The military history of the United Kingdom covers the period from the creation of the united Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707, with the political union of England and Scotland, to the present day.
From the 18th century, with the expansion of the British Empire and the country's industrial strength, Britain's military force became one of the largest and most powerful in the world, particularly its navy, with advanced technology and bases across the world. It declined during the 20th century in the wake of two world wars, decolonisation and the rise of the United States and the USSR as the new superpowers. Britain has been involved in a great many armed conflicts since the union in 1707, the majority alongside allies, on all continents except for Antarctica. Today it still remains a major power with frequent military interventions across the globe since the end of the Cold War in 1990. During its history British forces or forces with a British mandate have invaded at some point of time all but 22 of world's countries, or nine out of ten of all countries.
The British Armed Forces encompass the Royal Navy, the British Army, and the Royal Air Force.
Read more about Military History Of The United Kingdom: 18th Century, 19th Century, 20th Century, 21st Century, List of Civil Wars, Further Reading
Famous quotes containing the words military, history, united and/or kingdom:
“I really do inhabit a system in which words are capable of shaking the entire structure of government, where words can prove mightier than ten military divisions.”
—Václav Havel (b. 1936)
“The history of the world is none other than the progress of the consciousness of freedom.”
—Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831)
“We can beat all Europe with United States soldiers. Give me a thousand Tennesseans, and I’ll whip any other thousand men on the globe!”
—Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)
“Was I not born in this Realm? Were my parents born in any foreign country?... Is not my Kingdom here? Whom have I oppressed? Whom have I enriched to other’s harm? What turmoil have I made to this Commonwealth that I should be suspected to have no regard of the same?”
—Elizabeth I (1533–1603)