National defense may refer to:
- National security, a nation's use of military, economic and political power to maintain survival
- National missile defense, a military strategy to shield a country from missiles
- National Defense Service Medal, a decoration of the U.S. military
- National Defense Reserve Fleet, a reserve of U.S. merchant ships
- National Defense University in Washington, D.C.
- National Defense Medical College in Japan
- National Defense Medical Center in Taiwan
- National Defense College of the Philippines
- National Defense Research Committee in the U.S. in the 1940s
- National Defense Education Act
- Government of National Defense in Africa in the 1870s
Famous quotes containing the words national and/or defense:
“The religion of England is part of good-breeding. When you see on the continent the well-dressed Englishman come into his ambassador’s chapel and put his face for silent prayer into his smooth-brushed hat, you cannot help feeling how much national pride prays with him, and the religion of a gentleman.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“If violence is wrong in America, violence is wrong abroad. If it is wrong to be violent defending black women and black children and black babies and black men, then it is wrong for America to draft us, and make us violent abroad in defense of her. And if it is right for America to draft us, and teach us how to be violent in defense of her, then it is right for you and me to do whatever is necessary to defend our own people right here in this country.”
—Malcolm X (1925–1965)