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Military uniforms are Uniform s worn by Military personnel. Military dress, and military styles have gone through great changes over the centuries. HISTORY Military uniforms in the form of standardised dress intended for identification and display are typically a sign of well-organized military forces equipped by a central authority. A distinction should be made between uniforms and ethnic dress. If a particular race or culture favoured a distinctive dress style this could easily create the impression of uniformly dressed warriors. The issue is further complicated by the fact that especially efficient troop types were often copied - weapons, armor, fighting style and native dress. Thus the distinctive and colourful clothing of the Hungarian Hussar s became the uniform of hussar units all over Europe. The kilts and sporrans of Scottish highland clans were distilled into regimental dress when the British Army started to recruit from them. Mercenary or irregular fighters could also develop their own fashions, which set them apart from civilians, but were not really uniforms. The clothing of the German Landsknecht e of the 16th century is an example of distinctive military fashion. There are a few recorded attempts at uniform dress in antiquity, going beyond the similarity to be expected of ethnic or tribal dress. One example is the Spanish infantry of Hannibal who wore white tunics with crimson edgings. Another is the Spartan Helot in his red garment. The terracotta army discovered in the tomb of the first Emperor of Chin (c200BC)have a superficial similarity but closer examination shows up to seven different styles of armour, which do not appear to have been standardised within separate units. The Legion s of the Roman Republic and Empire wore fairly standardised dress and armour. However the concept of uniforms was not part of their culture and there were considerable differences in detail. Even the armour mass produced in state factories varied according to the province of origin. Fragments of surviving clothing and wall paintings indicate that the basic tunic of the Roman soldier was of red or undyed (off-white) wool. Senior commanders are known to have worn white cloaks and plumes. The centurions who made up the long serving backbone of the legions were distinguished by traverse crests on their helmets, chest ornaments corresponding to modern medals and the long cudgels that they carried. The regular thematic (provincial) and Tagmata (central) troops of the Byzantine Empire (East Roman) are the first known soldiers to have had what would now be considered regimental or unit identification. During the tenth century AD each of the cavalry "banda" making up these forces is recorded as having plumes and other distinctions in a distinctive colour. While some auxiliary cohorts in the late Roman period had carried shields with distinctive colours or designs, there is no evidence that any one Roman legion was distinguished from another by features other than the numbers on the leather covers protecting their shields. The Feudal System of Western Europe provided instances of distinguishing features denoting alligance to one or another lord. These however seldom went beyond crude colours and patterns painted on shields or embroidered on surcoats. Orders of military monks such as the Knights Templers or Hospitallers wore mantles respectively of white (with red crosses on the shoulder) or black (with white crosses) over the usual pattern of armour for their periods. Regimental dress The styles and decoration of military uniforms varied immensely with the status, image and resources of the military throughout the ages. Uniform dress became the norm with the adoption of regimental systems, initially by the French Army in the mid seventeenth century. Some Swedish infantry had been issued with standard coloured dress under Gustavus Adolphus (hence his "yellow" or "blue" regiments). However in the main the levies of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries wore civilian dress with scarves, pieces of foliage or other makeshift identification. Even Royal guards would only be issued with distinctive surcoats to wear over ordinary clothing. During the eighteenth century the normal military uniform in Europe comprised a standardised form of civilian dress (tricorn hat, long-skirted coat, waistcoat and breeches). One distinctively military feature was the long canvas gaiters which came up to mid-thigh and had multiple buttons. Dress was surprisingly standardised between European armies in cut and general outline. The distinction normally lay in colours (red coats for the British and Danes, light grey then white for the French, Spanish and Austrian infantry, dark blue for the Prussians, green for the Russians etc). Within each army diffent regiments were usually distinguished by "facings" - linings,turnbacks and braiding on coats in colours that were distinctive to one or several regiments. Thus the Royal Comtois Infantry Regiment of the French Army, for example, had large dark blue cuffs on its off-white coats. To a certain extent the functions required of a given group of soldiers were reflected in their dress. Thus artillery uniforms in most armies were usually of dark blue - for the practical reason that handling black powder would have soiled lighter coloured clothing. Nineteenth century The ornamental Peak of the military uniform was reached in the early 19th Century in Western Europe . Sometimes the Napoleonic Wars are identified as being the acme of colorful and ornate uniforms, but actually the several decades of peace that followed were a time of much more decorative styles and embellishments. The Napoleonic soldier on campaign was likely to present a shabby and non-descript appearance as unsuitable peacetime dress quickly deteriorated or was replaced with whatever local substitutes were available. Until later on in the century dyes were primitive and different batches of uniforms worn by the same unit might present differing shades, especially after exposure to rain and sun. The white uniforms popular amongst many armies through the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries soiled easily and had to be pipeclayed to retain any semblence of cleanliness. Green as worn by Jäger and Rifle regiments proved particularly prone to fading until suitable chemical dyes were devised in the 1890s. British soldiers were known for their striking red clothing (hence the name " Redcoat s"). This was actually a fairly dull shade of Madder Red until the general adoption of scarlet for tunics in the 1870s. The end of bright colours on parade in ceremonial uniform. Painting by W.B. Wollen ( 1857 - 1936 )]] Until 1914 the majority of armies still provided colourful dress uniforms for all ranks, at least for parade and off duty wear. These often retained distinctive features from the past. Most Russian troops for example wore the very dark green introduced by Peter The Great in 1700. German infantry generally wore the dark Prussian Blue of the previous two centuries. Bavarians wore light blue while two regiments of the Prussian Guard were still issued with the brass mitre caps of the eighteenth century Grenadier . The British retained their scarlet tunics for parade and "walking out" wear while the bulk of French regiments wore red trousers with dark or light blue tunics. The infantry of the Austro-Hungarian Empire discarded their historic white tunics in 1868 in favour of dark blue. Retained however were the extremely large number of colours appearing on collars, cuffs and shoulder straps to distinguish the various regiments. There were for example ten shades of red, ranging from cherry red to pink. The Swedish Army had favoured dark blue with yellow facings since the beginning of the eighteenth century.There was infinite variety, even within smaller armies, between regiments, branches or ranks and the subject is a very complex one. However by 1914 drab colours were increasingly being adopted for active service and ordinary duty wear. The British had worn khaki drill in India and Africa since the Indian Mutiny Of 1857 . A darker version was adopted for home service field wear in 1902, the same year that the US Army also adopted khaki for non-dress occasions. The Italians introduced grey-green in 1909, followed by the German and Austrian armies who adopted different shades of grey. The Russians had changed to a grey shade of khaki in 1908, following their experience in the Russo Japanese War of 1905. There was however strong attachment to the colourful uniforms as previously worn on all occasions and the process was not an inexorable one. The Danish Army adopted grey-green uniforms for all occasions in 1903, reverted to a combination of dark and light blue in 1910, took up light grey in 1915 and finally settled for khaki in 1923. The Imperial Russian armies following their adoption of khaki-grey field uniforms in 1908, took the opportunity to upgrade their parade uniforms to much more elaborate and colourful styles, and were experimenting with a mix of khaki and bright colours when war broke out in 1914. The Japanese Army probably went further than most in adopting khaki for all occasions after 1905, although even here officers and the Cavalry of the Imperial Guard retained traditional coloured uniforms for formal and ceremonial occasions. The First World War finally put an end to the expensive practice of furnishing colorful uniforms to all ranks of the various armies. Amongst the frontline troops of the combatant powers in August 1914 only the Belgian and French armies saw active service in bright colours and old fashioned headgear (although the Austro-Hungarian cavalry retained their blue and red uniforms for field wear after the remainder of the army had gone into pike grey in 1909). The demands of modern warfare soon saw these survivals vanish and by 1915 all involved armies were in either khaki ( Russia n, Turkish , French colonial and British), various shades of grey ( German , Italian and Austro-Hungarian ) or sky blue (French). The coloured uniforms of peacetime were often relegated to depot wear by recruits doing their basic training. Steel helmets first appeared in the form of the "Adrian" helmed adopted by the French Army in 1915. The practical advantages of this innovation led the British and German armies to adopt their own helmets by 1916. Other armies followed suit - the Belgiums and Italians for example copying the French model and the Austro-Hungarians that of Germany. Between the wars The drab uniforms of 1914-18 remained in general use until World War II . This was partly for political reasons since the Republican , Facist , Nazi and Communist regimes that replaced many of the old monarchies and empires had little interest in preserving the splendours of their predecessors. However even in those societies where there was social and political continuity the trend was away from the traditional uniforms worn prior to 1914. The British Army reintroduced full dress for Guards regiments (in 1919-20) and regimental bands (by 1928), while permitting officers to wear their mess (evening), blue or green "patrols" (semi-formal) and full dress on appropriate occasions. The French reintroduced "grand tenue" for North Africa n regiments mostly dependent on voluntary recruiting in 1927 and after 1930 required all regular officers to acquire dress uniforms in the pre-1914 colours of their branch or regiment. Elsewhere full or coloured dress of traditional cut was generally restricted to formal uniforms for officers and long service regulars, ceremonial guards and a few other limited categories. The Spanish Army (which had not been involved in World War I) exceptionally continued to issue coloured uniforms to its conscript rank and file until 1926. The use of steel helmets was by now almost universal and a number of countries adopted their own designs moving away from the German, British and French models of World War I. The Italians, Soviets and Swiss were amongst these. Steel helmets, originally simply items of utilitarian protective clothing, were adopted as parade headdress by the French, German and Soviet armies between the Wars. World War II Drab uniforms of varying shades of khaki and grey were universal in World War II but the cut and outline appearance of the different armies still made identification in the field relatively straight forward. A Soviet soldier would, for example be distinguishable from his German opponent by his general outline, even in the fog of battle. British, American, Japanese and French uniforms still retained some distinctive features, even as they became more and more utilitarian in the course of the War. The US Army discarded its World War I style field uniforms in 1941 in favour of a very plain and practical combat dress. This was worn in conjunction with a smart khaki "Class A" dress uniform. By contrast British soldiers, other than officers, had only their 1938 "battledress" for all occasions. MODERN UNIFORMS soldiers, are designed to blend in with the environment.]] As noted above, the traditional coloured uniform have long since given way to clothing more suited for actual combat in modern conditions. While by no means extinct, bright colours are now usually reserved for wear by units having ceremonial functions, some bands and officers attending formal occasions. Elite units normally contrive to having some distinctive features. The US Marines are well known for their tradional dark blue tunics and light blue trousers trimmed in red but these "dress blues" are only issued to a minority of personnel and are otherwise purchased at the cost of the individual for off duty wear. The British Household Cavalry and Foot Guards wear uniforms unchanged from 1914 for "public duties" i.e. ceremonial. The glory days of military uniform and the pomp and Ceremony of the military have yielded to the utilitarian necessities of War and economic frugality. Most military forces, however, have developed several different uniform types, including combat dress, Working Dress , service or ordinary duty uniforms and (to a very limited extent) Ceremonial Full Dress . The practice of wearing a form of full dress off duty ("walking out dress") has largely died out as the modern soldier prefers the casual clothing of his civilian peers. As an example of modern practice, the US Marine Corps has a distinct blue dress uniform, but other uniforms include khaki shirts, forest-green coats, and combat camouflage. In other services where camouflage is normally a non-issue, such as Navies , colored uniforms are still issued, e.g. the US Navy 's white officer uniform for warm weather. The British Army mainly retains its traditional full dress uniform only for bands and ceremonial units. An attempt to provide other British soldiers with a plainer(and cheaper)dark blue or green No.1 dress did not meet with much enthusiasm and has been largely discarded. Parade dress for most British regiments is khaki No. 2 dress. Working fatigues are of green denim and the combat kit is of camouflaged cloth. Tradition is however still strong in British military culture and there are many regimental distinctions added to all but combat uniforms. One example is the King's Royal Hussars who wear their historic crimson trousers with all orders other than fatigue or combat dress. Highland regiments similarly wear the kilt whenever possible. The trews or tartan trousers of Lowland regiments will shortly disappear as the result of amalgamations. France has adopted a light beige dress uniform which is worn with coloured kepis, sashes, fringed epaulettes and other traditional items on appropriate occasions. The German Army has retained a form of field grey for dress wear though of modern cut and worn with berets. The Russian Army has retained a number of features, such as officers' Epaulettes , and Greatcoats for all ranks, which can be traced back to Czarist days. All of the above armies wear some form of camoflage uniforms for training and active service. These generally resemble each other and armies in the field are no longer easily differentiated by the distinctive cut or colour of their clothing. The military of many countries have adopted the economical expedient of dressing up combat uniforms for parade by adding Medals , neck scarves and coloured berets to the terrain coloured camouflage uniforms intended for combat. As an interesting example of the combining of old and new features of uniform the French Spahis and the Spanish Regulares still wear the flowing cloaks, fezs, turbans and sashes of the North African colonial regiments from which they are descended with modern khaki on appropriate occasions. PURPOSE Distinctive clothing One purpose of Military uniforms is to clearly distinguish Combatant s who are protected by the Laws Of War from other persons carrying weapons, who enjoy no such protection. Another purpose in historical times was to make it difficult for Deserter s to avoid detection; military uniforms were so distinctive with many metal buttons and unique colors that they could not be modified into unrecognizable clothing. In societies where the military was important, the soldiers were dressed to impress the population and themselves. If the commander raised and equipped the troops out of his own pocket, the appearance of the soldiers was also designed to impress his superiors. Attractive or distinctive uniforms could make a military career desirable to young men (the "peacock" factor). As late as 1914 the British Army found that regiments with particularly striking off duty or parade uniforms found it easier to attract recruits. Visibility or camouflage Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the typical colour scheme included bright and high contrast colour arrangements which made it easier to distinguish units in battle, in spite of the smoke from gun powder. Large flags were another aid to co-ordination and location for commanders. However, with the growing prevalence of accurate Rifle s and other ranged Firearm s as standard weapons for Infantry , it was found from about the 1880s on that these colours made soldiers easy targets for enemies to shoot at a distance. In reaction, the various militaries, beginning with the British Armed Forces , changed the colours, predominantly to such ones that blended in more with the terrain, such as Khaki or Olive Drab , for the purposes of Camouflage . In addition, this idea was followed with uniforms suitable for particular climates and seasons such as white for snowy regions and tan for sandy ones. Logistics Mass-produced uniforms are a good way to equip thousands of soldiers quickly and efficiently. Uniforms in standard sizes and designs are also easier to replace on campaign. As an example, English levies raised for service in Ireland or the Continent during the 17th century came to be provided with clothing purchased in bulk and often of a standard colour or cut. This was however only a temporary wartime expedient and the development of uniforms as such had to wait on the formulation of a system of permanent regiments, notably by the French Monarchy (see above). Psychological warfare The appearance of the troops was often enhanced in some way to intimidate the enemy. The tall, mitre-shaped caps worn by grenadiers in the 18th Century made their wearers appear bigger and more impressive. King Frederick William I Of Prussia had a guard unit of especially tall men with tall mitre hats, the Potsdam Giants . Prussian Hussar s wore the "skull and crossbones" ('' Totenkopf '') on their hats from 1740 to 1918 . The warriors of ancient Sparta , normally known for their austere lifestyle, wore expensive red cloaks. Reportedly this was adopted as the only colour on which the spilled blood of their enemies would not leave stains. There is a popular myth that the historic red coat of the English soldier was adopted for the same reason. In fact (i) blood does show as a dark stain on red clothing and (ii) the British red coat originated as a historical accident, possibly as a result of the relative cheapness of madder red dyes at the time of the English Civil War in the mid 17th century. Hair styles in military organizations usually follow civilian fashions, but sometimes certain features are associated with soldiers. In the late 19th century, the ornate Beard s and Moustaches worn by the Officer s of the day, which complemented their Rank and age, were also worn by socially equivalent civilians. SEE ALSO
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