why do we have the army and marines? What is the difference? Why not just have one force?

Answer 1

The Marine Corps has a very different mission than the Army.
To put in the simplest terms: The Marines fight and move, the Army fights and stays. The Marines Corps , as a force is designed to, strike quickly and decisively. The Army is designed to stay in prolong fights.

If you compare the two services to dogs, The Marines are the like a gray hound, fast sleek. The Army is like a st. Bernard slow lumbering, but they can get the job done.

Answer 2

We have both for a couple of reasons. They have completely different missions, just like the Coast Guard and the Navy. The Army is designed for long term conflict, the Marines are amphibious and are to "take the beach" for a short term until the Army arrives to move inland on the offensive. The Marines are responsible for the protection of the Embassy's too. Then their is tradition to fall back on, which if you ask any Marine, he will tell you that he wouldn't want to be a part of the Army, and I am sure many soldiers feel the same way. Why do each of the services have their own planes, when we have an Air force? Same reason,, different missions.

Answer 3

Marines fall under the navy unfortunately. We are in the department of the navy, plus we want nothing to do with the army. We are just so diferent. Me personally got nothing against the army but alot of Marines dont like soldiers. For example somalia. Marines were there first holding it down, as soon as we left the army could not hold the country and that when the whole blackhawk down came about. Marines are known to be a smaller force but stronger and the get the job done, quickly.

Answer 4

I can honestly tell you from someone that has been in both services.

The Marines can be called up and sent out by the President without Congress (That's why it's Americas 911 Force). They are able to be deployed in a moments notice. If there anything going down the Marines are usually the first ones to touch ground.

The Army. The President does have to get Congress's approval. In the first Gulf War, they did beat out the Marines on touching ground, but where poorly supplied and had to get some supplies from the Marines.

The Marines are fewer in number, but they are trained to do more with less equipment. The training is tougher and they are more disciplined than the Army. In the Marines you are an Infantry Man first and your occupation is second.

The Army is vast in number, better equipment for sustained occupation. The training not as hard as in the Marines.

Answer 5

WHY: Tradition, History, and Inertia !! The USMC was almost disbanded following World War I... and there were attempts to fold it into the USA after World War II.

The Difference is as others have described... besides the fact that the Marines are a MUCH smaller force, the Marines are a "lighter" force, designed and tasked with "taking the beach" and holding until Army forces arrive. The Marines also have their OWN fixed wing aircraft... The Army has no fixed-wing aircraft by aggreement with the Air Force.

Why NOT have one force ? Well, then you'd STILL have to have some "specialized" forces with in the Army to accomplish the missions of the Marines.

And damn it... you just CAN'T get rid of those SHARP Dress Blues of Uncle Sam's Misguided Children

Answer 6

The army fights on the ground and the Marine fights forward frome the sea. Thats the basic distintion between them. So why cant the army be Marines? Sure they can and Marines can be the army but thats not what makes the difference. The difference is in different missions like stated above. Johan

Answer 7

One word: TRADITION!

The original purpose of the marines was to engage the enemy's forward positions along coast lines in fast attacks, establishing beach heads for larger forces to follow. The marines had little armor and carried just a few supplies so they could operate quickly. But what they balalnced the lack of fire power and troop strength with warrior spirit and endurance. Marines were delivered by sea by the navy, and so are a part of the navy.

The army, on the other hand, worked in vast operations covering more territory and many battles were won simply by out maneuvering the enemy forces, with relatively little bloodshed. Although army troops might be delivered by ship, their primary focus was land based operations that might be many miles from navigable waterways or the open ocean. They carried heavier armor and many more supplies for engagements that might last for months. Troops are skilled and tough people, but not at the level of intensity of a marine.

Today, there probably is no real practical reason to have a seprate branch of the service for marines, but an entire military structure is based on the functional separation and it makes more sense to keep the structure in force both administratively and for espirit de corps.

Hope that helps.

Answer 8

At one time the Marines were the navy's ground force, back when wars were fought ship to ship. Today the navy is The Marines transport system.
The army's mission is to provide massive amounts of men and equipment to fight protracted wars.
The Marine Corps mission is to provide rapid response anywhere in the world and and fight initial engagements until the Army can be mobilized. The Marines keep regimental size units combat ready aboard ships with there accompanying air support strategically deployed 24/7.
The Marine Corps is Americans 911 Force.

Answer 9

We do have one force it is call the U.S . Military with different
branches of service to accomplish the many different aspect
of our mission . The Marines are a division of the Navy .
Which was formed for amphibious assault in it hay day . But
they have taken on a much broader mission since . Plus
Special Forces are in all branches of service as well for intel
work , guerrilla warfare , etc. , Also depending on our or other
countries needs in the NATO make up determines who would
be better suited for that environment to protect and to reach out for a military offensive . So like a corporation needs emplyees to do the small to big things so does our military .
It takes a complete team to run the game .. May God Bless
all our Veterans and keep them safe , amen...

Answer 10

Marines are a part of the navy. The army is used for large land invasion, the marines are a special opperation force. I WW11 Patton and the army took out Hitler, The marines took out the islands in the pacific out the japs, that is in simple terms their real jobs and missions are complex and classified