced army in the world. US looses wars not cuz of their troops, but because of the beauracrats and politicians back home. Few realize that tactically, the US most won most of their engagements in the Vietnam War.

[Hiroki]

Hrm, technically the USA has never lost a war. They do not consider Vietnam a loss, rather than a "tie". Same with Korea. I'm not sure if I agree with Vietnam be a "tie", though Korea could certainly be called one.

[Rapax]

Few realize that tactically, the US most won most of their engagements in the Vietnam War.

Everybody realizes that, but in the end it doesn't matter since the vietnamese had the longer breath and that'll always be the problem with americas little interventions.

[Marcus Scaurus]

Dang, no supporters of the IDF over here?

[Major König]

No matter what you say, the US army has the advantage of sufficient numbers and overwhelming technology. No other army really has the same lethal combination. CHina can't compare with our technology, Israel cannot compare with out numbers,etc.

[Bwaho]

I find it funny people think the Average American Infantryman is not that well trained. They spend 8 weeks in basic training and then depending on their role, they will advance onto to more combat training that adds up to 14-16 weeks of just training. Which is a lot.

Basic training here (sweden) is 3 months, and then 7 or more months for the assigned role (officer training is longer).

Anywhoo, USA has the best overall army. They have good technology, good training, experience and a huge Navy.

[nicoviard]

An other useless topic...
If the purpose is to show national pride or gloat about it, i see no point in all this...
But lets try to be objective, shall we?

It is clear the US army is far ahead anyone else since the USA are the most important economy and spend more for the military than all the other G8 nations alltogether.
Other important factors are tech capabilities, demographic potential and need.
For example, Israel can't afford not giving its army special attention since most of the countries around are hostile.

So having a great army demands several key factors:
1 Money
2 Big population
3 technological know-how
4 industrial capacities
5 will and need
6 Special cases of Japan and Germany

Only the US match all those categories.
The rest always lack at least one or two of these factors.
China lacks 1-3 and 4. for now.
European nations lack 2-5.
Israel depends on the US so count as such. :original:
Russia desperately lacks 1...
Some only have 2 (Brasil, India...).
Lots only have 5... and spend almost all the 1 they got in order to get 3 and 4...

[Rapax]

China lacks 1-3 and 4. for now.

I'm sure that's supposed to be 1 and 3 and 4.
And what are the special cases for germany and japan?

[nicoviard]

Japan and Germany still have to face military limitations after WWII peace treaties.
Armies limited to 300 000 + no nuclear weapons.
Needless to say they could afford much more powerful armies.
Japan may soon break those treaties cause of the N-Korean and Chinese threats.

[fallingstar]

I'm sure that's supposed to be 1 and 3 and 4.
And what are the special cases for germany and japan?

No 1-2

Special cases are very easy german and japan have a lot of limits towards their military unless these limits are put down then they will have possibly more better military might, can possibly be better than US.

[Alexander Beats Hannibal]

Basic training here (sweden) is 3 months, and then 7 or more months for the assigned role (officer training is longer).

Every American soldier is professional. Most Europeans are just conscripts. Basing training time means nothing when Americans are in service for years at a time, get access to top of the line simulators, and carry out exercises frequently. Not to mention America spends more per soldier than any other nation on the planet. We out spend something like the top 40 nations.

[SovietDoom]

Americas economy is bigger than both their economies combined......

Plus, they don't have the will or need in Germany's case, or only the will in Japan's case.

[Alexander Beats Hannibal]

Plus, they don't have the will or need in Germany's case, or only the will in Japan's case.

Japan's military is building itself back up to be quite a respectable force, and America is completely for it. Japan has the economy, and probably the permission, to buy even the best of American equipment. I do recall hearing rumors of Japan purchasing F-22's. Probably won't happen, but such a thing isn't impossible. Something like that coming from credible sources also shows the will of the Japanese to rebuild their forces.

I would say Japan has the ability right now to be the second most potent war machine on the planet, behind just America's. They could keep a military of a million men with their economy rather easily. It would be nearly as well equipped and trained as that of America's.

[Bwaho]

I would say Japan has the ability right now to be the second most potent war machine on the planet, behind just America's. They could keep a military of a million men with their economy rather easily. It would be nearly as well equipped and trained as that of America's.

Japan has potential to become a respectable military force (they have technology, a population of 120 million people, strong nationalism). Maybe USA will lift some of the restrictions on Japanese army in the future when China is getting stronger.

[Alexander Beats Hannibal]

The restrictions are not there from America, but from the Japanese themselves at this point. It is written into the Japanese constitution. They have already begun to change their doctrine, and developing the ability to strike farther. The very fact they deployed troops to Iraq shows a changing atmosphere.

[Rapax]

Japan and Germany still have to face military limitations after WWII peace treaties.
Armies limited to 300 000 + no nuclear weapons.

Personally I have never heard that the armies were limited in size, you have a source?
Also the german army is in a process of decreasing size, not expanding, meaning, it would not change even if there were no restrictions at all. The german army is still one of the largest in europe by the way.
They also got some of the most advanced non-nuclear subs thanks to this treaty.

Every American soldier is professional. Most Europeans are just conscripts. Basing training time means nothing when Americans are in service for years at a time, get access to top of the line simulators, and carry out exercises frequently. Not to mention America spends more per soldier than any other nation on the planet. We out spend something like the top 40 nations.

Germany is one of the few european nations that still employs conscripts, therefor "most europeans" seems a little off. Also, America spends more on its military than any other nation, that money doesn't all go to the soldier but a lot of next generation equipment. If they were to spend that much on soldiers, I'm sure there wouldn't have been body armor shortages and other such niceties in Iraq.

[barbarion horde]

I thought they changed the U.S Army Basic training to 12 weeks or am I mistaken