Germany.— There are two main divisions of the military service in Germany— (a) regular service; (b) service in the Landsturm. All males between the ages of 17 and 45 are required to perform service in one or the other of these main divisions. Men selected for the regular service serve seven years with the standing army (three with the colors and four in reserve) and then arc passed into the Landwehr, where they continue service until their 39th year. Service from the 39th to the 45th year is in the Landsturm. Men who for any reason are not required to serve in the standing army are placed in the Eratz reserve (special reserve) for 12 years and then passed to the Landsturm.
Austria-Hungary.— The military service of the Austro-Hungarian empire is divided into — (a) the Landwehr, or National Army of Austria; (b) the Honved, or National Army of Hungary; (c) the Gemeinsames Heer, or common army .of both countries; (d) the Landsturm, or second reserve of Austria and Hungary. All males between the ages of 19 and 42 are liable to military serv ice, and it is decided by lot whether such service will be in a national army or in the common army. Actual service begins at the age of 21 and lasts for 12 years. Men draw ing assignment to the common army serve three years with the colors and seven years in the reserve of that army. They then serve an additional two years in the reserve of a national army, and at the expiration of this service pass to the Landsturm. Men draw ing assignment to a national army serve two years with the colors of that army and 10 years in its reserve. They then pass to the Landsturm.
The Austro-Hungarian army in war time is not divided into three forces as in peace, but forms one army composed of all three elements. The administrative unit is the field army, consisting of from two to four corps, and these in turn of usually three divisions. Two of these divisions are drawn from the common army and the third from the Land wehr or Honved, or from the reserves of the first line.
Italy.— Military service in Italy comprises (a) that in the standing army; (b) that in the Mobile Militia; and (c) that in the Ter ritorial Militia. Every adult male between the ages of 20 and 39 years is liable to serv ice in one of these branches. In time of war the army is the grand unit of organization in the Italian service. Each army is composed of three corps, one division of cavalry and auxiliary troops.
Russia.— All male Russian subjects, with the exception of the Mohammedan native Caucasian population and the population of a few provinces, are liable to military service from the 21st to the 44th year of age. This service is divided into (a) that in the stand ing army and reserves, and (b) that in the Imperial Militia. At the annual levy the class of service to which a man is assigned is determined by lot.
japan.— The military service in Japan is divided into— (a) the active army (Gen yeki) ; (b) first reserve (Yobi) ; (c) second reserve (Kobi) ; (d) replacement troops (re serve of recruitment) (Hoju) ; (e) the Na tional army, first and second parts (Ko kumin-hei). Service is obligatory on all males between the ages of 17 and 40. The active army is divided into divisions and re serve divisions, each of which occupies a mili tary district and is complete in itself, not only as regards combatant troops, but as regards auxiliary troops, including the medical de partment. In matters of general administra tion, decentralization is the keynote of the Japanese army, and each division is almost autonomous. It is maintained complete in all its branches in time of peace so that it can be moved in its entirety in time of war and its place immediately taken by a reserve division. In time of war two or more divisions (usual ly three) are mobilized to form field armies.
See ARMY; ARTILLERY; CAVALRY; INFANTRY;