CPLS COURSE PRACTICE TEST ANSWERS AND
QUESTIONS SET A+
✔✔THE EVOLUTION OF WAR - ✔✔While the nature of war is constant, the means and
methods we use evolve continuously. The operating environments, tactics, and
techniques have changed as mankind and technology have become more developed.
Technology advancements are major catalysts of change.
Drastic changes in war have occurred due to developments that dramatically upset the
equilibrium of war. For example:
•Development and use of the rifled bore
•Conception and use of conscription to man armies
•Use of modern modes of transportation to support war
Marine leaders must continue to educate themselves and use this evolution process to
their advantage. As an NCO, you must remain proactive in your efforts to develop new
skills and learn to apply them in the execution of your daily duties.
✔✔Science of War - ✔✔Various aspects of war fall within the realm of science, which is
the methodical application of the empirical laws of nature. The science of war includes
those activities directly subject to the laws of ballistics, mechanics, and similar
disciplines. For example, the application of fires, the effects of weapons, and the rates
and methods of movement and resupply. However, science does not describe the
whole phenomenon.
✔✔Art of War - ✔✔An even greater part of the conduct of war falls under the realm of
art, which is the employment of creative or intuitive skills. Art includes the creative,
situational application of scientific knowledge through judgment and experience, and so
the art of war subsumes the science of war. The art of war requires the intuitive ability to
grasp the essence of a unique military situation and the creative ability to devise a
practical solution. It involves conceiving strategies and tactics and developing plans of
action to suit a given situation. This still does not describe the whole phenomenon.
✔✔Dynamic of War - ✔✔There is far more to the conduct of war than can be explained
by art and science. Art and science stop short of explaining the fundamental dynamic of
,war. The essential dynamic of war is the dynamic of competitive human interaction
rather than the dynamic of art or science. Human beings interact with each other in
ways that are fundamentally different from the way a scientist works with chemicals or
formulas or the way an artist works with paints or musical notes. It is because of this
dynamic of human interaction that fortitude, perseverance, boldness, esprit, and other
traits not explainable by art or science are so essential in war.
✔✔WAR AS AN ACT OF POLICY - ✔✔War is an extension of both policy and politics
with the addition of military force. Policy and politics are related but not synonymous.
•Politics refers to the distribution of power through dynamic interaction, both cooperative
and competitive.
•Policy refers to the objectives established within the political process.
•We should recognize that war is not an inanimate instrument, but an animate force
which may likely have unintended consequences that may change the political situation.
The single most important thought to understand about our theory of war is that war
must serve policy.
✔✔STRATEGIC - ✔✔The strategic level involves national strategy and military strategy.
•National strategy sets policy objectives and mobilizes the nation's resources for
attaining these goals.
•Military strategy focuses on the military means for attaining policy goals.
•At the strategic level, forces are distributed and theaters of war are established.
✔✔OPERATIONAL - ✔✔The operational level of war links tactics and strategy.
•At the operational level, we decide where, when, and under what conditions we will
meet the enemy.
•The operational level is focused on winning campaigns.
✔✔TACTICAL - ✔✔The lowest level is the tactical level. Tactics refers to the techniques
and methods for accomplishing a particular mission.
•Tactics focus on defeating the enemy at a particular place and time.
•Tactics are focused on winning battles.
•Most Marines, from rifleman to MEF commander, operate at the tactical level, but many
tactical decisions have operational and even strategic implications.
The levels of war overlap and affect each other from the top down and from the bottom
up.
✔✔STYLES OF WAR - ✔✔The styles of warfare exist on a spectrum between attrition
and maneuver.
•Attrition seeks to wear down an enemy's material resources.
•Maneuver warfare seeks to circumvent problems and attack them from a position of
advantage. Maneuver warfare seeks to paralyze the enemy system.
In maneuver warfare:
•Enemy strengths are avoided and weaknesses are exploited.
, •Speed and surprise are used to create and exploit an advantage, which often involves
greater risk.
•Firepower and attrition are necessary when our forces are focused upon particular
elements of the enemy's forces.
✔✔CREATING AND EXPLOITING OPPORTUNITY - ✔✔Exploiting opportunity is the
ability and willingness to ruthlessly exploit an opportunity to generate decisive results. At
times, it may be difficult to identify the enemy's critical vulnerabilities. We may attack
each vulnerability until an opportunity arises.
•NCOs that understand the theory and nature of war will be better equipped to
anticipate, create, recognize, and exploit fleeting opportunities.
•The ability to take advantage of opportunity is a function of:
Speed
-
Boldness
-
Flexibility
-
Initiative
A technically and tactically proficient NCO empowered to think critically and make
decisions is critical to creating and ruthlessly exploiting opportunities that generate
decisive results.
✔✔DEFINE TRADITIONAL WARFARE - ✔✔Traditional warfare is defined as a form of
warfare between the regulated militaries of states, or alliances of states, in which the
objective is to defeat an adversary's armed forces, destroy an adversary's war-making
capacity, or seize or retain territory to force a change in an adversary's government or
policies.
World War II is generally considered a traditional conflict because it largely involved
conventional combat among the forces of nation-states, yet it also had irregular aspects.
For example, it included partisans in the Philippines, France, and Yugoslavia as well as
non-state entities, such as the Chinese Communists, fielding major forces to oppose
both their own nationalist countrymen and the Japanese.
✔✔DEFINE IRREGULAR WARFARE - ✔✔Joint Publication 1-02 defines irregular
warfare as:
A violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over
the relevant population(s). Irregular warfare favors indirect and asymmetric approaches,
though it may employ the full range of military and other capacities, to erode an
adversary's power, influence, and will.
✔✔DEFINE HYBRID WARFARE - ✔✔Hybrid warfare is not an official DoD term and is
not defined in Joint Pub 1-02, but the term has been used in recent joint and Service
documents.
QUESTIONS SET A+
✔✔THE EVOLUTION OF WAR - ✔✔While the nature of war is constant, the means and
methods we use evolve continuously. The operating environments, tactics, and
techniques have changed as mankind and technology have become more developed.
Technology advancements are major catalysts of change.
Drastic changes in war have occurred due to developments that dramatically upset the
equilibrium of war. For example:
•Development and use of the rifled bore
•Conception and use of conscription to man armies
•Use of modern modes of transportation to support war
Marine leaders must continue to educate themselves and use this evolution process to
their advantage. As an NCO, you must remain proactive in your efforts to develop new
skills and learn to apply them in the execution of your daily duties.
✔✔Science of War - ✔✔Various aspects of war fall within the realm of science, which is
the methodical application of the empirical laws of nature. The science of war includes
those activities directly subject to the laws of ballistics, mechanics, and similar
disciplines. For example, the application of fires, the effects of weapons, and the rates
and methods of movement and resupply. However, science does not describe the
whole phenomenon.
✔✔Art of War - ✔✔An even greater part of the conduct of war falls under the realm of
art, which is the employment of creative or intuitive skills. Art includes the creative,
situational application of scientific knowledge through judgment and experience, and so
the art of war subsumes the science of war. The art of war requires the intuitive ability to
grasp the essence of a unique military situation and the creative ability to devise a
practical solution. It involves conceiving strategies and tactics and developing plans of
action to suit a given situation. This still does not describe the whole phenomenon.
✔✔Dynamic of War - ✔✔There is far more to the conduct of war than can be explained
by art and science. Art and science stop short of explaining the fundamental dynamic of
,war. The essential dynamic of war is the dynamic of competitive human interaction
rather than the dynamic of art or science. Human beings interact with each other in
ways that are fundamentally different from the way a scientist works with chemicals or
formulas or the way an artist works with paints or musical notes. It is because of this
dynamic of human interaction that fortitude, perseverance, boldness, esprit, and other
traits not explainable by art or science are so essential in war.
✔✔WAR AS AN ACT OF POLICY - ✔✔War is an extension of both policy and politics
with the addition of military force. Policy and politics are related but not synonymous.
•Politics refers to the distribution of power through dynamic interaction, both cooperative
and competitive.
•Policy refers to the objectives established within the political process.
•We should recognize that war is not an inanimate instrument, but an animate force
which may likely have unintended consequences that may change the political situation.
The single most important thought to understand about our theory of war is that war
must serve policy.
✔✔STRATEGIC - ✔✔The strategic level involves national strategy and military strategy.
•National strategy sets policy objectives and mobilizes the nation's resources for
attaining these goals.
•Military strategy focuses on the military means for attaining policy goals.
•At the strategic level, forces are distributed and theaters of war are established.
✔✔OPERATIONAL - ✔✔The operational level of war links tactics and strategy.
•At the operational level, we decide where, when, and under what conditions we will
meet the enemy.
•The operational level is focused on winning campaigns.
✔✔TACTICAL - ✔✔The lowest level is the tactical level. Tactics refers to the techniques
and methods for accomplishing a particular mission.
•Tactics focus on defeating the enemy at a particular place and time.
•Tactics are focused on winning battles.
•Most Marines, from rifleman to MEF commander, operate at the tactical level, but many
tactical decisions have operational and even strategic implications.
The levels of war overlap and affect each other from the top down and from the bottom
up.
✔✔STYLES OF WAR - ✔✔The styles of warfare exist on a spectrum between attrition
and maneuver.
•Attrition seeks to wear down an enemy's material resources.
•Maneuver warfare seeks to circumvent problems and attack them from a position of
advantage. Maneuver warfare seeks to paralyze the enemy system.
In maneuver warfare:
•Enemy strengths are avoided and weaknesses are exploited.
, •Speed and surprise are used to create and exploit an advantage, which often involves
greater risk.
•Firepower and attrition are necessary when our forces are focused upon particular
elements of the enemy's forces.
✔✔CREATING AND EXPLOITING OPPORTUNITY - ✔✔Exploiting opportunity is the
ability and willingness to ruthlessly exploit an opportunity to generate decisive results. At
times, it may be difficult to identify the enemy's critical vulnerabilities. We may attack
each vulnerability until an opportunity arises.
•NCOs that understand the theory and nature of war will be better equipped to
anticipate, create, recognize, and exploit fleeting opportunities.
•The ability to take advantage of opportunity is a function of:
Speed
-
Boldness
-
Flexibility
-
Initiative
A technically and tactically proficient NCO empowered to think critically and make
decisions is critical to creating and ruthlessly exploiting opportunities that generate
decisive results.
✔✔DEFINE TRADITIONAL WARFARE - ✔✔Traditional warfare is defined as a form of
warfare between the regulated militaries of states, or alliances of states, in which the
objective is to defeat an adversary's armed forces, destroy an adversary's war-making
capacity, or seize or retain territory to force a change in an adversary's government or
policies.
World War II is generally considered a traditional conflict because it largely involved
conventional combat among the forces of nation-states, yet it also had irregular aspects.
For example, it included partisans in the Philippines, France, and Yugoslavia as well as
non-state entities, such as the Chinese Communists, fielding major forces to oppose
both their own nationalist countrymen and the Japanese.
✔✔DEFINE IRREGULAR WARFARE - ✔✔Joint Publication 1-02 defines irregular
warfare as:
A violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over
the relevant population(s). Irregular warfare favors indirect and asymmetric approaches,
though it may employ the full range of military and other capacities, to erode an
adversary's power, influence, and will.
✔✔DEFINE HYBRID WARFARE - ✔✔Hybrid warfare is not an official DoD term and is
not defined in Joint Pub 1-02, but the term has been used in recent joint and Service
documents.
