Glossary of terms
Admiralty | a government department responsible for the command of the Royal Navy in the Kingdom of Great Britain, from 1801 to 1964, the United Kingdom and former British Empire |
airstrike | a military attack involving aircraft |
Allies | in WW1, the powers of the Triple Entente (France, Russia and the UK) together with their allied nations; in WW2, a military coalition of the UK, US, Soviet Union and China together with their allied nations. |
amnesty | a period of time during which people can admit to a crime or give up weapons without being punished |
amputation | to surgically cut all or part of an arm or leg because it's seriously injured or diseased |
anglicise | to change something so that it resembles or becomes part of the English culture or language |
Anglo-Celtic | an inhabitant of Australia who was or whose ancestors were born in the British Isles |
annex | To seize and take control of land or another country |
anti-Semitism | hostility to and prejudice against Jewish people. |
Anzac spirit | the spirit of courage, endurance, and self-sacrifice thought to be typical of the Australian soldiers during the Gallipoli Campaign |
Anzacs | the soldiers serving with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) |
apartheid | an historical political system in South Africa where people were divided into racial groups and kept apart by law |
armistice | an agreement between opposing governments or military forces to suspend conflict and discuss peace terms; a truce |
armour | tanks and other armoured military vehicles used in battle |
armoury | a place where weapons and military equipment are stored; or all the weapons and military equipment a country has |
arms race | a situation in which two countries or groups of countries are continually trying to get more and better weapons than each other |
arsenal | a large collection of weapons and military equipment |
artillery | large, powerful guns that are transported on wheels and used by an army, or the section of an army trained to use large, powerful guns - also 'artillerymen or gunners' |
assassinate | to murder a person as a political act |
assault | a strong attack made on an area held by the enemy |
atrocity | an extremely cruel act that typically involves physical violence or injury |
autonomy | the control or government of a country or group by itself rather than by others |
auxiliary | helping or supporting |
Axis, the | in World War II, the alliance of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Japan |