OCS Military History Lesson 1&2 – Questions and Answers
War - --Conflict between organized groups with "Unknown Resolve"
- Each seeking to impose its will on the other
-Linear Tactics - -- Troops Marched in column formation
- 2 to 3 ranks, shoulder to shoulder
- Used successive volleys of fire
- Purpose was to mass greatest amount of firepower over a given area
- Tactics prevailed through WWI
-Smoothbore Musket - -- Used from 1600's to Pre-Civil War
- Max Effective Distance of 100m
- Highly inaccurate
- 3 Rounds per minute
-Friction - -- Any impediment to a commanders ability to wage war
- EX: Muddy roads, undisciplined troops, bad weather
-Strategic Level of War - -All of a nation's armed forces in all campaigns
-Operational Level of War - -In-theater forces; Where the battle or war is actually taking
place—i.e. Afghanistan
-Tactical Level of War - -Individual field units (division or below)
-Battle of Bunker Hill - -- Revolutionary War - 1775
- Took place near Boston Town on the Charlestown Peninsula
- Patriot forces actually occupied and fortified Breed's Hill. - English sacrificed the
principals of surprise and maneuver in an effort to publicly defeat and humiliate the
American's in a frontal assault.
- Patriots held the line, inflicting massive casualties on the British,
- Retreated after running dangerously low on ammunition. - Psychological victory for the
American's.
- Compare with Picket's Charge
-NYC Campaign - -- Revolutionary War - 1776
- British forces landed 32,000 soldiers on the shores of Staton Island NY.
- Washington split forces in an effort to meet British forces at both Staton and Long Island
- Violated the principal of mass.
- British forces continually out-maneuver Washington, forcing him to fall back several
times
- Washington realized that he did not need to defeat the British only needed to assure his
army remain standing.
, -Battle of Trenton - -- Revolutionary war - 1776
- Washington crossed the Deleware on Christmas night with 4,000 untrained militia and
1,000 Short-time regulars.
- Despite low morale among his troops and austere weather conditions, Washington
inspired his men to keep moving forward.
- He separated his forces and using the principle of surprise,
- Patriots captured a German mercenary garrison, killing 40 Hessians and capturing
another 918.
-Battle of Princeton - -- Revolutionary War - After Battle of Trenton
- Cornwallis of the British forces aimed to trap Washington at Trenton
- Washington deployed the feint tactic and left a small security element at Trenton
- Washington, using an economy of force, took his main element and utilizing frozen over
swamps,
- Maneuvered behind Cornwallis to surprise his units from the rear.
- Washington got out in front of his troops, and rallied his men to a victory.
- Victory reinvigorated the American cause, rallied "fence sitters" to join the cause, and
ruined any British hope for negotiations.
-Interior Lines - -Pro's
- Lines of communication/logistics are short
- More effective, easier to win a battle/campaign
Con's
- Requires coordination
- Facing outside, multiple converging threats
-Exterior Lines - -Pro's
- Converge upon the enemy
- Creates a multi-axis threat
Con's
- Lines of communication/logistics are long
- Requires Unity of Command
-Saratoga Campaign - -- Revolutionary War - 1777
- British General Burgoyne attempted to launch a complex multi-avenue attack on patriot
forces led by General Gates.
- British poor unity of command and lack of coordination led to him attempting to take
Saratoga by himself - Fought an exterior line campaign against the American's interior lines
- Burgoyne's forces are defeated and surrender to a mixed force of militia and regulars.
- This victory causes France to see the US as a safe bet and ushers in a military alliance
between France and American Forces.
Compare with: Exterior / Interior Lines
-Valley Forge Winter - -- Revolutionary War - 1777-1778
- Suffering caused by poor distribution of supplies/food/clothing
- Not a lack of supply, but poor logistics
War - --Conflict between organized groups with "Unknown Resolve"
- Each seeking to impose its will on the other
-Linear Tactics - -- Troops Marched in column formation
- 2 to 3 ranks, shoulder to shoulder
- Used successive volleys of fire
- Purpose was to mass greatest amount of firepower over a given area
- Tactics prevailed through WWI
-Smoothbore Musket - -- Used from 1600's to Pre-Civil War
- Max Effective Distance of 100m
- Highly inaccurate
- 3 Rounds per minute
-Friction - -- Any impediment to a commanders ability to wage war
- EX: Muddy roads, undisciplined troops, bad weather
-Strategic Level of War - -All of a nation's armed forces in all campaigns
-Operational Level of War - -In-theater forces; Where the battle or war is actually taking
place—i.e. Afghanistan
-Tactical Level of War - -Individual field units (division or below)
-Battle of Bunker Hill - -- Revolutionary War - 1775
- Took place near Boston Town on the Charlestown Peninsula
- Patriot forces actually occupied and fortified Breed's Hill. - English sacrificed the
principals of surprise and maneuver in an effort to publicly defeat and humiliate the
American's in a frontal assault.
- Patriots held the line, inflicting massive casualties on the British,
- Retreated after running dangerously low on ammunition. - Psychological victory for the
American's.
- Compare with Picket's Charge
-NYC Campaign - -- Revolutionary War - 1776
- British forces landed 32,000 soldiers on the shores of Staton Island NY.
- Washington split forces in an effort to meet British forces at both Staton and Long Island
- Violated the principal of mass.
- British forces continually out-maneuver Washington, forcing him to fall back several
times
- Washington realized that he did not need to defeat the British only needed to assure his
army remain standing.
, -Battle of Trenton - -- Revolutionary war - 1776
- Washington crossed the Deleware on Christmas night with 4,000 untrained militia and
1,000 Short-time regulars.
- Despite low morale among his troops and austere weather conditions, Washington
inspired his men to keep moving forward.
- He separated his forces and using the principle of surprise,
- Patriots captured a German mercenary garrison, killing 40 Hessians and capturing
another 918.
-Battle of Princeton - -- Revolutionary War - After Battle of Trenton
- Cornwallis of the British forces aimed to trap Washington at Trenton
- Washington deployed the feint tactic and left a small security element at Trenton
- Washington, using an economy of force, took his main element and utilizing frozen over
swamps,
- Maneuvered behind Cornwallis to surprise his units from the rear.
- Washington got out in front of his troops, and rallied his men to a victory.
- Victory reinvigorated the American cause, rallied "fence sitters" to join the cause, and
ruined any British hope for negotiations.
-Interior Lines - -Pro's
- Lines of communication/logistics are short
- More effective, easier to win a battle/campaign
Con's
- Requires coordination
- Facing outside, multiple converging threats
-Exterior Lines - -Pro's
- Converge upon the enemy
- Creates a multi-axis threat
Con's
- Lines of communication/logistics are long
- Requires Unity of Command
-Saratoga Campaign - -- Revolutionary War - 1777
- British General Burgoyne attempted to launch a complex multi-avenue attack on patriot
forces led by General Gates.
- British poor unity of command and lack of coordination led to him attempting to take
Saratoga by himself - Fought an exterior line campaign against the American's interior lines
- Burgoyne's forces are defeated and surrender to a mixed force of militia and regulars.
- This victory causes France to see the US as a safe bet and ushers in a military alliance
between France and American Forces.
Compare with: Exterior / Interior Lines
-Valley Forge Winter - -- Revolutionary War - 1777-1778
- Suffering caused by poor distribution of supplies/food/clothing
- Not a lack of supply, but poor logistics
