Military History Study Guide

Reading Assignments Pelopennisian War article by Robert Stassler Additional Handout 3 Military History, (PDF) Handout 4 Kasserine Pass

3 Check on Learning What is military history? The study of activities of all armed forces in peace and war.

4 Check on Learning What are four commonly identified types of military history? Operational, institutional, biographical, and social and technological.

5 Check on Learning What are some of the reasons for military professionals to study military history? Learn from past experience. Understand military concepts. Study the lives of soldiers in the past. Understand doctrinal evolution. Broaden knowledge of military subjects. Understand leadership issues. Learn about strategy and tactics.

6 Check on Learning What are some limitations of a study of military history? History provides understanding, not proof History provides insight, not analogy.

7 Check on Learning What are “constants of war?” Aspects that transcend the time and place of battle, such as: terrain, logistics, communications, technology, surprise, leadership, and troop readiness.

8 Check on Learning What are the most important principles in studying military history? Begin with what interests you, study continuously, develop a study plan.

9 Check on Learning How can subordinates be taught the value of military history? Help them determine what is of interest to them, encourage them to study continuously, help them develop a study plan.

10 Check on Learning What is Battle Analysis? A process used by the Army which provides a systematic approach to the study of past campaigns, battles, and operations to derive lessons and insights relevant to contemporary military professionalism

11 Check on Learning What are the four steps of the Battle Analysis process? Define the subject Set the stage Describe the action Draw military lessons and insights

12 Check on Learning What are the types of research sources used to support a battle analysis? Books (memoirs, official histories, operational histories, institutional histories), articles, primary sources (memos, letters, after-action reports), video presentations, oral histories, electronic media (worldwide web).

13 Check on Learning What are some limitations of a battle analysis? History of any kind provides understanding, not proof; insight, not analogy. Battle analysis may impose a structure on events that were essentially chaotic in real time.

14 Check on Learning What are the main elements of describing the action? State the mission of opposing forces, describe initial dispositions, describe opening moves, detail major phases, state the outcome.

15 Check on Learning What are two elements of drawing lessons and insights from a battle analysis? Establish cause and effect Establish military lessons and determine their relevance to contemporary military professionalism.

16 Check on Learning What are some tools that can be used in drawing lessons and insights from a battle analysis? Principles of war Airland Operations tenets Battlefield operating systems

17 Check on Learning How can leaders describe battle analysis methodology to subordinates? Define and outline the methodology Provide an example Encourage the study of military history with the battle analysis framework as a guide