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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. According to the indirect method, which of the following routes should be taken in order to engage the enemy?

2. Why did many European principalities fail to become strong, united nations?

3. Which great Persian military leader is credited with introducing military strategy to Europe?

4. The Germans devised their strategy for war with France and the allies on the strategies of what general?

5. What characteristic of the English occupation of France during the Hundred Year's war argues for the results being indecisive?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the nature of the Wars of Spanish Succession. What kinds of strategies were used, and what was unique about these wars?

2. What characterized the battles of William of Normandy?

3. Why is the indirect method favorable over direct methods?

4. Describe the changes that took place in France that led to Napoleon becoming ruler of that nation.

5. Describe some of Napoleon's strategies and innovations.

6. What factors led to Greek victory in the first war between Greece and Persia?

7. Describe some of Belisarius's conquests.

8. What was the overall state of military strategy in William of Normandy's time?

9. How did the Greeks achieve victory in the second Greek and Persian war?

10. Why has the indirect method failed to become a widely-used strategy?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The British Civil Wars represented a high point in military strategy. The well-developed techniques of the time led to elegant set-piece battles, but unfortunately, these rarely led to decisive results.

Part 1) Explain the nature of the British Civil Wars. Who were the major combatants? What resources did they have in technology, manpower and leadership?

Part 2) What was the state of generalship during these wars? What methods and strategies were prominent?

Part 3) Why did most engagements during these wars fail to lead to decisive results?

Essay Topic 2

Lines of expectation play a major role throughout the book, helping to explain why various campaigns and offensives were or were not successful. These sometimes obscure or ambiguous concepts can provide a major advantage to the general who is able to best identify and utilize them.

Part 1) What is a line of expectation? How are these lines formed, maintained and identified?

Part 2) What is the importance of lines of expectation in strategy? How should a major natural line of expectation be treated? Can it be engaged directly? Can it ever be safely ignored?

Part 3) Using examples from the book, provide and explain one example each of a general correctly and incorrectly using natural lines of expectation. Explain the results in each case.

Essay Topic 3

Guerrilla warfare has been employed throughout history, but has flourished into a well-studied and effective method of warfare only within the last century.

Part 1) What is guerrilla warfare, and how does it differ from conventional warfare? What forces and methods are employed under this strategy?

Part 2) What factors led to the increased use of guerrilla warfare during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries? Provide some examples from the book of the increasing use of this strategy.

Part 3) What major advantages and disadvantages does guerrilla warfare lead to? Under what conditions should a nation resort to these means?

Part 4) Summarize the overall historical effectiveness of guerrilla warfare, using examples from the book.

(see the answer keys)

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