Most powerful military in history?

[sabo]

Thats stupid logic. In that case the Aztecs were the most powerful civilization in the world because prior to the Spanish they were the most powerful in their known world. I'm sure the Chinese thought they were the most powerful in their known world.

The US does not control the whole world by having troops everywhere but still dominates like none other and has the military to beat anyone anywhere at anytime. The Romans and Alexander don't come close. Britain had the most powerful navy but their army was pretty much beaten by the Germans.

So what MORE of the world was known beyond what Alexander, Ghengis Kahn, and the Romans, does the US control Europe? no, does the US control Asia? No, Does the US control Russia?, no... I don't disagree with you that the US could beat anyone right now but the US comes no where close dominating the entire world like the Romans, Mongols, and Greeks did.

 

[Dreadnought]

Their world. The world of the Romans. We Americans could say that The US's land is the only land we know about, but does that make us more powerful?

 

[Ancient Grudge]

Their world. The world of the Romans. We Americans could say that The US's land is the only land we know about, but does that make us more powerful?

The difference here is that Americans know the rest of the world.

 

[searcheagle]

One thing that the US has over the rest of the world, both any present or historical country has is force projection.

Could the Mongols hit the capital city of the Germans, French, or British (all of which they knew about) at any time?

Obviously not. Could the US? Absolutely. Unlikely, but technically possible.

 

[Dreadnought]

The difference here is that Americans know the rest of the world.

What if we say we don't?

 

[alex994]

One thing that the US has over the rest of the world, both any present or historical country has is force projection.

Could the Mongols hit the capital city of the Germans, French, or British (all of which they knew about) at any time?

Obviously not. Could the US? Absolutely. Unlikely, but technically possible.

Force projection doesn't mean a thing even if they can do it unless they can get away with it intact. If we Americans hit Paris, London, and Berlin with either conventional weapons or nukes the United States would be toast, economically, political, and militarily. On the other hand, if the Mongols did strike Berlin, Paris, or London nothing much bad would happen to them

 

[searcheagle]

Force projection doesn't mean a thing even if they can do it unless they can get away with it intact. If we Americans hit Paris, London, and Berlin with either conventional weapons or nukes the United States would be toast, economically, political, and militarily. On the other hand, if the Mongols did strike Berlin, Paris, or London nothing much bad would happen to them

Those are the reasons why it WONT happen. However, the question asked about the most POWERFUL military, not a country that could or would do.

 

[Dreadnought]

Force projection doesn't mean a thing even if they can do it unless they can get away with it intact. If we Americans hit Paris, London, and Berlin with either conventional weapons or nukes the United States would be toast, economically, political, and militarily. On the other hand, if the Mongols did strike Berlin, Paris, or London nothing much bad would happen to them

Not if we nuke everywhere at once

 

[alex994]

Not if we nuke everywhere at once

And be nuked by the rest of the world in return which can be said to be a stalemate or draw

Those are the reasons why it WONT happen. However, the question asked about the most POWERFUL military, not a country that could or would do.

On the contrary, if you simply use nukes it's mutally assured destruction of both sides. It doesn't make the United States any stronger then the rest of the world because of nukes...

 

[Nyvin]

Not if we nuke everywhere at once

If that many Nuclear weapons were ever used, we'd probably all die from cancer anyway.

 

[Verbose]

If that many Nuclear weapons were ever used, we'd probably all die from cancer anyway.

In the end maybe.
(Actually, live long enough and chances are we all die from cancer.)

Radiation sickness would do us in well before.

 

[ForbiddenPalace]

Independent government, advanced technology, patriot soldiers, and effective commanders form great military. I would say the US army have all these qualities.

 

[Dark Khan]

Armies of the great khan is the best ever.They could invade anywhere Paris London Japan(thanks for kamikaze) maybe Rome .Remember Battle of legnica http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Legnica

 

[Tunch Khan]

Mongolia, during Khan's reign. They could have had the world so very easily.

I voted for them too, yet they still lost the field against Mameluk Turks. But their follower, Tamerlane won a victory against arrogant Bayezid the Thunderbolt, so that evens them out

 

[The Dark Master]

The German Military. If Hitler hadent been such an idiot Germany (And many historians agree with me here) could have conquerd the WORLD.

 

[Own]

France Pre1954

Is this a joke?

I said the Kahn empire.

 

[deo]

The Parthians, if i would be a the leader i would recruit only HORSE ACHERS and perhaps some Cataphracts and the world would be mine, not even rome could stop me!!! (Rome Total War )

Back to Reality, The Answer is very hard because you can't compare for example the roman army with the army of US today!.
Anyway i would say... Germany 1914 (I don't know why they lost that war) but om the other hand US could rise a army with which germany could have problems.

 

[Mahler]

S+U = U+S Germany, France, Rom, Mongolia, Greece had the most powerful armies in different time periods.

 

[Own]

Is this a joke?

I thought it said 1945.

 

[Dreadnought]

Is this a joke?

I said the Kahn empire.

France, at the outbrake of WW2, was considered to have the strongest military in the world!

I am 100% serious.

...but look where it got them...