citizen army
Armed volunteer force
A citizen army is a military force composed of ordinary civilians rather than professional soldiers, typically called to service during emergencies or wartime.
The term emphasizes that fighters are regular people defending their community rather than career military personnel: The country's citizen army mobilized within days of the invasion.
It suggests democratic participation in national defense and contrasts with standing armies or mercenary forces.
- minutemenInstant-ready colonial militia
- national guardDomestic military reserve force
- militiaNon-professional armed force
- weekend warriorsRecreational athletes, only occasionally
- civic dutyObligation owed to community
sworn oath · democratic ideals · training camps · volunteer corps · conscripts · boots on the ground · resistance movements · command hierarchy · levies · patriotism · recruitment drives · rally the troops · guerrilla fighters · self-defense · stand your ground · solidarity · reserve forces · volunteerism
- French RevolutionBastille, guillotine, Robespierre, French Revolution, Marie Antoinette
- militiamilitia, colonial militia, state militias, minutemen, militia training
- Militiascolonial militia, colonial militias, territorial defense, home guard, minutemen
- Greek warfarehoplites, phalanx, Spartan warriors
citizen armyprofessional army
Paid, trained military force
standing army · regular army · career soldiers · special forces · officer corps
citizen armymercenaries
Soldiers paid to fight
soldiers of fortune · mercenary forces · foreign legion · private military contractors · Hessians
citizen, army, citizens, citizenship, citizenry, armies, arms, arming, armament