Infantry warfare

Infantry is the branch of an army that engages in military combat on foot, usually tasked with taking and holding ground. Infantry, also known as foot soldiers, make up the bulk of armed forces in most nations, and typically bear the largest brunt in warfare, as measured by casualties, deprivation, or physical and psychological stress. Current common infantry forces include the U.S. Army Infantry Branch, U.S. Marine Corps Infantry, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps, Infantry of the British Army, and the Royal Australian Corps of Infantry.

Infantry are the oldest type of military force, preceding even chariots. The main infantry of antiquity were armed with spears, swords, or other melee weapons, or early ranged weapons like bows and slings – sometimes both. With the development of gunpowder, infantry began converting to primarily firearms. By the time of Napoleonic warfare, infantry, cavalry, and artillery formed a basic triad of ground forces, though infantry usually remained the largest. With armoured warfare, tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles replace the horses of cavalry, and airpower adds a new dimension to combat, but infantry remains pivotal to all modern combined arms operations.