Having its origins in the rice sickle, and long one of the weapons of the farmer warriors of the Ryukyu Archipelago, the Kama has become an important item of equipment for modern students of Okinawan Kobudo. Our CAS/Hanwei kama are pieces of superior quality, with hand-forged 1065 high-carbon steel with an authentic temper line (hamon), oak handles and comes equipped with blade covers. As with the originals, the unique wedge-shaped blade section requires that the Kama be right & left handed. Model XH1041 is for the right hand, XH1042 for the left. The XH1089 ball allows conversion to Kursari-gama. KEY FEATURES: * High Quality * Edge Tempered blade * Excellent balance MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 7 3/4 inches HANDLE LENGTH: 7 3/4 inches WEIGHT: 13oz WEIGHT IN BOX: 1lb 8oz BOX HEIGHT: 15 1/2 inches BOX WIDTH: 10 1/2 inches THICKNESS: .140 inches
Price: 95.99
Having its origins in the rice sickle, and long one of the weapons of the farmer warriors of the Ryukyu Archipelago, the Kama has become an important item of equipment for modern students of Okinawan Kobudo. Our CAS/Hanwei kama are pieces of superior quality, with hand-forged 1065 high-carbon steel with an authentic temper line (hamon), oak handles and comes equipped with blade covers. As with the originals, the unique wedge-shaped blade section requires that the Kama be right & left handed. Model XH1041 is for the right hand, XH1042 for the left. The XH1089 ball allows conversion to Kursari-gama. KEY FEATURES: * High Quality * Edge Tempered blade * Excellent balance MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 7 3/4 inches HANDLE LENGTH: 6 1/2 inches WEIGHT: 13oz WEIGHT IN BOX: 1lb 8oz BOX HEIGHT: 15 1/2 inches BOX WIDTH: 10 1/2 inches THICKNESS: .140 inches
Price: 95.99
Cutting tools of the Vikings commonly doubled as weapons of war when these famed raiders sailed on pillaging forays. Their axes were certainly top of the list and came to symbolize the terror spread among their foes. Varying greatly in size, from small throwing axes to the mighty Danish Axe, these were the most commonly used weapons of these Nordic warriors. Our Viking Axe (1072-GT) is a typical pattern, capable of cleaving helms or armour with impunity. KEY FEATURES: * forged heads with sharp tempered edges * hardwood haft * Authentic styling MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 8 3/4 inches HANDLE LENGTH: 32 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 35 inches WEIGHT: 4lb 8oz THICKNESS: .82
Price: 77.99
Our Viking Axe and Bearded Axe are typical patterns, capable of cleaving helms or armour with impunity. They feature forged heads with sharp tempered edges and hardwood shafts. Both shafts are approximately 30 �� long. Specifications: Overall length: 30 1/2� Weight: 4lbs 6oz Thickness at Guard: .57� Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.
Price: 89.99
The legendary double axe has long been associated with heroes and heroics, and the Hero�s Axe (XH1074) perpetuates the legend. Almost 30� overall with 10� polished edges, fearsome but with graceful lines and studded decoration, this axe is the ultimate combination of form and function. Leather edge covers for the tempered edges are provided for safe portability. Of course this item is a quality piece and authentic - produced by Hanwei! KEY FEATURES: * Double Bladed * Forged head with tempered edges * Sharp MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 8 3/4 inches HANDLE LENGTH: 26 1/2 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 30 inches WEIGHT: 4lbs THICKNESS: .240 inches
Price: 122.99
Much sought after by re-enactor, our Pike (XH1077) is a full 14� long on a 1 �� diameter shaft. For portability the pike has a mid-length screwed joint. The head is provided with reinforcements in the manner of the originals and the tail-spike fits either half of the shaft, allowing the weapon to be carried as a pike or spear. The blade length is 13 �� and the total head length, with reinforcements, is 32 ��. KEY FEATURES: * Forged steel head * 14 feet long * Easy portability MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 13 3/4 inches HANDLE LENGTH: 18 1/2 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 14 1 inches WEIGHT: 7lb 13oz THICKNESS: .400 inches
Price: 129.99
At 87" long, on a 1" diameter shaft, our Medieval War Spear has a distinct Viking ancestry and Frankish styling. The lugged head is balanced by a tailspike, providing the ultimate in pillaging pieces. Total length of the socketed head is 22". KEY FEATURES: * Forged steel head * Hardwood shaft * Authentic design MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 20 3/4 inches HANDLE LENGTH: 65 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 84 1/4 inches WEIGHT: 7lb 8oz
Price: 89.99
This iron weight is for use with the Kama (Models 1041-GT and 1042-GT). When attached by a length of chain (not supplied) to the Kama, the weapon becomes capable of Kusari-Gama whereby an opponents weapon can be entangled by the chain and rendered harmless. KEY FEATURES: * Solid iron construction * Authentic styling * Correctly weighted MEASUREMENTS: WEIGHT: 3oz BOX HEIGHT: 2 inches BOX WIDTH: 2 inches
Price: 9.99
The Roman trooper typically carried at least one Pilum, a weapon as intrinsic to Roman combat tactics as the short sword. The Pilum had a long, relatively soft iron shaft which, though certainly capable of penetrating its intended target, was likely to bend on striking armor or the ground, thus making it useless to be thrown back. A common tactic when using the Pilum against troops with shields was to pierce the opponent�s shield, whereupon the shaft would bend, making extraction difficult. The opposing soldier, thus encumbered, was likely to throw down his shield, losing his defense against the infamous Roman short sword. Our Pilum is of the traditional flanged type and may be disassembled for ease of transportation to events. KEY FEATURES: * Historically accurate * Fully functional * Transportable MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 31 1/4 inches HANDLE LENGTH: 55 1/4 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 86 inches WEIGHT: 3lb 3oz THICKNESS: .500 inches
Price: 95.99
The Spontoon (XH2036) was developed in the second half of the 17th century, more as an officer�s signaling device than a weapon, although it undoubtedly saw its share of action in hand-to-hand fighting. Our Spontoon is an accurate replication of the British 1800 pattern, a regulation-issue piece carried by color sergeants as late as 1830. The head and tail-piece only are provided. Our ash poles (XX005) may be used to complete the assembly. Total head length is 27�. KEY FEATURES: * Historically accurate * Fully functional * Forged blade MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 12 1/4 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 27 inches WEIGHT: 2lbs THICKNESS: .530 inches
Price: 77.99
The Lance (XH2037) is an accurate replication of the British 1868 pattern, used with great effect by the cavalry until the end of the century and still in ceremonial use today by the Canadian Mounted Police. The head and tail-piece only are provided and authentic finishing requires either an ash or bamboo pole. Total head length is 12 ��. KEY FEATURES: * Forged steel blade * Fully functional * Historically accurate MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 5 3/4 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 12 1/4 inches WEIGHT: 8.2oz THICKNESS: .630 inches
Price: 47.99
The Viking Thrusting Spear was more commonly used than the sword, being much less expensive to produce. The wings or lugs, of Frankish origin, both limited the penetration of the weapon and provided an effective parrying guard. This decorated spearhead demonstrates the Viking�s creative mix of art and war, whereby weapons often carried intricate patterns, created using the �Niello� process. This involved using an alloy of several metals (notably silver) mixed with sulfur which was rubbed into an incised pattern and then fired. Where the alloy is rubbed into the engraving it remains black, while the rest of the surface is polished to a bright finish. Our decorating process uses a little more technology but still provides a lustrous, permanent Niello-like effect. Our 005-IB ash poles are ideal for completing the thrusting spear. KEY FEATURES: * Historically accurate * Fully functional * Antiqued Finnish MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 9 3/4 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 16 3/8 inches WEIGHT: 15.4oz THICKNESS: .695 inches
Price: 49.99
The Nordic warrior frequently carried several light throwing spears into combat. This style displays the narrow, sharply pointed head designed to pierce mail. Several spears might be carried in the shield hand in a charge. These were thrown as the distance closed, leaving the warrior free to use his sword or axe in hand-to-hand fighting. This decorated spearhead demonstrates the Viking�s creative mix of art and war, whereby weapons often carried intricate patterns, created using the �Niello� process. This involved using an alloy of several metals (notably silver) mixed with sulfur which was rubbed into an incised pattern and then fired. Where the alloy is rubbed into the engraving it remains black, while the rest of the surface is polished to a bright finish. Our decorating process uses a little more technology but still provides a lustrous, permanent Niello-like effect. A suitable shaft is best found, as with the originals, in the wild. KEY FEATURES: * Historically accurate * Antiqued Finnish * Fully functional MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 9 3/4 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 15 3/4inches WEIGHT: 8.6oz THICKNESS: .570 inches
Price: 42.99
The Viking Short Bladed Spear is typical of those of Celtic origin imported into Scandinavia. The short blade, inherently stiffer and more resistant to bending or breaking, was capable of piercing any body armor of the period.This decorated spearhead demonstrates the Viking�s creative mix of art and war, whereby weapons often carried intricate patterns, created using the �Niello� process. This involved using an alloy of several metals (notably silver) mixed with sulfur which was rubbed into an incised pattern and then fired. Where the alloy is rubbed into the engraving it remains black, while the rest of the surface is polished to a bright finish. Our decorating process uses a little more technology but still provides a lustrous, permanent Niello-like effect. Our 005-IB ash poles are ideal for completing the spear. KEY FEATURES: * Historically accurate * Antiqued Finnish * Fully functional MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 6 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 9 3/8 inches WEIGHT: 7oz THICKNESS: .510 inches
Price: 36.99
This is a Hanwei replica, so you can be assured of quality and realism. The axe, inherited from the Frank�s wars with the Romans, remained an ever-present Viking weapon. It also demonstrated the Scandinavian genius for evolving specialized weaponry. The smaller axes are sized to be carried thrust through a belt, to serve as a backup weapon and being one-handed, they were used in combination with a shield. The Mammen Axe, one of the best-known and best-decorated examples of the small Viking throwing axe, is a perfect example of the Viking�s blend of art and war. Excavated from a famous 10th century barrow near Mammen, Denmark, the original is decorated with silver-inlaid engraving in the typical Celtic manner. Our recreation of this beautiful piece is a tribute to the creative as well as the martial side of this dynamic, influential culture. KEY FEATURES: * Historically accurate * Incised silver decoration * Fully functional MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 4 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 17 1/2 inches WEIGHT: 1lb 3oz THICKNESS: .270 inches
Price: 77.99
The Throwing Axe could be used as a weapon in two ways. As a hand-held weapon it was a lethal force, capable of cleaving helms, mail and shields, while a volley of thrown axes could disrupt an opposing force and allow a breakthrough in a shield wall. Replacement handle: OH2107 - $5 Specifications: Overall length: 17 1/2� Weight: 1lbs 4oz Thickness at Guard: .40� Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.
Price: 44.99
The head design of the Short Bearded Axe provided a concentration of power behind a relatively short cutting edge, ideal for punching through any armor of the Viking period in close combat. KEY FEATURES: * Historically accurate * Fully functional * Hardwood shaft MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 3 3/4 inches HANDLE LENGTH: 24 1/2 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 25 1/2 inches WEIGHT: 2lb 6oz THICKNESS: .32 inches
Price: 65.99
The head design of the Short-Bearded Axe (XH2043N) provided a concentration of power behind a relatively short cutting edge, ideal for punching through any armor of the Viking period in close combat. This replica axe is produced by Hanwei, so you can be sure it is a quality piece and is authentic. KEY FEATURES: * Historically Accurate * Fully Functional * Hardwood Shaft MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 3 3/4 inches HANDLE LENGTH: 24 1/2 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 25 1/2 inches WEIGHT: 2lb 6oz THICKNESS: .32 inches
Price: 65.99
War is the reciprocal and violent application
of force between hostile political entities aimed at
bringing about a desired political end-state via armed
conflict. In his seminal work,
On War,
Carl Von Clausewitz calls war the "continuation of
political intercourse, carried on with other means."[1]
War is an interaction in which two or more militaries
have a “struggle of wills”.[2]
When qualified as a
civil war, it is a dispute inherent to a given
society, and its nature is in the conflict over modes of
governance rather than
sovereignty. War is not considered to be the same as
mere
occupation,
murder or
genocide because of the reciprocal nature of the
violent struggle, and the
organized nature of the units involved.
War is also a cultural entity, and its practice is
not linked to any single type of political organisation
or society. Rather, as discussed by
John Keegan in his “History Of Warfare”, war is a
universal phenomenon whose form and scope is defined by
the society that wages it.
[3]
The conduct of war extends along a continuum, from the
almost universal
tribal warfare that began well before recorded human
history, to wars between
city states,
nations, or
empires. A group of combatants and their support is
called an
army on land, a
navy at sea, and
air force in the air. Wars may be prosecuted
simultaneously in one or more different
theatres. Within each theatre, there may be one or
more consecutive
military campaigns. A military campaign includes not
only fighting but also intelligence, troop movements,
supplies,
propaganda, and other components. Continuous
conflict is traditionally called a
battle, although this terminology is not always fed
to conflicts involving aircraft, missiles or bombs
alone, in the absence of ground troops or naval forces.
War is not limited to the
human species, as
ants engage in massive intra-species conflicts which
might be termed warfare. It is theorized that other
species also engage in similar behavior, although this
is not well documented.
[4][5][6]
Some believe war has always been with us; others
stress the lack of clear evidence that war is not in our
prehistoric past, and the fact that many peaceful,
non-military societies have and still do exist.
Originally, war likely consisted of small-scale raiding.
Since the rise of the state some 5000 years ago,
military activity has occurred over much of the globe.
The advent of gunpowder and the acceleration of
technological advances led to modern warfare.
Since the close of the
Vietnam War, the ideas expounded by the Prussian
military theorist Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) have
come to thoroughly permeate American military writing,
doctrinal, theoretical, and historical. His book
On War, first published (as
Vom Kriege) in 1832, was adopted as a key
text at the Naval War College in 1976, the Air War
College in 1978, the Army War College in 1981. It has
always been central at the U.S. Army's School for
Advanced Military Studies at Leavenworth (founded in
1983). The U.S. Marine Corps's brilliant little
philosophical field manual
FMFM 1: Warfighting (1989) is essentially a
distillation of On War, and the newer Marine
Corps Doctrinal Publications (MCDPs,
c.1997) are equally reflective of Clausewitz's basic
concepts.*1
This is not the first time Clausewitz has been in
fashion. Indeed, On War has been the bible of
many thoughtful soldiers ever since Field Marshal
Helmuth von Moltke attributed to its guidance his
stunning victories in the wars of German unification
(1864, 1866, 1870-71). Nor is it the first time that
individual American soldiers and military
thinkers have been attracted by his ideas: George
Patton, Albert Wedemeyer, and—especially—Dwight
Eisenhower were intensely interested in what he had to
say.
It is, however, the first time that the American
armed forces as institutions have turned to
Clausewitz. While the philosopher had insisted that war
was "simply the expression of politics by other means,"
the traditional attitude of American soldiers had been
that "politics and strategy are radically and
fundamentally things apart. Strategy begins where
politics end. All that soldiers ask is that once the
policy is settled, strategy and command shall be
regarded as being in a sphere apart from politics."*2
The sudden acceptability of Clausewitz in the wake of
Vietnam is not difficult to account for, for among the
major military theorists only Clausewitz seriously
struggled with the sort of dilemma that American
military leaders faced in the aftermath of their defeat.
Clearly, in what had come to be called in scathing terms
a "political war," the political and military components
of the American war effort had come unstuck. It ran
against the grain of America's military men to criticize
elected civilian leaders, but it was just as difficult
to take the blame upon themselves. Clausewitz's analysis
could not have been more relevant:
The more powerful and inspiring the motives for
war,... the more closely will the military aims and
the political objects of war coincide, and the more
military and less political will war appear to be.
On the other hand, the less intense the motives, the
less will the military element's natural tendency to
violence coincide with political directives. As a
result, war will be driven further from its natural
course, the political object will be more and more
at variance with the aim of ideal war, and the
conflict will seem increasingly political in
character.*3
When people talk, as they often do, about
harmful political influence on the management of
war, they are not really saying what they mean.
Their quarrel should be with the policy itself, not
with its influence.
Vom Kriege (IPA: [fɔm
ˈkʁiːgə]) is a book on
war and
military strategy by
Prussian general
Carl von Clausewitz, written mostly after the
Napoleonic wars, between 1816 and 1830, and
published posthumously by his wife in 1832. It has been
translated into
English several times as On War. On
War is actually an unfinished work; Clausewitz had
set about revising his accumulated manuscripts in 1827,
but did not live to finish the task. His wife eventually
compiled all the work and the final two chapters
Clausewitz never finished.
On War is one of the first books on modern
military strategy. This is mainly due to Clausewitz'
integration of politics and social and economic issues
as some of the most important factors in deciding the
outcomes of a war. It is one of the most important
treatises on strategy ever written, and is prescribed at
various
military academies to this day.
Carl von Clausewitz was a
Prussian officer among those baffled by how the
armies of the
French Revolution and
Napoleon had changed the nature of war through their
ability to motivate the populace and thus unleash war on
a greater scale than had previously been the case in
Europe. Clausewitz was well educated and had a strong
interest in art, science, and education, but he was a
professional soldier who spent a considerable part of
his life fighting against Napoleon. There is no doubt
that the insights he gained from his experiences,
combined with a solid grasp of European history,
provided much of the raw material for the book. On
War represents the compilation of his most cogent
observations.
Note: Clausewitz states that Napoleon's tactics were
not revolutionary at all and that Napoleonic Warfare did
not change anything greatly in military history. The
technology of weaponry for the most part remained
static, and new strategies weren't developed, but rather
Napoleon refurbished old ones, mixing them into one
grand strategy.
The book contains a wealth of historical examples
used to illustrate its various concepts.
Frederick II of Prussia (the Great) figures
prominently for having made very efficient use of the
limited forces at his disposal.
Napoleon also is a central figure.
Among many strands of thought, three stand out as
essential to Clausewitz' concept:
War must never be seen as a purpose to itself,
but as a means of physically forcing one's will on
an opponent ("War is not merely a political act, but
also a real political instrument, a continuation of
political commerce, a carrying out of the same by
other means."[1]).
The military objectives in war that support
one's political objectives fall into two broad
types: "war to achieve limited aims" and war to
"disarm” the enemy: “to render [him] politically
helpless or militarily impotent."
The course of war will tend to favor the party
employing more force and resources (a notion
extended by Germany's leaders in World War One into
"total war"—the pursuit of complete military victory
regardless of the political consequences).
Military strategy is a
national defence policy implemented by
military organisations to pursue desired
strategic goals.[1]
Derived from the
Greek
strategos, strategy when it appeared in use
during the 18th century[2],
was seen in its narrow sense as the "art of the
general"[3],
'the art of arrangement' of troops.[4]
Military strategy deals with the planning and conduct of
campaigns, the movement and disposition of forces, and
the
deception of the
enemy. The father of modern strategic study,
Carl von Clausewitz, defined military strategy as
"the employment of battles to gain the end of war."
Liddell Hart's definition put less emphasis on
battles, defining strategy as "the art of distributing
and applying military means to fulfil the ends of
policy" Hence, both gave the pre-eminence to political
aims over military goals, ensuring
civilian control of the military.
"You must not fight too often with one enemy,
or you will teach him all your art of war." –
Napoleon Bonaparte
Military strategy is the plan and execution of
the contest between very large groups of armed
adversaries. It involves each opponent's diplomatic,
informational, military, and economic resources wielded
against the other's resources to gain supremacy or
reduce the opponent's will to fight. It is a principle
tool to secure the
national interest. A contemporary military strategy
is developed via
military science.
[5]
It is as old as
society itself. It is a subdiscipline of
warfare and of
foreign policy. In comparison,
grand strategy is that strategy of the largest of
organizations which are currently the
nation state,
confederation, or international
alliances. Military strategy has its origins before
the
Battle of the Ten Kings and will endure through the
space age. It is larger in perspective than
military tactics which is the disposition and
maneuver of units on a particular sea or battlefield.[6]
Military strategy in the 19th century was still
viewed as one of a trivium of "arts" or "sciences" that
govern the conduct of warfare; the others being
tactics, the execution of plans and manœuvering of
forces in battle, and
logistics, the maintenance of an army. The view had
prevailed since the Roman times, and the borderline
between strategy and tactics at this time was blurred,
and sometimes categorization of a decision is a matter
of almost personal opinion.
Carnot, during the
French Revolutionary Wars thought it simply involved
concentration of troops.[7]
The Battle of Siffin, illustration from a
19th century manuscript by
Muhammad Rafi Bazil.
Strategy and
tactics are closely related and exist on the same
continuum.
