Dogs of War

09/04/05 • 8 min

Throughout History, canines have been a vital element of warfare. In the early days of the Roman Empire, almost 2000 years ago, dogs were outfitted with armor and trained to attack the enemy. Great leaders like Fredrick the Great and Napoleon have also used wardogs in their military operations. And more recently, in the Civil War, WWI, WWII, and the Vietnam War, individual dogs have become so courageous that they have been reccomended for the Silver Star and countless Purple Hearts. However, the wardog has become obsolete in the past few decades with the invention of superior weaponry and tactics. But still, organizations like "The National War Dogs Memorial Project" are trying to preserve K-9 history.

Next Episode

Retiring the M16

The M16 rifle and its 3 variants (the M16A1, M16A2, and M4 carbine) have been the standard rifle for the US Armed Forces since 1957, almost 50 years! Although it was off to a shaky start, it has earned its "dynasty" status. Now, as we approach 2006, the US is about to replace the M16 family with the new XM family of weapons. This family includes the XM-8 (which will replace the current M16A2) and the XM-29 (which will replace the current M4 carbine as the special-ops weapon).