The most numerous armies in history. What are the largest and most powerful armies in the world?

The troops are considered an important part of the country and its security. Every year, large funds are allocated from budgets for the maintenance and modernization of weapons, training and maintenance of soldiers, and much more. Countries are also taking special initiatives to strengthen themselves militarily.

Hypothetically, it is impossible to compare the armies of different countries of the world and find out which of them is the strongest. However, without leading to carnage, we will try to get an idea of the military power of countries, taking into account: the arsenal at their disposal; implementation of advanced technologies; military combat skills of soldiers; power and number of allies; army size; allocated budget for maintaining troops, etc.

Let's look at the TOP 10 countries with the most powerful armies in the world.

The most powerful armies in the world

10. Japan

Japan - samurai, which was the leading force during World War II. Interestingly, according to the peace treaty that was signed after the end of World War II, Japan is prohibited from having an offensive army. In response to growing controversy over China's expanding military power, Japan has begun military expansion for the first time in 40 years, establishing new military bases on its outer islands. “The Land of the Rising Sun,” for the first time in the last 11 years, increased military spending to $49,100 million and, according to this indicator, ranks 6th in the world. The Japanese Army has more than 247,000 active personnel and nearly 60,000 in reserve. The air force squadron consists of 1,595 aircraft (5th in the world). The fleet consists of about 131 warships. In addition, through its recent defense initiatives, it maintains a strong military presence in Asia.

9. South Korea

South Korea borders North Korea, which has an extremely powerful army at its disposal, and therefore poses a constant threat to South Korea. But a possible attack by neighbors is not the only problem for South Korea. To meet the growing weaponry of China and Japan, South Korea is increasing its defense spending, which currently stands at about $34 billion. The number of troops is more than 640,000 active personnel and 2,900,000 additional personnel in reserve. The air force is represented by 1,393 aircraft (6th largest). Fleet - 166 ships. South Korea also has about 15,000 ground weapons, including missile systems, as well as 2,346 tanks. South Korean troops regularly take part in military exercises with the United States.

In 2015, the Turkish government decided to increase its country's defense spending by 10%. This may be due to the fact that not far from Turkey there is a war between the Islamic State and Syrian troops, or perhaps due to the likelihood of a clash with the Kurdish separatist organization. Turkey's defense budget is around $18180000000. The size of the army (both regular and reserve) is just over 660000. The Turkish Air Force has 1000 aircraft. There are also 16,000 ground weapons in service. Türkiye has strong diplomatic relations with the United States (though these ties are weakening every year), and is also involved in initiatives around the world.

7. Germany

Germany is one of the world's strongest economic powers, but despite spending around $45 million every year, the army's fortunes seem to have worsened over the past few years. One of the reasons for this may be that the generation born and raised in the 1950s and 60s was against war and feared attacks from other countries with stronger armies. This still discourages people from joining the military. In 2011, compulsory military service was eliminated to prevent the country from becoming a militarized country. The troops consist of only 183,000 active personnel and 145,000 reservists. There are 710 aircraft in service with aviation. The total number of weapons of various types is almost one.

6. France

France is another country that followed Germany and in 2013 the country's government decided to "effectively" freeze military spending and defense jobs by 10% to save money on technologically advanced equipment. Currently, France's military budget is about $43 billion a year, which is 1.9% of the country's GDP (well below the spending target set by NATO). The French armed forces number about 220 thousand active personnel and the same number of people are in reserve. Aviation is represented by more than 1000 aircraft. There are also approximately 9,000 ground vehicles in service. Even if this does not make France a formidable army, it has several trump cards: its position in the EU and the UN, as well as the presence of about 290 nuclear weapons.

5. UK

The UK is another EU member also implementing a plan to reduce the size of its armed forces by 20% between 2010 and 2018. The Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are also being cut. Britain's military budget currently stands at $54 billion. Britain's regular army numbers about 205,000. The Air Force is represented by 908 aircraft. Navy - 66 ships. However, the British Army is still considered powerful and superior to many others due to the training of soldiers. Britain also has 160 nuclear weapons, which is the strongest argument. The Royal Navy plans to commission HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2020.

The Indian government decided to take advantage of the fact that the country's population is very large. The Indian Army has a sizeable strength of 3.5 million, including 1.325 million active personnel. The sheer size of the Indian army is one of the reasons why India ranks so high in our rankings and in the ranking of the best armies in the world. The army's strength is complemented by nearly 16,000 ground vehicles, which include 3,500 tanks, as well as 1,785 aircraft, along with nuclear weapons. Indian ballistic missiles could hit all of Pakistan or most of China. The current military budget is $46 billion, but the government plans to increase this amount by 2020, as well as modernize some weapons.

It has another 2,800 aircraft in its air force. China has approximately 300 nuclear weapons at its disposal, along with 180 different methods of deploying them. China recently acquired classified information about the new F-35, and is known to successfully steal sensitive military equipment. China is rightfully one of the top 3 armed forces.

According to official data, China's defense budget is $126 billion, and in the near future this amount may increase by another 12.2%. The Chinese army is a formidable force, with 2.285 million active front-line personnel and another 2.3 million reservists - the world's largest ground force, which also operates with 25,000 ground vehicles. Chinese aviation consists of 2,800 aircraft. China also has about 300 nuclear weapons at its disposal. Taking all this into account, we can say that China rightfully occupies third place in our ranking of the most powerful countries in the world.

Russia's military budget is $76,600 million, but in the next three years it will increase by 44%. In fact, the Kremlin’s expenses have increased by about a third since 2008, and this was especially reflected when he became president of the Russian Federation in 2000. The Russian army has shown significant growth since the collapse of the Soviet Union two decades ago. About 766,000 active personnel are involved in the Russian army, including about 2.5 million people in the reserve forces. In addition, there are 15,500 tanks in service, making Russia the largest tank force in the world, although they become obsolete like any other equipment. Russia is also a leader among nuclear states, having at its disposal 8,500 active nuclear warheads.

1. United States of America

The United States annually spends colossal amounts of money, in the amount of $6125 billion, on maintaining the army. This budget is equal to the sum of the budgets of the other nine countries combined. The United States maintains a surprisingly large military of more than 1.4 million soldiers, plus another 800,000 reservists. In addition to active ground teams, the Reserve includes trained men and women ready to assist troops at a moment's notice. The advantage of the United States is that the country is a world leader in the production of aviation equipment. The United States also has 19 aircraft carriers in service, while all other states have only 12 aircraft in total. 7,500 nuclear warheads also help maintain the United States' title as the world's most powerful country and military.

If the world were ideal, then no armies or weapons would be needed and there would never be wars. But the reality is that threats both abroad and domestically put national security at risk. This reality forces many states to have a powerful army in the form of human potential and weapons.
There are several outstanding armies that are widely known for their size, combat experience and military equipment. They are among the ten largest armies in the world.

1. China

The world's largest army in terms of army size is unsurprisingly occupied by the most populous country in the world, the Chinese People's Army. This nation is known not only for its large territory, but also for its huge population and, accordingly, the largest army. The Chinese People's Liberation Army was founded in 1927.

Its main part consists of citizens aged 18 to 49 years. Number of people: 2,300,000. Budget $129 billion per year. About 240 installations for launching nuclear missiles. The Chinese army is well trained and has large resources in weapons and mobilization resources in the event of war, it can put 200,000,000 people under arms. It is armed with 8,500 tanks, 61 submarines, 54 surface ships and 4,000 aircraft.

Russian army

The Russian army is one of the most experienced in the world. Its strength is 1,013,628 military personnel (according to the presidential decree of March 28, 2017). The annual budget is $64 billion and ranks 3rd in the world in terms of military spending. It is armed with 2,867 tanks, 10,720 armored vehicles, 2,646 self-propelled guns, and 2,155 towed artillery pieces. Russia also has the largest number of nuclear warheads in the world.

3.United States of America

US Army

The US Army was founded in 1775. The United States currently has 1,400,000 active military personnel and 1,450,000 in the active reserve. The defense budget is what truly sets the US apart from all the other countries on the list; it is over $689 billion per year.
The United States also has the most trained troops and a powerful arsenal. Its ground forces use 8,325 tanks, 18,539 armored combat vehicles, 1,934 self-propelled guns, 1,791 towed artillery pieces, and 1,330 nuclear warheads.

Indian Army

Located in southern Asia, India is the world's largest arms importer. With a strength of 1.325 thousand soldiers and officers. The Army's military budget is $44 billion a year. There are also about 80 nuclear warheads in service.

5. North Korea

North Korean Army

North Korea has a well-trained and coordinated army of 1,106,000, as well as a large number of reservists, 8,200,000 as of 2011. It also has a large number of weapons, they include: 5,400 tanks, 2,580 armored vehicles, 1,600 self-propelled guns, 3,500 towed artillery pieces, 1,600 air defense systems and other powerful weapons. Military conscription in this state is compulsory for everyone; the period of military service is 10 years.
While the totalitarian regime in North Korea has built a large army, much of its military equipment is considered obsolete. However, they have nuclear weapons, which in turn poses a threat to the stability of peace in this region.

6. South Korea

Photo of the South Korean Army

Next on the list of the largest armies in the world is the South Korean army. In this state, the conscription age is from 18 to 35 years, the service period is 21 months.
Its armed forces are called the Republic of Korea Army. It uses both domestic and imported weapons. It is armed with 2,300 tanks, 2,600 armored vehicles, 30 air defense systems and 5,300 artillery pieces. The number of its troops reaches approximately 1,240,000 people.

7. Pakistan

Pakistan Army

The Pakistan Army rightfully ranks among the largest armies in the world. It has a workforce of 617,000 people and a personnel reserve of about 515,500 people as of 2011.
Its ground forces use a wide range of weapons: 3,490 tanks, 5,745 armored vehicles, 1,065 self-propelled guns, 3,197 towed artillery pieces. The Air Force is armed with 1,531 aircraft and 589 helicopters. The naval force consists of 11 frigates and 8 submarines. With a budget of just over $5 billion, it is the smallest budget of the top ten military powers. Pakistan may be a small country in size, but it is undoubtedly one of the largest armies in the world in terms of size and military prowess. This army is also a permanent ally of the United States.

Iranian army

They say that the most powerful army in the Middle East is the army of Iran. Iran is also known for its large troop numbers. It has approximately 545,000 personnel, divided into 14 infantry divisions and 15 air bases. Their army is equipped with 2,895 tanks, 1,500 armored vehicles, 310 self-propelled guns, 860 air defense systems, 1,858 aircraft and 800 helicopters. The defense budget is just over $10 billion.

Turkish army

Türkiye has the largest army at the meeting point of Asia and Europe. Citizens are called up for service at the age of 20. Conscription lasts approximately from 6 to 15 months, depending on the educational level of the students. The size of the Turkish army is 1,041,900 people, of which 612,900 are regular military personnel and 429,000 are in the reserve. Its army is also well armed and has 4,460 tanks, 1,500 self-propelled guns, 7,133 armored vehicles, 406 air defense systems, 570 airplanes and helicopters. The annual budget of this army is 19 billion dollars.

10. Israel

Israeli army

The army of the State of Israel is known as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Men over 18 years of age are subject to conscription every year. Every year, about 121,000 men can be drafted into the army to serve in any of its military branches. Currently, the Israeli army consists of 187,000 regular military personnel and a reserve of 565,000 people. As a result, the number of troops in the Israel Defense Forces is about 752,000. The army is equipped with the latest technology and is armed with 3,870 tanks, 1,775 armored vehicles, 706 self-propelled guns, 350 towed artillery pieces, and 48 air defense systems.

Not all countries in the world need a large army for reliable protection. However, maintaining peace and order would be impossible without a well-organized and armed army.

10. France

Active Army: 362,485

Military reserve: 419,000

France is one of the few countries whose armed forces have almost the full range of modern weapons and military equipment of their own production - from small arms to attack nuclear aircraft carriers (which, besides France, only the United States has).

In 2003, the country completed the second part of the reform of the armed forces, which began in 1996. As part of this reform, conscription was abolished and the transition to a professional, smaller, but more effective army took place. This reform will continue until 2015.

9. Iran

Active Army: 545,000

Military reserve: 650,000

In 1979, the Islamic Revolution took place in Iran under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini, during which the monarchy was overthrown and an Islamic republic was proclaimed. Since then, this country has been a serious source of tension in the region.

Iran's armed forces consist of two main parts: troops under the Ministry of Defense and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, under the direct command of the Supreme Leader, with a total of 545 thousand personnel.

Iran's combat capabilities are kept strictly secret. It is known that since 1992, Iran has been producing its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, guided missiles, submarines and even fighter jets.

8. Türkiye

Active Army: 612,900

Military reserve: 429,000

The Turkish army has existed for more than 2 thousand years. During World War II it adhered to neutrality. However, the Turks were involved in the Korean War, and the largest conflict of the 20th century for Turkey was the War of Independence, which involved Russia, Great Britain, Greece and Italy.

Military service in Turkey is compulsory. In terms of the size of its ground forces, Türkiye ranks second in NATO.

7. Pakistan

Active Army: 617,000

Military reserve: 515,500

The Pakistan Army was founded in 1947. There are more than 600 thousand military personnel who are volunteers.

Pakistan's military history includes conflicts with border states such as Afghanistan and India, the Gulf War, Magadisho and Somalia. Pakistan is also a US ally in the global war on terrorism, helping fight the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and along the Pakistani border.

6. South Korea

Active Army: 653,000

Military reserve: 3,200,000

There are three types of armed forces in Korea: the army, the air force and the navy. As in the USA, they are independent of each other.

At the head of the army is a committee of chiefs of staff, which plays the role of the general staff and exercises operational leadership of the armed forces.

The Korean Ministry of Defense is a civilian organization responsible for the military's budget, supplies, and personnel matters.

5. North Korea

Active Army: 1,106,000

Military reserve: 8,200,000

The Korean People's Army was founded in 1939 and has more than a million soldiers. No less impressive is the number of reserve soldiers who can be raised in the event of hostilities - 8 million people.

The main conflicts in North Korean history are the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Disagreements and tensions between North and South Korea still exist and, technically, this conflict is not officially over yet.

4. Russia

Active army: 1,200,000

Military reserve: 754,000

Russia has undergone numerous changes in its military history since 863. Today the army is called the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The day of its foundation is considered to be May 7, 1992.

Previous Russian military organizations, including the Red Army, were involved in numerous regional conflicts, world wars, and the Cold War. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was known as the most powerful army in the world, surpassing the American army in all respects, including the number of soldiers and the volume of nuclear weapons.

Conscription for military service begins at age 18.

3. India

Active army: 1,325,000

Military reserve: 1,747,000

The Indian Army dates back to the Stone Age. Today it is famous for the largest number of volunteers in the army and numbers over 1 million people.

The Indian Army was involved in both world wars and several wars for its own independence. India also has a contentious relationship with Pakistan.

2. United States of America

Active Army: 1,477,896

Military reserve: 1,458,500

The United States Army dates back to 1775, when the Continental Army was created to fight in the Revolutionary War.

The States have taken part in all world wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and now in the war against global terrorism.

The United States has an active combat force of over 500,000 personnel and over a million reservists and National Guard soldiers. America's army bases are located all over the world. Military service is on a voluntary basis.

1. China

Active Army: 2,285,000

Military reserve: 800,000

The People's Liberation Army of China is the largest army in the world, with more than 2.2 million people serving in it. And this after a significant reduction in recent years.

It was founded in 1927. Participated in the Sino-Japanese conflict, World War II, Korean and Vietnam wars.

Technically, military service is compulsory at age 18. At the same time, China never experienced problems with personnel, since there were always even more than enough men who joined the army voluntarily.

In an anarchic system like international relations, military force remains the best currency. A state may have magnificent culture, art, philosophy, splendor and glory, but all this is worthless if the country does not have sufficient military strength to defend itself. As Mao Zedong so bluntly put it, “political power comes from the barrel of a gun.”

Of all types of armed forces, the ground forces undoubtedly remain the most important - for the simple reason that people live on earth, and will continue to live so in the foreseeable future. As noted political scientist John J. Mearsheimer noted: “The ground forces, supported by the air force and the navy, represent the main branch of the armed forces in the modern world.”

In fact, according to Mearsheimer, the war against Japan in the Pacific was "the only example of a superpower war in modern history in which the ground forces themselves were not the main factor influencing the outcome of the war, but other instruments of power, that is, the air force and the navy, played a role." more than just auxiliary." Despite this, Mearsheimer argues that in this war, too, “ground forces played a very important role in the defeat of Japan.”

Thus, it is the ground forces that serve as an indicator that determines the military strength of the country. But how can we establish which troops were the strongest in their time? Based on their ability to achieve decisive victories time after time and their ability to allow their country to dominate other countries is the function of the ground forces as only the army can ensure such conquest and control. Here are some of the most powerful armies in history.

Roman army

The Roman army conquered the Western world for several centuries. The advantage of the Roman army was its tenacity, the Romans returned and fought again and again even after severe defeats. The Romans demonstrated this during the Punic Wars when, despite lacking knowledge and resources, they were able to defeat the Carthaginians by first showing greater patience and then taking them by surprise by landing troops near Carthage.

The Roman army gave soldiers ample incentive to fight with vigor and persistence. For poor soldiers, winning the war meant getting land. For landowners - protection of property and acquisition of additional wealth. For the Roman state as a whole, victory meant security.

All of these incentives encouraged Roman soldiers to fight harder, and morale is an important factor in determining the fighting efficiency of an army. Equally important was the use of a multi-line battle formation, which, among other advantages, allowed the Romans to replace the soldiers of the first line with fresh soldiers who entered into battle with already tired enemies. The Roman army, often under the command of brilliant generals, used its mobility to gain an advantage in the offensive, especially against opponents who thought primarily of defense.

As a result, within three hundred years, Rome had transformed from a regional Italian power into the master of the Mediterranean Sea and the countries surrounding it. The Roman legions, army units made up of professional soldiers who served for 25 years, were highly trained and well equipped with iron weapons. The legions were stationed in strategically important areas, simultaneously maintaining the integrity of the empire and keeping enemies at the borders. The Roman army, despite some setbacks, was actually unmatched in terms of strength in its region.

Mongol army

The Mongols, who numbered approximately a million people when they began their conquests in 1206, were able to conquer most of Eurasia within a hundred years. They defeated armies and countries that often had human resources that were tens and hundreds of times greater than the Mongol ones. The Mongols were an unstoppable force that came out of nowhere and conquered the Middle East, Russia and China.

The success of the Mongols is due to the many strategic and tactical techniques introduced by Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire. The most important factor was the mobility and endurance of the Mongols. For starters, the nomadic lifestyle allowed the Mongols to move huge armies over gigantic distances in a surprisingly short time, since the Mongols could live off their herds and the blood of their horses.

The mobility of the Mongols, indeed, was associated with their reliance mainly on cavalry. Each Mongol mounted warrior had three or four horses to keep them fresh. Cavalry, armed with bows and shooting at a gallop, gave the Mongols a great advantage over infantry armies. The mobility provided by horses, along with strict discipline, gave the Mongols the opportunity to employ new tactics, particularly the hit and run, as well as a primitive form of blitzkrieg.

The Mongols also attached great importance to terror. They deliberately ravaged cities and slaughtered defeated enemies in order to instill terror in future enemies.

Ottoman army

The Ottoman army, at the peak of its power, conquered the Middle East, the Balkans and North Africa. It was almost always far superior to its Christian and Muslim neighbors. In 1453, she conquered one of the most impregnable cities in the world - Constantinople. For five hundred years, it remained the only player in a region that previously consisted of dozens of states, and until the 19th century it held out against its neighbors. How did the Ottoman army manage to do this?

The Ottoman army began to actively use cannons and muskets before its opponents, who continued to fight with medieval weapons, did so. This gave a great advantage during the rise of the empire. The cannons took Constantinople and defeated the Persians and Egyptian Mamelukes. One of the main advantages of the Ottoman army was the use of elite infantry units, the Janissaries. Janissaries were trained for military service from childhood, and they were very loyal and combat-ready.

Army of Nazi Germany

The Wehrmacht, the army of Nazi Germany, shocked Europe and the entire world accustomed to the protracted battles of the First World War, conquering most of Central and Western Europe in a few months. At some point, it seemed that the troops of Nazi Germany were about to conquer the gigantic Soviet Union.

The German army achieved these successes using the new blitzkrieg tactics, which combined the use of new weapons and communications, combining speed, the element of surprise and the concentration of forces with terrifying effectiveness. In particular, armored troops and motorized infantry, supported by short-range aircraft, were able to break through enemy lines and encircle opposing forces. In the early stages of the war, these opposing forces were often so shocked and overwhelmed that they offered minimal resistance.

To carry out a blitzkrieg, well-trained, combat-ready troops were required, and Berlin had them in abundance. As historian Andrew Roberts noted, “One-on-one, German soldiers and their generals largely outmatched the British, Americans, and Russians in both offensive and defensive positions throughout the Second World War.”

Although Nazi ideology and a crazy leader undermined the Wehrmacht's war efforts, Nazi Germany fell due to a lack of resources and soldiers.

Soviet Army

The Soviet Army (until 1946, the Red Army) contributed more than any other army to the victory in World War II. Indeed, the Battle of Stalingrad, at the end of which the entire German Sixth Army surrendered, is almost universally considered the main turning point in the European theater of war.

The USSR's victory in the war and its ability to hold the rest of Europe at risk for four decades after the end of the war was due neither to superior technology (except for nuclear weapons) nor to military genius. Stalin's military leadership proved disastrous, especially early in the war, and in previous years he had purged many capable commanders from the army.

The Red Army was a military monster rather due to its gigantic size, determined by its territory, population and industrial resources. As the famous historian of Nazi Germany, Richard Evans, explained: “According to the USSR’s own data, the Red Army lost in the war more than 11 million soldiers, 100,000 aircraft, more than 300 thousand artillery pieces, more than 100 thousand tanks and self-propelled artillery units. Other sources estimate the loss of personnel even higher, up to 26 million people.”

Context

Tanks are rolling across Germany again

Süddeutsche Zeitung 01/17/2017

Russians can come to the Czech Republic again

Reflex 11/24/2016

America's Next Army

The National Interest 11/20/2016
It must be admitted that there were manifestations of military genius during the war, especially when Stalin supported the few capable commanders, as well as the appearance of promising weapons from a technical point of view, for example, the T-34 tank. But they did not play a decisive role in the success of the USSR, since the army continued to make enormous sacrifices during the Battle of Berlin.

With the exception of nuclear weapons, the Cold War-era Soviet army was not much different compared to its opponents. Although NATO had technical superiority during the forty years of struggle, the USSR had quantitative superiority in many categories, especially in the number of soldiers. For this reason, in the event of a conflict in Europe, the United States and NATO planned to use nuclear weapons at an early stage.

US Army

For most of its history, the United States has refrained from maintaining a large army. This is how it was intended: the American Constitution gives Congress the power to provide and maintain a navy, but regarding the army it says that Congress can raise and maintain an army as needed.

Until the end of World War II, the United States followed this model, raising large armies for the duration of the war, but quickly disbanding them after the end of hostilities. However, since the beginning of the twentieth century, the American army has been very effective, especially in wars against states. It was America's entry into World War I and World War II that helped tip the balance in favor of the Allies. The US also destroyed Saddam Hussein's army in Kuwait in 1991 and Iraq in 2003.

More tellingly, the United States was the only power in history capable of quickly and effectively deploying large numbers of ground forces. This serves as one of the main factors in the success of the American army. Although it does not have as many soldiers as the USSR, the US Army is made up of well-trained soldiers using the latest weapons. The army is supported by the most powerful navy and air force the world has ever seen.

InoSMI materials contain assessments exclusively from foreign media and do not reflect the position of the InoSMI editorial staff.