"Banner of War" redirects here. For the Yugoslav military decoration, see Order of the War Banner.
A war flag, also known as a military flag, battle flag, or standard,[1] is a variant of a national flag for use by a country's military forces when on land. The nautical equivalent is a naval ensign. Under the strictest sense of the term, few countries today currently have distinct war flags, most using a flag design that is also the state flag or general national flag for this purpose.
A knight (Jan I van Brabant) flying a heraldic flag in battle, in addition to the heraldic device displayed on his shield (Codex Manesse, c. 1304)
The use of flags as field signs apparently emerges in Asia, during the Iron Age, possibly in either China or India.[2] in Achaemenid Persia, each army division had its own standard, and "all officers had banners over their tents".[3] Early field signs that include, but are not limited to a flag, are also called vexilloid or "flag-like", for example the Roman Eagle standard or the dragon standard of the Sarmatians. The Roman Vexillum itself is also "flag-like" in the sense that it was suspended from a horizontal crossbar as opposed to a simple flagpole.
Use of simple flags as military ensigns becomes common during the medieval period, developing in parallel with heraldry as a complement to the heraldic device shown on shields. The maritime flag also develops in the medieval period. The medieval Japanese Sashimono carried by foot-soldiers are a parallel development.
Some medieval free cities or communes did not have coats of arms, and used war flags that were not derived from a coat of arms. Thus, the city of Lucerne used a blue-white flag as a field sign from the mid 13th century, without deriving it from a heraldic shield design.
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For the Standard WWI steamship see SS War Flag Banner of War redirects here For the Yugoslav military decoration see Order of the War Banner A war flag also known as a military flag battle flag or standard 1 is a variant of a national flag for use by a country s military forces when on land The nautical equivalent is a naval ensign Under the strictest sense of the term few countries today currently have distinct war flags most using a flag design that is also the state flag or general national flag for this purpose A knight Jan I van Brabant flying a heraldic flag in battle in addition to the heraldic device displayed on his shield Codex Manesse c 1304 Contents 1 History 2 Current war flags 2 1 Used by armed forces only 2 2 Army land use only 2 3 War flags that are also naval ensigns 3 Former war flags 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory editFurther information Oriflamme Heraldic flag Banner Vexilloid Field sign and Royal Standard Sound trumpets Let our bloody colours wave And either victory or else a grave Edward Prince of Wales in Henry VI Part 3 Act II Scene II Field signs were used in early warfare at least since the Bronze Age The word standard itself is from an Old Frankish term for a field sign not necessarily a flag nbsp Babur and his Mughal Army saluting the Nine Standards of Timur The use of flags as field signs apparently emerges in Asia during the Iron Age possibly in either China or India 2 in Achaemenid Persia each army division had its own standard and all officers had banners over their tents 3 Early field signs that include but are not limited to a flag are also called vexilloid or flag like for example the Roman Eagle standard or the dragon standard of the Sarmatians The Roman Vexillum itself is also flag like in the sense that it was suspended from a horizontal crossbar as opposed to a simple flagpole Use of simple flags as military ensigns becomes common during the medieval period developing in parallel with heraldry as a complement to the heraldic device shown on shields The maritime flag also develops in the medieval period The medieval Japanese Sashimono carried by foot soldiers are a parallel development Some medieval free cities or communes did not have coats of arms and used war flags that were not derived from a coat of arms Thus the city of Lucerne used a blue white flag as a field sign from the mid 13th century without deriving it from a heraldic shield design Current war flags editUsed by armed forces only edit nbsp War flag of Brunei nbsp Canadian Armed Forces ensign nbsp War flag of the People s Liberation Army of China nbsp War flag of the Republic of China Armed Forces nbsp War flag of Colombia nbsp War flag of Georgia nbsp Flag of the Iranian Army nbsp War flag of Italy nbsp Flag of the Japan Ground Self Defense Force nbsp War flag of the Korean People s Army of North Korea nbsp Flag of the Armed Forces of Moldova nbsp Flag of the Armed Forces of Myanmar nbsp Flag of the Armed Forces of Pakistan nbsp War flag of Peru nbsp War flag regimental color of Portugal nbsp Banner of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation nbsp War flag of the Royal Staff of Saudi Arabian Armed Forces nbsp nbsp Flag of the Armed Forces of Serbia nbsp Flag of the Armed Forces of Ukraine nbsp Flag of the Vietnam People s Army Army land use only edit nbsp Bangladesh Army nbsp British Army non ceremonial flag nbsp Bulgaria nbsp Flag of the People s Liberation Army Ground Force nbsp War flag of the Republic of China Army nbsp Flag of the Colombian Army nbsp Georgia Land Forces nbsp War flag regimental color of the Hellenic Army nbsp War flag of Hungary nbsp Indian Army nbsp Malaysian Army flag nbsp Myanmar Army flag nbsp Pakistan Army nbsp Polish Land Forces nbsp Russian Ground Forces nbsp Saudi Arabian Army nbsp nbsp Republic of Korea Army nbsp Royal Thai Army nbsp Flag of Turkish Land Forces Command nbsp Ukrainian army nbsp United States Army nbsp Flag of the Vietnam People s Army War flags that are also naval ensigns edit nbsp State war flag and state ensign of Austria nbsp State war flag and state ensign of Denmark nbsp nbsp State war flag and state ensign of El Salvador nbsp nbsp War ensign of Finland nbsp State war flag and state ensign of Germany nbsp nbsp State and state naval ensign of Iceland nbsp nbsp Naval Ensign of Japan nbsp State war flag and state naval ensign of Norway nbsp nbsp Flag of the Philippines at war nbsp nbsp Flag of Saudi Arabian naval bases nbsp nbsp War ensign of Sweden nbsp State war flag state and naval ensign of Venezuela nbsp Former war flags edit nbsp Flag of Bangladesh during Bangladesh Liberation War nbsp The original Eureka Flag specimen rebel warflag at the 1854 Battle of Eureka Stockade nbsp Battle flag of the Confederate States 1861 1865 nbsp Cross of Burgundy Flag Spain 1506 1843 nbsp War flag of the Imperial Japanese Army 1868 1945 nbsp War flag of the People s Republic of Congo 1970 1991 nbsp The Gadsden flag used by some Continental forces during the American Revolutionary War 1775 1783 nbsp Battle flag of the United Irishmen used at the Battle of Arklow nbsp War flag of East Germany 1960 1990 nbsp War flag of the German Wehrmacht 1938 1945 nbsp War flag of the Chetniks 1903 1946 nbsp War flag and ensign of Iran 1925 1979 between 1910 and 1925 the Kiani Crown was used instead of Pahlavi Crown nbsp War flag of the Italian Social Republic 1943 1945 nbsp War flag of Prussia 1816 nbsp War flag of the German Empire 1903 1919 nbsp War flag of the Roman Republic of 1849 nbsp Flag of the Red Army and Soviet Armed Forces Unofficial nbsp Royal Siamese Army in Haw wars 1885 1890 nbsp War flag of Mughals 1526 1857 4 nbsp United States Cavalry guidon nbsp War flag of the Royal Italian Army nbsp War ensign of the Slovak Republic client state of Nazi Germany 1939 1945 nbsp War flag of the Independent State of Croatia client state of Nazi Germany 1941 1945 nbsp War flag of the Royal Hungarian Army 1939 1945 nbsp Royal Yugoslav Army nbsp Royal Yugoslav Navy nbsp Yugoslav Ground Forces nbsp Yugoslav Navy nbsp Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Armed Forces nbsp Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Navy nbsp War flag of ZaireSee also editColours standards and guidons Hata jirushi Sashimono Uma jirushiReferences edit standard Oxford English Dictionary Online ed Oxford University Press Subscription or participating institution membership required flag 2008 Encyclopaedia Britannica Chicago Encyclopaedia Britannica E Pottier Douris London 1909 p 105 fig 20 Plate XXV b India before British Rule www crwflags com Archived from the original on 2021 01 16 Retrieved 2021 01 10 Further reading editWise Terence 1978 Military flags of the world in color New York Arco Publishing 184p ISBN 0668044721 War flags of 1618 1900 External links editFIAV Flag Information Symbols at Flags of the World Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title War flag amp oldid 1219487109, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
