Max mobilization

[Setzer]

What is the largest percent of a country's population that can be safely militarized. By safely Militarized, I mean there must be enough civilians to operate the Industries and keep the economy running. I believe by the end of WW2 Germany had about 8 million men in the Army/Lufwaffe/Kriegsmarine, so I think 10% is about the upper limit for mobilization.

[Tosho]

What is the largest percent of a country's population that can be safely militarized. By safely Militarized, I mean there must be enough civilians to operate the Industries and keep the economy running. I believe by the end of WW2 Germany had about 8 million men in the Army/Lufwaffe/Kriegsmarine, so I think 10% is about the upper limit for mobilization.

IIRC your right.

[Howedar]

It depends on where they're going. An army on the defensive will always be able to raise more troops than one on the offensive.

[SWPIGWANG]

Depends on your economy....

The rape and pillage economy of the mongels seems to allow a large army....

[irishmick79]

Impossible to determine a blanket percentage. So many different political and economic factors affect the ability of a government to mobilize. The degree of industrializaton affects the ability of the government to equip its freshly mobilized troops, and the degree of control a government can execute over its populace affects the numbers it can drum out. The political situation that sparked a military mobilization can vastly affect a nations mobilization rate as well.

For an interesting look at American military mobilization, take a look at this paper i found.

http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/documents/mobpam.htm

[Sea Skimmer]

Depends heavily on the technology level, economic structure and nature of the war.