Editing Division (military) (section)

== Types ==
Divisions are often formed to organize units of a particular type together with appropriate support units to allow independent operations. In more recent times, divisions have mainly been organized as [[combined arms]] units with [[subordinate]] units representing various combat arms. In this case, the division often retains the name of a more specialized division, and may still be tasked with a primary role suited to that specialization.

=== Infantry division ===
An "infantry division" is a military formation composed primarily of [[infantry]] [[military unit|units]], also supported by units from other [[combat arms]]. In the [[Soviet Union]] and Russia, an infantry division is often referred to as a "rifle division". A "[[motorised infantry]]" division is a division with a majority of infantry subunits transported on [[soft-skinned motor vehicle]]s. A "[[mechanized infantry]]" division is a division with a majority of infantry subunits transported on [[armored personnel carrier]]s (APCs) or [[infantry fighting vehicle]]s (IFVs) or both, or even some other class of [[armored fighting vehicle]]s designed for the transportation of infantry. Mechanized infantry divisions in Nazi Germany were called "{{Lang|de|[[Panzergrenadier]]}} divisions". In Russia, they were known as "motor rifle divisions".

Because of the ease and simplicity involved in forming divisions of infantry compared to other formations, infantry divisions have often been the most numerous in historical warfare. Most [[List of United States divisions during World War II|US divisions during World War II]] were infantry divisions.

Infantry divisions were also expected to travel by foot from place to place, with transport vehicles or pack horses used to augment their travel. Divisions evolved over the course of time. For instance, in 1944, Nazi Germany designated some of their infantry formations as ''[[Volksgrenadier]]'' divisions, which were slightly smaller than the regular divisions, with wider issue of sub-machine guns, automatic and anti-tank weapons to reflect the reality that they were to be used in defensive warfare. In 1945, Nazi Germany seconded members of the ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' to create "naval divisions", which were of lower quality than the infantry divisions of the ''Heer''. They also created "''Luftwaffe'' field divisions" from members of the ''[[Luftwaffe]]''.

Infantry divisions were sometimes given the responsibility of [[garrison]] work. These were named "frontier guard divisions", "static infantry divisions" and "fortress divisions", and were used often by Nazi Germany. The Soviet Union organised Machine-Gun Artillery Divisions of artillery, multiple rocket launchers, and static gun positions for use East of the Urals. A 1997 report said they were generally composed of four brigades, though later data suggests this was inaccurate.<ref>Galeotti Jane's Intelligence Review 1997; Feskov et al. 2013.</ref>

=== Cavalry division ===
For most nations, [[cavalry]] was deployed in smaller units and was not therefore organized into divisions, but for larger militaries, such as that of the [[British Empire]], United States, [[First French Empire]], France, [[German Empire]], [[Nazi Germany]], [[Russian Empire]], [[Empire of Japan]], [[Second Polish Republic]] and [[Soviet Union]], a number of cavalry divisions were formed. They were most often similar to the nations' infantry divisions in structure, although they usually had fewer and lighter support elements, with cavalry brigades or regiments replacing the infantry units, and supporting units, such as artillery and supply, being horse-drawn. For the most part, large cavalry units did not remain after [[World War II]].

While horse cavalry had been found to be obsolete, the concept of cavalry as a fast force capable of missions traditionally fulfilled by horse cavalry made a return to military thinking during the Cold War. In general, two new types of cavalry were developed: [[air assault|air cavalry]] or airmobile, relying on helicopter mobility, and [[armored cavalry]], based on an autonomous armored formation. The former was pioneered by the [[11th Airborne Division (United States)|11th Air Assault Division (Test)]], formed on 1 February 1963 at [[Fort Benning]], Georgia. On 29 June 1965, the division was renamed the [[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile)]], before its departure for the [[Vietnam War]].

After the end of the Vietnam War, the [[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division]] was reorganised and re-equipped with tanks and armored scout vehicles to form armored cavalry.

The concept of a fast-moving, armored reconnaissance force has remained in modern armies, but these units are now smaller and make up a combined arms force used in modern brigades and divisions, and are no longer granted divisional status.

"Light divisions" were German horse cavalry divisions organized early in World War II which included motorized units.

=== Armored division{{anchor|Armoured division}} ===
[[File:Priest of 3rd Infantry Division in UK, 1944 (H 37994).jpg|thumb|right|A [[M7 Priest|Priest 105&nbsp;mm self-propelled gun]] of British 3rd Infantry Division, 1944]]
The development of the [[tank]] during [[World War I]] prompted some nations to experiment with forming them into division-size units. Many did this the same way as they did cavalry divisions, by merely replacing cavalry with [[armoured fighting vehicles|AFVs]] (including tanks) and motorizing the supporting units. This proved unwieldy in combat, as the units had many tanks but few infantry units. Instead, a more balanced approach was taken by adjusting the number of tank, infantry, artillery, and support units.

The terms "tank division" or "mechanized division" are alternative names for armored divisions. A "[[Panzer division]]" was an armoured division of the ''[[Wehrmacht]]'' and the ''[[Waffen-SS]]'' of Germany during [[World War II]].

Since the end of the war, most armoured and infantry divisions have had significant numbers of both tank and infantry units within them. The difference has usually been in the mix of battalions assigned. Additionally, in some militaries, armoured divisions are equipped with more advanced or powerful tanks than other divisions.

=== Mountain division ===
Mountain divisions are infantry divisions given special training and equipment to [[Mountain warfare|operate in hilly, mountainous or arctic areas]]. Some examples of these formations include the [[10th Mountain Division|US 10th Mountain Division]], the German [[1st Ski Division (Wehrmacht)|1st Ski Division]] or the French [[27th Mountain Infantry Brigade (France)|27th Alpine Infantry Division]].

Nazi Germany also organized "''Jäger'' divisions" to operate in more adverse terrain.

Italian Mountain divisions are called "[[Alpini]]'' divisions".

=== Airborne division ===
An airborne division is an infantry division given special training and equipment for arrival on the battlefield by air (typically via parachute or glider-borne).

The US, Britain, and Germany experimented during World War II with specialized light infantry divisions capable of being quickly transported by transport aircraft or dropped into an area by parachute or glider. This required both high-quality equipment and training, creating elite units in the process and usually crewed by volunteers rather than conscripts.

The German [[1st Parachute Division (Germany)|1st Parachute Division]], which was part of the [[Luftwaffe]] and not the [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|Heer]], was instrumental in the 1941 [[Battle of Crete]]. US and British airborne troops first participated during the 1943 [[Allied invasion of Sicily|invasion of Sicily]].{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} The use of airborne divisions during the [[Invasion of Normandy]] was crucial to its success. Further allied paratroop operations were made during the 1944 [[Operation Market Garden]] and the 1945 [[Operation Varsity]].

When not being used for a specific airborne mission, airborne divisions usually functioned as light infantry divisions.

An "[[air assault]] division" is an airborne division that mainly uses helicopters to transport its troops.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

=== Artillery division ===
The [[Soviet Union]] developed the concept of the specialized "artillery division" during the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]] of the [[Second World War]] in 1942, although plans were in place since the later stages of the [[Russian Civil War]]. An artillery division serves as a specialized division using only artillery howitzers, anti-tank guns, rocket artillery (MRLs and tactical missiles) and mortars (both towed and self-propelled) (and historically siege artillery) and are usually tasked with providing concentrated firepower support to higher combined arms formations. They are mainly combat support formations most performing operations in support of the infantry and armor.

=== Security division ===
Nazi Germany organized Security divisions to operate in captured territory to provide rear-echelon security against [[Partisan (military)|partisans]] and maintain order among civilians. Structured like an infantry division, a security division was more likely to contain lower quality troops and was not intended to serve directly at the front. SS units of this type were called "SS ''Polizei'' divisions".

The Soviet Union's People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (the [[NKVD]]) organized security divisions (see [[:Category:Divisions of the NKVD in World War II]]). In a few cases, NKVD divisions were employed in front-line combat as rifle divisions.<ref name=zaloga>Zaloga, Steven J. ''The Red Army of the Great Patriotic War, 1941–45'', Osprey Publishing, (1989), pp. 21–22</ref>