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Dragon's Teeth (fortification)
Dragon's teeth are Pyramid (geometry), pyramidal anti-tank obstacles of reinforced concrete first used during the Second World War to impede the movement of tanks and mechanised infantry. The idea was to slow down and channel tanks into Kill zone, killing zones where they could easily be disposed of by anti-tank weapons. They were employed extensively, particularly on the Siegfried Line. World War II Dragon's teeth were used by several armies in the European Theatre of World War II, European theatre. The Wehrmacht, Germans made extensive use of them on the Siegfried Line and the Atlantic Wall. Typically, each tooth was tall. Land mines were often laid between teeth, and further obstacles were constructed along the lines of teeth, such as barbed wire to impede infantry or diagonally-placed steel beams to further hinder tanks. Many were laid in the United Kingdom in 1940–1941, as part of the effort to strengthen the country's British anti-invasion preparations of World War II ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Westwall03
The Siegfried Line, known in German as the ''Westwall (= western bulwark)'', was a German defensive line built during the late 1930s. Started in 1936, opposite the French Maginot Line, it stretched more than from Kleve on the border with the Netherlands, along the western border of Nazi Germany, to the town of Weil am Rhein on the border with Switzerland. The line featured more than 18,000 bunkers, tunnels and tank traps. From September 1944 to March 1945, the Siegfried Line was subjected to a large-scale Allied offensive. Name The official German name for the defensive line construction program before and during the Second World War changed several times during the late 1930s. It came to be known as the "Westwall", but in English it was referred to as the "Siegfried Line" or, sometimes, the "West Wall". Various German names reflected different areas of construction: * Border Watch programme (pioneering programme) for the most advanced positions (1938) * Limes programme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Anti-invasion Preparations Of World War II
British anti-invasion preparations of the Second World War entailed a large-scale division of military and civilian mobilisation in response to the threat of invasion (Operation Sea Lion) by German armed forces in 1940 and 1941. The British Army needed to recover from the defeat of the British Expeditionary Force in France, and 1.5 million men were enrolled as part-time soldiers in the Home Guard. The rapid construction of field fortifications transformed much of the United Kingdom, especially southern England, into a prepared battlefield. Sea Lion was never taken beyond the preliminary assembly of forces. Today, little remains of Britain's anti-invasion preparations, although reinforced concrete structures such as pillboxes and anti-tank cubes can still be commonly found, particularly in the coastal counties. Political and military background On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland; two days later, Britain and France declared war on Germany, launching the Second Wo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Belgorod Oblast
Belgorod Oblast () is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject (an oblast) of Russia. Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Belgorod. , the population is 1,540,486. History During the Princely era of Kievan Rus', the region was part of the Principality of Chernigov. The area was devastated by Mongol invasion of Europe, Mongol-Timeline of the Golden Horde, Tatar raids and came under the control of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 14th and 15th centuries. Since 1500 it was part of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. At the turn of the 17th century, a solid Great Zasechnaya cherta, line of military fortifications was built in the area, stretching for almost . Zaporozhian Cossacks, who moved here because of the nobility and the tax burden, were in charge of the line defenses. Even more Cossacks moved to the area during the Khmelnytsky Uprising (1648–1657) and the internecine wars in the Cossack Hetmanate (1659–1679). Belgorod became ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SFRY
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe. It was established in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, breakup of Yugoslavia, dissolving amid the onset of the Yugoslav Wars. Spanning an area of in the Balkans, Yugoslavia was bordered by the Adriatic Sea and Italy to the west, Austria and Hungarian People's Republic, Hungary to the north, People's Republic of Bulgaria, Bulgaria and Socialist Republic of Romania, Romania to the east, and People's Socialist Republic of Albania, Albania and Greece to the south. It was a One-party state, one-party socialist state and federation governed by the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, and had six constituent republics: Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Her ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall (, ) was a guarded concrete Separation barrier, barrier that encircled West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, separating it from East Berlin and the East Germany, German Democratic Republic (GDR; East Germany). Construction of the Berlin Wall was commenced by the government of the GDR on 13 August 1961. It included guard towers placed along large concrete walls, accompanied by a wide area (later known as the "death strip") that contained anti-vehicle trenches, beds of nails and other defenses. The primary intention for the Wall's construction was to prevent East Germany, East German citizens from Emigration from the Eastern Bloc, fleeing to the West. The Eastern Bloc, Soviet Bloc propaganda portrayed the Wall as protecting its population from "Fascist (insult), fascist elements conspiring to prevent the will of the people" from building a Communism, communist state in the GDR. The authorities officially referred to the Berlin Wall as the ''Anti-Fascist Protection Ram ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Korean Demilitarized Zone
The Korean Demilitarized Zone () is a heavily militarized strip of land running across the Korea, Korean Peninsula near the 38th parallel north. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a border barrier that divides the peninsula roughly in half. It was established to serve as a buffer zone between the sovereign states of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the South Korea, Republic of Korea (South Korea) under the provisions of the Korean Armistice Agreement in 1953, an agreement between North Korea, China, and the United Nations Command. The DMZ is long and about wide. There have been List of border incidents involving North and South Korea, various incidents in and around the DMZ, with military and civilian casualties on both sides. Within the DMZ is a meeting point between the two Korean states, where negotiations take place: the small Joint Security Area (JSA) near the western end of the zone. Location The Korean Demilitarized Zone inter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toblerone
Toblerone ( , ) is a Swiss chocolate brand owned by Mondelez International (originally Kraft Foods Inc, Kraft Foods). Until 2022, it was produced exclusively in Bern, Switzerland, when a smaller, limited part of the portfolio began production in Bratislava, Slovakia. Toblerone is known for its distinctive shape as a series of joined triangular prisms inspired by the Matterhorn mountain and lettering engraved in the chocolate. "Toblerone" is a portmanteau of "Tobler", the surname of its co-founder Theodor Tobler, and "''Turrón#Italian torrone, torrone''", the Italian language, Italian word for nougat. The company was independent from 1899 until 1970, then merged with Suchard, then with Jacobs (coffee), Jacobs as Jacobs Suchard, then acquired by Kraft Foods, which has been renamed to Mondelez International in 2012. History The Tobler chocolate factory was founded in 1899 by Emil Baumann (1880–1960) & Theodor Tobler (1876–1941) in Bern. At the time, the Swiss chocolate in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toblerone Line
The Toblerone line is a 10 km long defensive line made of "Dragon's teeth (fortification), dragon's teeth" fortifications built during the World War II, Second World War between Bassins, Switzerland, Bassins and Prangins, in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. These lines of defensive blocks can be found all over Switzerland, though more commonly in border areas. Their purpose was to stop tank invasions. The 2,700 nine-tonne concrete blocks that make up the defences are similar to the shape of the Toblerone chocolate bar, which gave its name to the line. Since the line has been left to nature since its construction, it was decided to keep these concrete blocks and to make a hiking trail along their route. The line was built along twelve fortresses, the most well-known being the "Villa Rose" in Gland, Switzerland, Gland, which was transformed into a museum and opened to the public in 2006. History The Toblerone line is a part of the Promenthouse defence line, which more or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bollard
A bollard is a sturdy, short, vertical post. The term originally referred to a post on a ship or quay used principally for mooring boats. In modern usage, it also refers to posts installed to control road traffic and posts designed to prevent automotive vehicles from colliding with pedestrians and structures. Etymology The term is probably related to bole, meaning a tree trunk. The earliest citation given by the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (referring to a maritime bollard) dates from 1844, although a reference in the '' Caledonian Mercury'' in 1817 describes bollards as huge posts. History Wooden posts were used for basic traffic management from at least the second half of the 17th century. One early well-documented case is that of the "postes and rales in ye King's highway for ye (safety) of all foot passengers" erected in 1671 in the High Street of Old Brentford, Middlesex (part of the London–Bath road). Another is that of "two oak-posts" set up next to the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alpine Wall
The Alpine Wall (''Vallo Alpino'') was an Italian system of fortifications along the of Italy's northern frontier. Built in the years leading up to World War II at the direction of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, the defensive line faced France, Switzerland, Austria, and Yugoslavia. It was defended by the " Guardia alla Frontiera" (GaF), Italian special troops. Characteristics The Alpine line was similar in concept to other fortifications of the same era, including the Maginot Line of France, the Siegfried Line of Germany, and the National Redoubt of Switzerland. Italy's land frontiers were in most places mountainous and easily defended, but in the years leading up to World War II, Italy's relations with its neighbours were uneasy. Even in its dealings with its German ally, Italy was concerned about German ambitions towards the province of South Tyrol, inhabited by a German majority. Due to the rugged nature of the Alpine frontier, defences were confined to passes and obse ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United States Constitution (1789).See alsTitle 10, Subtitle B, Chapter 301, Section 3001 It operates under the authority, direction, and control of the United States Secretary of Defense, United States secretary of defense. It is one of the six armed forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. The Army is the most senior branch in order of precedence amongst the armed services. It has its roots in the Continental Army, formed on 14 June 1775 to fight against the British for independence during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). After the Revolutionary War, the Congress of the Confederation created the United States Army on 3 June 1784 to replace the disbanded Continental Army.Library of CongressJournals ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
