Army OCS Military History Exam 2022 with complete solutions

What is the definition of Military History Military history is the record of all activities of all armed forces (including armies, navies, and air forces) in war and peace. Define the 8 activities in the study of military history & definitions (1) battles and campaigns. (2) strategy and tactics. (3) doctrine and training. (4) organizations. (5) logistics. (6) the military and society. (7) weapons and technology. (8) military leaders (great and not so great). Define Operational Military History This is the oldest kind of military history. It is also the oldest kind of history. It includes battles, campaigns, tactics, and planning. Operational military history is also the most popular type of military history because it focuses on crisis and the central mission of the military-waging war. EXAMPLE: Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War Define Institutional Military History This type deals with preparing for war, including doctrine (how to fight), training, and organization. It also covers how the Army has influenced society and how a democratic society has influenced the Army. Branch history, which is especially relevant to this level of instruction, is a form of institutional history. EXAMPLE:Russell Weigley, A History of the United States Army. Define Biographical Military History This is the study of military lives. Traditionally, military biography has dealt with the lives of generals, admirals, and other senior leaders, and heroes. More recent biographies have dealt with ordinary soldiers. At whatever level, biography offers insights into leadership, decision-making, and military professionalism because it describes and analyzes how subjects developed, both on and off the battlefield. EXAMPLE: Carlo D'Este, Patton: A Genius for War. Define Social and technological Military History This is the most recent approach to military history and deals with a wide variety of topics that provide the context for military operations, such as logistics, command and control, technological innovation and evolution, and social and psychological aspects of military life. EXAMPLE: Edwin E. Moise, Tonkin Gulf and the Escalation of the Vietnam War. Define the Constants of War (a) Terrain (b) Logistics (c) Communications (d) Technology (e) Surprise (f) Leadership (g) Troop Readiness Define How to avoid Misuse of Military History? (1) History provides Understanding, not Proof (2) History is not a Science, it is a Method of Thinking (3) History provides Insight, not Analogy Why do we use Military history? (1) Learn from past experience. (2) Understand military concepts. (3) Study the lives of soldiers in the past. (4) Understand doctrinal evolution. (5) Broaden knowledge of military subjects. (6) Understand leadership issues. (7) Learn about strategy and tactics. How do you study Military History? (1) Start with what is personally interesting (2) Make its study continuous (3) Create a personal study program How do you teach Military History? (A) Pass the importance on to subordinates a. Define military History b. Provides examples of its importance (B) Demonstrate methods of studying military history a. Determine interests b. Discuss continuous study c. Provide guidance for personal study programs What is the definition of Battlefield Analysis? Battle analysis provides a method of understanding conflict and the complexity of military operations. What are the Four Steps of Battlefield Analysis? A. Define the Subject B. Set the Stage C. Describe the Action D. Draw Lessons and Insights How do you Define the Subject in Battlefield Analysis? a. What, Where, When, Who b. Determine the sources How do you Set the Stage in Battlefield Analysis? a. Strategic Factors b. Operational Setting c. Tactical Situation d. Compare Forces How do you Describe the Action in Battlefield Analysis? a. State missions of opposing forces b. Describe initial disposition of forces c. Describe opening moves d. Detail Major Phases e. State Outcome How do you Draw lessons and insights in Battlefield Analysis? a. Cause and Effect b. Military Lessons and determine their relevance to contemporary military professionalism. What are the limits of Military History? 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. What are the types of activities included in Military History Battles and campaigns, strategy and tactics, doctrine and training, organizations, logistics, the military and society, weapons and technology, military leaders (great and not so great). What types of research sources support 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). 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. What are the 2 elements of drawing lessons and insights from battle analysis 1) Establish cause and effect, 2) Establish military lessons and determine their relevance to contemporary military professionalism. What are the tools that can be used in drawing lessons and insights from battle analysis Principles of war, Airland Operations tenets, battlefield operating systems.