Difference Between Military and Army

Military vs Army

The Army and the military are two different groups that are not to be confused with each other. The military is a powerful unit of the government that is tasked by society to utilize deadly force whenever necessary. It is, therefore, given weapons so that it will be able to defend the country by mitigating perceived and even actual threats to the security of the nation.

In another aspect, some military groups in the past have been used to further advance one’s political vision like how some Communists acted during the Cold War. The military is also a foundation for economic growth and helps political leaders impose a form of social control.
The term “military” is coined from the Latin word “militaris” which means “soldier.” It is commonly used as a noun to refer to the armed forces of a state, but it can also be used as an adjective to describe those who are involved in soldiering.

By contrast, the Army is just a subset of the bigger military force. It is basically one of the many arms of the military with the rest (particularly in the U.S.) being the Navy, Coast Guard, Marines and Air Force. Other nations have created other specialized military groups and task forces to help strengthen their overall military presence.

The term “army” is actually derived from the Latin word “armata” that means “armed force.” In its most general sense, the Army is described as the land-based unit of the state’s military force. It is practically obvious that the People’s Liberation Army of China is the biggest army today having more than 2.25 million active soldiers and 800,000 reserves. Being the most populous nation in the world with billions of inhabitants, China is undoubtedly the most powerful army in terms of numbers.

In other nations, however, the Army is combined with other subsets to include their air forces (Aviation Corps). An army can also be a field army which is a group of soldiers who literally “stand over” a certain area to protect, defend, or detect any happenings that may deter peace. As such, this group is not allowed to disband even in times of peace. The Army Reserve is the other counterpart which will only be mobilized at war times or disasters.
History-wise, one of the first known armies to have established officially on the planet was the Spartan army. Other more powerful armies soon followed like the very famous Roman army. In the Western side of the globe, most of their armies are further subdivided into four sections namely: the corps, the division, the brigade and battalion.

Summary:

1.The military is the bigger armed force of the nation or state.
2.The Army is just one of the many divisions of the military.
3.The Army, in general, is the land military force of a nation or state.
4.The term “military” is commonly used as a noun to refer to the armed force of a state, but it can also be used as an adjective to describe those who are involved in soldiering.

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