Military

The Museum's superb military collections document the history of the men and women of the armed forces of the United States. The collections include ordnance, firearms, and swords; uniforms and insignia; national and military flags and banners; and many other objects.

The strength of the collections lies in their enormous depth. Some 3,000 military small arms and 2,400 civilian firearms document the mechanical and technological history of the infantryman's weapons from the beginning of the gunpowder era to the present. Among the 4,000 swords and knives in the collection are many spectacular presentation pieces. The collections also include Civil War era telegraph equipment, home front artifacts from both world wars, early computers such as ENIAC, Whirlwind, and Sage, and materials carried at antiwar demonstrations.

This engraving shows Hernán Cortés (1485–1547), the Spanish captain who headed the conquest of the Aztec Empire. He became a part of popular mythology the moment he arrived in Mexico around 1520.
Description
This engraving shows Hernán Cortés (1485–1547), the Spanish captain who headed the conquest of the Aztec Empire. He became a part of popular mythology the moment he arrived in Mexico around 1520. Cortés had spent time in Cuba killing and enslaving its indigenous inhabitants and administering the new social order of the Spanish colonies of the Caribbean. As his well-read memoirs attest, even his experiences in Cuba did not prepare him for the history-altering intrigues, battles, and cultural encounters between the Spanish and the Mexicans, Mayas, and their many neighbors in between. Motivated by an ancient notion of fame, Hernán Cortés wrote his own version of the conquest of Mexico that put him squarely at the center, favored by the Christian God. But neither his victories nor his pillage of the Mexican capital would have been possible without the aid of soldiers, slaves, and supplies from the enemies of the Aztecs. As a testament to Cortés's enduring fame, his portrait by the Spanish painter Antonio Carnicero was published as an engraving by Manuel Salvador y Carmona in 1791 in the book, Retratos de los españoles ilustres, con un epítome de sus vidas, (Portraits of Illustrious Spaniards, with a Synopsis of Their Lives.)
Description (Spanish)
Este grabado representa a Hernán Cortés (1485-1547), el capitán español que encabezó la conquista del Imperio Azteca. Desde que Cortés arribó a México en 1521 pasó a formar parte de la mitología popular. Había pasado algún tiempo en Cuba involucrado en la matanza y esclavización de los nativos y administrando la nueva estructura social de las colonias españolas del Caribe. Como lo atestiguan sus bien documentadas memorias, ni siquiera sus experiencias en Cuba lo prepararon para las decisivas intrigas, batallas y choques culturales entre españoles y mexicanos, mayas y otros pueblos vecinos. Motivado por el antiguo concepto de fama, Hernán Cortés escribió una versión propia de la conquista de México que lo situó manifiestamente en el centro de la historia, favorecido por el Dios cristiano. Sin embargo, ni sus victorias ni el saqueo de la capital mexicana hubieran sido posibles sin la ayuda de los soldados, esclavos y aprovisionamiento suplidos por los enemigos de los aztecas. Como testamento de la fama perdurable de Cortés, este retrato suyo del pintor español Antonio Carnicero se publicó como un grabado de Manuel Salvador y Carmona en 1791, en el libro Retratos de los Españoles Ilustres, con un Epítome de sus Vidas.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1795
depicted
Cortes, Hernan
original artist
Carnicero, D. A.
graphic artist
Carmona, D. J. A.
ID Number
GA.20683
catalog number
20683
accession number
226630
Mexican Americans have served in U.S. armed forces since the Civil War. But it was the generation of Mexican Americans returning from World War II who mobilized their communities and changed the political landscape of the West.
Description
Mexican Americans have served in U.S. armed forces since the Civil War. But it was the generation of Mexican Americans returning from World War II who mobilized their communities and changed the political landscape of the West. Laying the groundwork for the Chicano movement of the 1960s, organizations like the American G.I. Forum began advocating on behalf of Hispanic veterans who were denied the educational, health care, housing, and other rights guaranteed by the G.I. Bill. Often working in concert with the League of Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and other Latino civil rights organizations, the Texas-based G.I. Forum soon engaged in broader social battles over school desegregation and voter registration rights. Today, the G.I. Forum is a nationally recognized source of scholarships among Mexican American students. This paño, titled Valor, the Spanish word for courage, commemorates the Korean War Medal of Honor winner Rodolfo Hernández. Paños are an art form created traditionally by Chicano prisoners on white handkerchiefs. Often mailed as gifts to friends and families, the images on paños remember loved ones, depict important memories, and tell stories about the dark side of life, as well as redemption. The maker of this paño is unknown.
Description (Spanish)
Los mexicoamericanos habían estado al servicio de las fuerzas armadas de Estados Unidos desde la Guerra Civil. Pero fue la generación de mexicoamericanos que regresó de la Segunda Guerra Mundial la que inició una movilización de sus comunidades y modificó el panorama político del oeste. Sentando las bases para el movimiento chicano de la década de 1960, organizaciones como el Foro Americano G.I. comenzaron a defender los derechos de los veteranos hispanos a quienes se les negaba educación, atención médica, vivienda y otros derechos garantizados por la ley G.I., A menudo conjuntamente con la Liga de Ciudadanos Latinoamericanos (LULAC, por sus siglas en inglés) y otras organizaciones de derechos civiles, el Foro G.I., con sede en Texas, pronto se comprometió con batallas sociales de mayor envergadura como la segregación escolar y el derecho al voto. Hoy en día, el Foro G.I. constituye una institución de acreditación nacional que se ocupa principalmente de facilitar becas para estudiantes mexicoamericanos. Este paño, titulado Valor, conmemora la Medalla de Honor de la Guerra de Corea que obtuvo Rodolfo Hernández. Los paños son una manifestación de arte que tradicionalmente elaboraban los prisioneros chicanos sobre pañuelos blancos. Solían enviarse de regalo a familiares y amigos, con imágenes que recordaban a los seres queridos, describían memorias significativas y referían historias de vida, tanto de momentos oscuros como redentores. En el caso de este paño, se desconoce a su autor.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1988
depicted
Hernandez, Rudy
ID Number
1993.0150.06
catalog number
1993.0150.06
accession number
1993.0150
Rivera gave this hat to USO performer Gilda Mirós when she toured Vietnam in 1971.
Description
Rivera gave this hat to USO performer Gilda Mirós when she toured Vietnam in 1971. The infantryman shared his hat out of appreciation and a sense of common cultural heritage with Mirós, who was born in Puerto Rico.
Gilda Mirós moved from Santurce, Puerto Rico to New York City with her mother at a young age. Intrigued by film and theater, in 1957 she left home after graduating high school and moved to Mexico City to work in the Mexican film industry. A multi-talented performer, she had careers not only on film and in the theater but also on radio and television. She hosted her own call-in program on WADO in NY and worked in front and behind the cameras at WXTV-41 (SIN and Univision) and WNJU-47 (Telemundo) She also promoted talent, working with stars such as Celia Cruz, and made several documentaries. The objects in her collection illustrate her transnational career.
In the 1950s, consumers made television the centerpiece of the home, fueling competition among broadcasters to create new products, new programming, new stations, and even new networks. Innovators, such as those behind the creation of independent Spanish-language stations and eventually the Spanish International Network (SIN), challenged established broadcasting companies by creating new programming in Spanish and catering to underserved audiences. Established in the early 1960s, SIN knit together independents and created new stations to serve a national audience. With a complex business and legal history, SIN eventually became Univision in the 1980s. In the decades after 1980, Spanish-language programing options grew with recognition of Latinx communities as powerful consumer groups and the advent of new broadcasting technologies such as cable and digital TV.
Description (Spanish)
Un soldado de apellido Rivera le obsequió este sombrero a Gilda Mirós durante una gira de la artista de USO por Vietnam en 1971. El soldado le regalo su sombrero en agradecimiento y en reconocimiento su herencia cultural común con Mirós, nacida en Puerto Rico.
Gilda Mirós se mudó de Santurce, Puerto Rico a la ciudad de Nueva York con su madre, aun siendo una niña. Intrigada por el cine y el teatro, en 1957 dejó el hogar después de graduarse de la escuela secundaria y se mudó a la Ciudad de México para trabajar en la industria cinematográfica mexicana. Intérprete de múltiples talentos, se destaco en el cine y el teatro al igual que en la radio y la televisión. Condujo su propio programa radial con llamadas al aire en la radio WADO de Nueva York y trabajó detrás y frente a las cámaras en WXTV-41 (SIN y Univision) y WNJU-47 (Telemundo). Se dedicó a promover el talento artístico, trabajando con estrellas como Celia Cruz, y realizó varios documentales. Los objetos que integran su colección ilustran su carrera internacional.
En la década de 1950, los consumidores hicieron de la televisión un componente central de sus hogares, fomentando la competencia entre las difusoras para crear nuevos productos, nueva programación, nuevas estaciones, e incluso nuevas redes. Los innovadores, como los creadores de los canales independientes de habla hispana y el Spanish International Network (SIN), desafiaron a las emisoras establecidas creando nuevos programas en español centradas en audiencias históricamente ignoradas. Establecido a principios de los sesenta, SIN unió a difusoras independentes y creó nuevas estaciones para responder a una audiencia nacional. Tras una compleja trayectoria empresarial y legal, SIN se convertiría en Univisión en la década de 1980. Durante las próximas décadas, las opciones de programación en español crecieron gracias al reconocimiento de la comunidad Latinx, como poderoso grupo de consumidores, y a la introducción de nuevas tecnologías de difusión, como el cable y la televisión digital.
date made
ca 1971
related
United Service Organizations
ID Number
2016.0233.02
catalog number
2016.0233.02
accession number
2016.0233
A homemade poster used in the January 21, 2017 Women's March in Washington, DC.
Description
A homemade poster used in the January 21, 2017 Women's March in Washington, DC.
date made
c. 2017-01-21
used date
2017-01-21
ID Number
2017.0248.44
accession number
2017.0248
catalog number
2017.0248.44
Physical DescriptionGold coins fused by heat.Specific HistoryThis pile of five-peseta coins was fused together by the fire aboard the Spanish ship Infanta Maria Teresa, flagship of Admiral Pascual Cervera.General HistoryInfanta Maria Teresa led the sortie out of Santiago Bay on J
Description
Physical Description
Gold coins fused by heat.
Specific History
This pile of five-peseta coins was fused together by the fire aboard the Spanish ship Infanta Maria Teresa, flagship of Admiral Pascual Cervera.
General History
Infanta Maria Teresa led the sortie out of Santiago Bay on July 3, 1898. As the flagship of Admiral Pascual Cervera, it drew the bulk of the American fire. The Teresa was seriously damaged and on fire. An attempt was made to ram Commodore Winfield Schley's flagship, USS Brooklyn, but when that failed, Admiral Cervera ran theTeresa ashore, allowing his crew to be saved. Despite being ravaged by fire and magazine explosions, the United States Navy believed the Teresa was salvageable. It was refloated and taken to Guantanamo Bay for preliminary repairs. As it was towed to Norfolk, Virginia, for rebuilding, it was caught in a tropical storm. The tow line was cut, and the Teresa was lost at sea.
ID Number
AF.35389
catalog number
35389
accession number
91675
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1988
wearer
Diaz-Balart, Jose
issuing authority
U.S. Department of Defense
ID Number
2016.0336.06
accession number
2016.0336
catalog number
2016.0336.06
Physical DescriptionBlue wool with red edging and facings. Guilt buttons and gold-colored shoulder strap.Specific HistoryThis uniform coat would have been worn by a lieutenant in the Artillery of the Mexican army.
Description
Physical Description
Blue wool with red edging and facings. Guilt buttons and gold-colored shoulder strap.
Specific History
This uniform coat would have been worn by a lieutenant in the Artillery of the Mexican army.
date made
ca 1840
associated date
1846 - 1848
ID Number
AF.16156
catalog number
16156
accession number
13152
Pancho Villa is one of the most recognizable leaders of the Mexico Revolution. This civil war, which lasted from 1910-1921, was fought to curb U.S. corporate interests and to redistribute agricultural lands, especially for indigenous communities.
Description
Pancho Villa is one of the most recognizable leaders of the Mexico Revolution. This civil war, which lasted from 1910-1921, was fought to curb U.S. corporate interests and to redistribute agricultural lands, especially for indigenous communities. It was a social revolution that reasserted popular culture and the value of "Mexican-ness." It was also a prolonged, violent conflict that spread death and hunger throughout Mexico, spurring migrants north, mostly into El Paso, Los Angeles, and other historically Mexican U.S. cities. With them came ideas, images, and language for organizing laborers and the rural poor. These ideas and images percolated in the popular culture of Mexican Americans and reappear in the art and activism of Chicanos in the 1960s and 1970s. On the back of this candle depicting Villa are prayers written in English and Spanish asking him to grant the petitioner some of the insight and prowess that enshrined this bandit, social revolutionary, and media star in the mythology of modern Mexico.
Description (Spanish)
Pancho Villa es uno de los líderes más populares de la Revolución de México. Esta guerra civil, que se prolongó desde 1910 hasta 1921, se centró en poner freno a los intereses de las corporaciones estadounidenses y redistribuir las tierras de cultivo, especialmente entre las comunidades indígenas. Se trató de una revolución social para reafirmar la cultura popular y el valor de la "mexicaneidad". Pero constituyó también un largo y violento conflicto que esparció la muerte y el hambre a través de México, instigando la inmigración hacia el norte, mayormente hacia ciudades históricamente mexicanas dentro de los Estados Unidos, como El Paso y Los Ángeles. Con ellos llegaron las ideas, imágenes y lenguaje que organizaron a los trabajadores y los campesinos pobres. Estas ideas e imágenes penetrarían la cultura popular de los mexicoamericanos y reaparecerían en el arte y activismo de los chicanos en las décadas de 1960 y 1970. En la parte de atrás de esta vela con la imagen de Villa hay oraciones escritas en inglés y en español donde los suplicantes piden al héroe que les conceda algo de la lucidez y pericia que consagraron a este bandido, revolucionario social y estrella de los medios, a la mitología del México moderno.
Location
Currently not on view
depicted
Villa, Pancho
ID Number
1991.0741.13
catalog number
1991.0741.13
accession number
1991.0741
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1992.0592.02
catalog number
1992.0592.02
accession number
1992.0592

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