what were the strengths and weaknesses of the american militia?
98469
What period of time are we talking about here?\nWith over 200 years of American history, can you narrow it down?
1044884
Yes it is our duty stated in the 2nd amendment to keep and bear arms to keep our government in check. But unfortunately it's too late. They have become so tyrannical and powerful that we dropped the ball and didn't listen to the founding fathers until it was too late.
742349
There doesn't seem to be much of an armed militia. Do you mean "insurrectionists"? \n\nI suspect many of the Iraqi males have guns or weapons of some kind. That's part of the problem. Everyone can get his hands on weapons or explosives.\n\nThere is a better way to "win the war" than with guns.
1185249
Northerners weren't gung-ho about going to war and especially about being drafted. In New York City, a riot of draft resisters broke out at Tompkins Square Park in Manhattan. Bloody mess. Also most northerners didn't know how to use firearms because they never hunted for wild game. It was new to them. Also the North couldn't find a military leader. They changed them like shirts until U.S. Grant took over. To get soliders the north recruited from Ireland and Germany.
622585
It's unconstitutional.\n\nAmendment II \n\nA well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. \n\nA free state not nation.\n\nYou really trust the government that much for your safety?  It takes thirty to forty minutes in this state for a deputy to respond to a call.  It takes thirty seconds for a person to bleed out.\n\nSo those of us who provide our own food what would we do? hunt with stones?  \n\nI have had a couple of situations where I was glad I was armed.\n\nWe have also had mountain lion attacks in this state.  I don't believe in the so-called non-lethal.  Pepperspray can be blown back in your face.  \n\nWhen people start getting killed by stones are you going to out law rocks  (people get killed with rocks now)?  How can this be done, are you God?  I doubt it.  What about cars, knives, scissors, rope, baseball bats, plastic bags.  Are you for banning all these?\n\nWhat actually effects violence is being stronger than a bad guy.  The philosophy of Teddy Roosevelt have a big stick and walk softly.  If everyone is armed the Bad guy naturally backs down, because they look for weaker targets.
872052
Of course not.  The "unorganized militia" as defined in law, exists for one purpose only.  It defines the body of manpower available to the government in the event of a draft.  That's it.
381269
the second amendment.
15916
Amendment I\n\nCongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. \n\n\nAmendment II\n\nA well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
128897
Try going to the website below. They have very helpful information regarding all aspects of the United States military.
611128
America's Army is free.\n\nhttp://www.americasarmy.com
815948
Depends on what to demands are we have all to often been short on long term planning when it comes to arming people and then having it come back to bite us. I would perfer investments in assisting its citizens as well as the military
315316
Amendment I\n\nCongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.\n\nAmendment II\n\nA well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.\n\nAmendment III\n\nNo soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.\n\nAmendment IV\n\nThe right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.\n\nAmendment V\n\nNo person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.\n\nAmendment VI\n\nIn all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.\n\nAmendment VII\n\nIn suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.\n\nAmendment VIII\n\nExcessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.\n\nAmendment IX\n\nThe enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.\n\nAmendment X\n\nThe powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.
275824
None that I know of make direct comparisons/contrasts.\n\nI can help you out a lot more than TheWiseOne, as his answer contains many inaccuracies.\n\nContrary to what the WiseOne stated, the M1 Garand was adopted as the standard US Army infantry rifle in 1936 and was standard issue when we entered the war.  The USMC still had a predominance of '03 Springfields, as they didn't receive new equipment until after the Army.  I find it odd that the WiseOne denigrates the Springfield for being "obviously dated and had been used in World War I.".  That's funny, because the standard infantry rifle the Germans used during WWII, the K98k, was simply a newer, shorter version of the Gewehr 98, the Model 1898 Mauser rifle, developed before and used during WWI (the Springfield used the same action as the Mauser by the way).  Both were fine bolt-action weapons, but couldn't compare with the M1 because of their slow rate of fire (the US was the only army in WWII to have a semi-automatic rifle as it's standard infantry weapon).\n\nThe primary sub-machine gun of the US Army during WWII was the M1928A1, M1, and M1A1 versions of the Thompson sub-machine gun.  A fairly heavy weapon, accurate at short ranges, and it had a lot of stopping power due to the fact it was chambered for the .45ACP round.  From 1944 onwards it was slowly phased out and replaced by the M3 Grease Gun.  It was cheaper and far simpler to mass produce than the Thompson.  Contrary to what the WiseOne states, both used 30 round box magazines (although 20 round was available for the Thompson).  The German MP-40 (the famed Schmeisser, although Schmeisser had no part in it's design) was chambered for 9MM Parabellum.  It was lighter and had a slightly lower cyclic rate than the Thompson (but a bit higher than the M3).\n\nComparing the MP-44 and the BAR is like comparing apples and oranges.  The MP-44 is the ancestor of the modern assault rifle, and was used as such.  The BAR is analagous to the M249 SAW that the US Army currently uses.  The MP-44 was a good weapon, with decent accuracy and range, and a cyclic rate high enough to provide fairly heavy firepower.  Very useful in urban fighting.\n\nThe BAR was a great weapon, heavy, but provided very good, accurate firepower for platoons.\n\nI don't know what "tiny Walther pistols" WiseOne is speaking about.  The standard German sidearms of WWII were the Parabellum-Pistole (popularly known as the Luger) and the Walther P-38.  Both were chambered for the 9MM Parabellum round, and both were fairly accurate.  The P-38 was easier and cheaper to make, and more tolerant of various environmental conditions.  The M1911A1 Colt .45 was a fairly good pistol, not particularly accurate, but the .45 ACP round provided good stopping power, and it was fairly reliable.\n\nThe German MG-42 was an excellent weapon, the best of its' class during the war.  It was the basis for the postwar design of the US M-60 machine gun.  I don't know what the WiseOne is speaking of when he mentions "and other lamer machine guns" when speaking of the US.  The primary US light machine gun was the .30 Browning.  It's sustained fire rate wasn't as good as the MG-42, but nevertheless the air-cooled version was a more than competent, if not very good weapon.  The standard heavy machine gun of the US was the Browning M2 .50.  This was an excellent weapon, best in it's class, and is still in use today by many countries. The M2 was just as accurate as the MG-42, and had greater power and ranger. Then again, pretty much any weapon designed by John Browning turned out to be excellent.\n\nThis following statement is absolutely wrong:\n\n"American planes were better than German planes by the time we entered the war, as the RAF killed off many of their better planes."\n\nThe best American fighters of the war at the time of our entry were the P-40 and F4F.  Neither one was anywhere near as good as the
757132
Self defense.  Defending others.  Defending your country.
1134231
Does the US constitution really give the right for INDIVIDUALS to bear arms, or are only militias given the right to bear arms.
900180
1. Constitutional right to bear arms.\n2. Self-defense.\n3. Crime deterent ( Bad guys will not know if you're armed ).
1111521
Under this code, there are three types of militia:\n\nConstitutional, or unorganized miltia--every able-bodied man...who can be called into active service...are *encouraged* to train in marksmenship with arms provided by themselves.\n\nSelect-militia--like the National Guard, created by statutory law rather than constitutional power.\n\nPrivate-militia forces, which are made up of unorganized militiamen who have, on their own authority, organized into para-military organizations based on their own interpretation of the concept of the militia. \n\nSo your answer is no.