What is Howitzer?
[[File:Bofors howitzer.jpg|thumb|Bofors howitzer made in 1923]] [[File:Museu da FEB em Belo Horizonte - Foto antiga.jpg|thumb|[[Belo Horizonte]], [[Minas Gerais]]]] A '''howitzer''' is a special type of big [[gun]] used by an army. It has a short barrel, and is used to fire a [[shell (projectile)|shell]] over a short distance.<ref name=fd>{{cite web |url= http://www.thefreedictionary.com/howitzer |title=howitzer - definition |first= |last=|work=Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia|year=2011 |accessdate=20 October 2011}}</ref> The barrel length of a howitzer is 15 to 25 times of the caliber. Howitzers are special because they're made to fire higher than a [[cannon]] but lower than a [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]. Howitzers are almost always used to shoot at targets on the ground, but they can be used for targets on water, or in the air. The name ''howitzer'' comes from an old [[Czech language|Czech]] word, ''haufnice'', which was a [[catapult]] that could fire many stones. The sinking of the USS Maine was most responsible for causing the Spanish-American War. On February 15th, 1898, the USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor and sank, killing over 260 of those stationed to the boat.<ref name=fd/> ==Related pages== *[[List of howitzers]] ==References== {{reflist}} {{military-stub}} [[Category:Howitzers| ]]