OCS Military History:- Questions With Correct
Solutions (Pass!)
War Correct Ans - -Conflict between organized groups with "Unknown
Resolve"
- Each seeking to impose its will on the other
Linear Tactics Correct Ans - - 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 Correct Ans - - Used from 1600's to Pre-Civil War
- Max Effective Distance of 100m
- Highly inaccurate
- 3 Rounds per minute
Friction Correct Ans - - Any impediment to a commanders ability to wage
war
- EX: Muddy roads, undisciplined troops, bad weather
Strategic Level of War Correct Ans - All of a nation's armed forces in all
campaigns
Operational Level of War Correct Ans - In-theater forces; Where the
battle or war is actually taking place—i.e. Afghanistan
Tactical Level of War Correct Ans - Individual field units (division or
below)
Battle of Bunker Hill Correct Ans - - 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 Correct Ans - - 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 Correct Ans - - 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 Correct Ans - - 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 Correct Ans - 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 Correct Ans - 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 Correct Ans - - 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 Correct Ans - - Revolutionary War - 1777-1778
- Suffering caused by poor distribution of supplies/food/clothing
- Not a lack of supply, but poor logistics
- 2,500 Die
- Von Stueben comes in from Prussia and reforms training and made the
Continental Army more effective in the spring
- Compare with Battle of Monmouth
Battle of Monmouth Correct Ans - - Revolutionary War - 1778
- Washington launched an attack against a retreating British force led by
Clinton.
- Washington allowed Charles Lee to lead the charge
- Lee botched the attack and sparked a flanking counter-assault
- Washington took over and rallied retreating soldiers.
- American's utilized tactics and training recently learned by Wilhelm von
Steuben to come to a draw with British forces.
, - This battle marks a milestone when patriot forces were able to match British
regulars in maneuver and proficiency using conventional warfare.
- Compare with Valley Forge
Battle of Kings Mountain Correct Ans - - Revolutionary war - 1780
- Against British led Tories under Major Ferguson
- British misused the terrain and tried to fire and launch a bayonet charge
from an open silhouetted position on the actual crest of the mountain.
- The Patriots "over mountain men" defeated the Tories, lowering their overall
morale but boosting the morale of the Patriot militia.
- This also caused Cornwallis to pause, and was fatal to the British Southern
Campaign.
- Compare / Contrast with Camden
Battle of Cowpens Correct Ans - - Revolutionary War - 1781
- Patriots led by Morgan and the British, led by Tarleton.
- Morgan, using surprise and maneuver, put his militia out in front and had
them fire two volleys and then fall back causing the British to charge into his
reglulars
- Caught the Brits in a double envelope.
- Tarleton retreats after British suffer heavy causalities, leading to an
American victory
Battle of Camden Correct Ans - - Revolutionary War - 1780
- Gates vs Cornwallis
- Gates split patriot forces and put all of (out of state) militia on one side and
regulars on the other
- Militia side fled against superior trained forces, allowing Cornwallis' troops
to wheel around and flank patriot regulars
- Demonstrates the perils of a reckless advance, bad logistics, misplaced
militia(out of state)
- Brits under Cornwallis used maneuver and mass—also combined arms-
infantry/cavalry
- Defeat for patriots
- Compare / Contrast with Kings Mountain
Yorktown Campaign Correct Ans - - Revolutionary War
- Combined land/sea attack by French/Continental forces (cooperation was
excellent)
Solutions (Pass!)
War Correct Ans - -Conflict between organized groups with "Unknown
Resolve"
- Each seeking to impose its will on the other
Linear Tactics Correct Ans - - 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 Correct Ans - - Used from 1600's to Pre-Civil War
- Max Effective Distance of 100m
- Highly inaccurate
- 3 Rounds per minute
Friction Correct Ans - - Any impediment to a commanders ability to wage
war
- EX: Muddy roads, undisciplined troops, bad weather
Strategic Level of War Correct Ans - All of a nation's armed forces in all
campaigns
Operational Level of War Correct Ans - In-theater forces; Where the
battle or war is actually taking place—i.e. Afghanistan
Tactical Level of War Correct Ans - Individual field units (division or
below)
Battle of Bunker Hill Correct Ans - - 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 Correct Ans - - 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 Correct Ans - - 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 Correct Ans - - 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 Correct Ans - 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 Correct Ans - 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 Correct Ans - - 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 Correct Ans - - Revolutionary War - 1777-1778
- Suffering caused by poor distribution of supplies/food/clothing
- Not a lack of supply, but poor logistics
- 2,500 Die
- Von Stueben comes in from Prussia and reforms training and made the
Continental Army more effective in the spring
- Compare with Battle of Monmouth
Battle of Monmouth Correct Ans - - Revolutionary War - 1778
- Washington launched an attack against a retreating British force led by
Clinton.
- Washington allowed Charles Lee to lead the charge
- Lee botched the attack and sparked a flanking counter-assault
- Washington took over and rallied retreating soldiers.
- American's utilized tactics and training recently learned by Wilhelm von
Steuben to come to a draw with British forces.
, - This battle marks a milestone when patriot forces were able to match British
regulars in maneuver and proficiency using conventional warfare.
- Compare with Valley Forge
Battle of Kings Mountain Correct Ans - - Revolutionary war - 1780
- Against British led Tories under Major Ferguson
- British misused the terrain and tried to fire and launch a bayonet charge
from an open silhouetted position on the actual crest of the mountain.
- The Patriots "over mountain men" defeated the Tories, lowering their overall
morale but boosting the morale of the Patriot militia.
- This also caused Cornwallis to pause, and was fatal to the British Southern
Campaign.
- Compare / Contrast with Camden
Battle of Cowpens Correct Ans - - Revolutionary War - 1781
- Patriots led by Morgan and the British, led by Tarleton.
- Morgan, using surprise and maneuver, put his militia out in front and had
them fire two volleys and then fall back causing the British to charge into his
reglulars
- Caught the Brits in a double envelope.
- Tarleton retreats after British suffer heavy causalities, leading to an
American victory
Battle of Camden Correct Ans - - Revolutionary War - 1780
- Gates vs Cornwallis
- Gates split patriot forces and put all of (out of state) militia on one side and
regulars on the other
- Militia side fled against superior trained forces, allowing Cornwallis' troops
to wheel around and flank patriot regulars
- Demonstrates the perils of a reckless advance, bad logistics, misplaced
militia(out of state)
- Brits under Cornwallis used maneuver and mass—also combined arms-
infantry/cavalry
- Defeat for patriots
- Compare / Contrast with Kings Mountain
Yorktown Campaign Correct Ans - - Revolutionary War
- Combined land/sea attack by French/Continental forces (cooperation was
excellent)
