sabotage |
to deliberately damage or destroy an object during a war
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salient |
a battlefield feature or bulge that projects into enemy territory, making troops vulnerable to enemy troops on multiple sides |
salvage |
to save useful or valuable items from a damaged ship or building
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salvo |
the firing of several guns or missiles at the same time in a battle
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sanctions |
measures taken by countries to restrict trade and official contact with a country that has broken international law
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sapper |
a soldier whose job is to do building, digging and similar construction work
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scapegoat |
a person who is publicly blamed for something bad that has happened, even though it was not their fault
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screening |
a military tactic that uses either a body of cavalry to screen the advance of an attacking infantry force or a naval force to protect the main body of ships
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scuttle |
to sink a ship deliberately
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separatist |
a person who wants their own separate government or is involved in separatist activities |
serge |
a strong woollen cloth used to make clothes, such as nurses' uniform dresses
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shell |
a metal container full of an explosive substance and fired from a large gun; (verb) to fire shells at something from a large gun - shelled, shelling, shellfire
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shell shock |
a confused or nervous mental condition of people who have been under fire in a war
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shrapnel |
consists of small pieces of metal that are scattered from exploding bombs or shells
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siege |
a military tactic where soldiers surround a place in an attempt to force its people to come out or give up control of the place
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signaller |
a radio or telephone operator in the armed forces who relays messages from the battle field to headquarters, governments or non-government organisations
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skirmish |
a small short-lived military battle
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smoke shell |
a shell filled with white phosphorus fired by artillery to screen advancing troops
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sniper |
a person who shoots at people from a hidden position
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Somme |
a river in northern France where battles took place during World War I
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sovereignty |
the power a country has to govern itself or another country or state |
squalor |
very dirty, unpleasant conditions
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stalemate |
a military situation where two opposing forces find that further action is either impossible or pointless
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stall |
a compartment in a stable or shed for confining or feeding an animal
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Stolen Generations |
describes the children of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were forcibly removed from their families from the mid-1800s to the 1970s under various federal and state laws
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strafe |
to attack a place from an aircraft by flying low and firing a lot of bullets - also 'ground strafing'
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stretcher case |
someone who has to be taken away on a stretcher because they are too injured or sick to walk
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strong-point |
a crucial point in a defensive position, usually strongly fortified and heavily armed, and protected by other positions nearby
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surrender |
to give up to an enemy or to relinquish control or power over something
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