| merchant ship | a ship that is part of a country's commercial shipping fleet, involved in transporting goods or carrying passengers; also known as a 'merchantman' |
| militant | describes a person with a very strong belief who tries to bring about political or social change, often in extreme ways that others find unacceptable |
| military junta | a government led by a committee of military leaders |
| military observer | a military official deployed as part of a peacekeeping force to provide support to a coordinated mission or peace operation |
| militia | a group that operates like an army but whose members are not professional soldiers |
| mine | a bomb hidden in the ground or in water that explodes when something touches it |
| minelayer | a warship or aircraft designed for the carrying and laying of mines |
| mobilise | to prepare a military forces for a conflict; mobilisation (noun) |
| Morse code | a telegraph code used for sending messages |
| musketry | the technique of using small arms |
| mustard gas | a chemical weapon used during World War I that caused blistering, sore eyes and internal injuries |
| muzzle velocity | the speed of a projectile as it leaves a gun's muzzle |
| Nasho | someone called up for national military service |
| national service | a period of compulsory service in the armed forces |
| neutral | describes a country that does not support any belligerent in a war or conflict |
| no-man's-land | an area of land that is not controlled by any side during a battle |
| obelisk | a tall stone pillar built to commemorate a person or an important event |
| objective | a place or position towards which forces are directed |
| occupation | the control of a territory by a foreign military power |
| offensive | a carefully planned attack made by a large formation or group of soldiers |
| Order of Battle | the units, formation and equipment of a military force; might include its identification, strength and command structure, and the disposition of the personnel |
| Ottoman Empire | the former Turkish empire in Europe, Asia and Africa, from the late 13th century until the end of World War I |
| outflank | to go around the flank of an opposing army by moving past it so it can be attacked from the side |
| outpost | a small group of buildings used for military purposes in a distant part of the country or in a foreign country |
| palliasse | a straw-filled mattress |
| parapet | a low wall along the edge of a tall structure, such as a bridge or roof |
| paratrooper | soldier trained to be dropped by parachute into battle or enemy territory |
| peacekeeper | a member of a peacekeeping force deployed to maintain or restore peace, often defence force or police personnel |
| peacekeeping force | a special force formed to maintain or restore peace |
| peacemaker | a person who brings about peace, especially by reconciling adversaries |
| periscope | a vertical tube inside a submarine that lets a person see above the surface of the water |
| pillbox | a small building made of concrete used to defend a place in a battle |
| pinnace | a small boat carried on a large ship, used to carry goods and people from the ship to the shore |
| plateau | a large area of high and fairly flat land |
| plebiscite | a direct vote by the people of a country or region in which they say whether they agree or disagree with a particular policy |
| prisoners of war | a person who is held captive by a belligerent power, such as their enemy, during or after an armed conflict |
| promontory | a cliff or high point of land that points out into the sea |
| Protection Acts | state-based laws of the 1800s and 1900s that forced First Australians to live under the control of a legal protector who managed many aspects of their lives, such as employment and marriage |
| Protestant | a Christian who belongs to the branch of the Christian church that separated from the Catholic Church in the 16th century |
| protocol | a system of rules about the correct way to act in formal situations |
| quarantine | method of keeping some people or animals separate from others for a set period of time, usually to prevent spread of disease in a population |
| rating | a junior enlisted member of a navy who is not a warrant officer or commissioned officer |
| recolonise | to colonise a foreign place again, by living there and taking control of it |
| reconnaissance | an activity to obtain military information about a place by sending soldiers or planes there or by using satellite data |
| referendum | a national vote for people to decide whether or not they agree with a policy |
| refugee | a person forced to leave their country or homeland because of war or their political or religious beliefs |
| reinforcements | extra people in a military force who are sent to help or to replace those who have been killed or wounded |
| reparation | a sum of money paid after a war by the defeated country for the damage and injuries it caused in other countries |
| repatriation | returning a veteran home after they have been injured, become sick or been killed in another country; also refers to returning a military force when conflict has ceased |
| reservist | soldier who is not serving in the regular army of a country, but can be called to serve when needed |