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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. Which important development did Clausewitz overlook in his books?

2. Clausewitz himself admitted that his books had what flaw?

3. Within the subject of grand strategy, what is one of the benefits of closed mindedness among the populace?

4. How were Arab nations vulnerable during the First World War?

5. Which of the following was a significant factor in the psychology of generals during World War II?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe some common tactical movements of the armies of World War II.

2. What was unusual about Hitler's preparations for war?

3. How did Hitler's study of Napoleon negatively influence him?

4. What were the results and casualty rates on the Southeastern and Mediterranean fronts during the First World War?

5. What are the important strategic differences between large and small armies.

6. Explain the relationships between grand strategy, strategy and tactics.

7. What did Germany need in order to become secure and peacefully end the war?

8. What causes generals to overstep the bounds of "limited aim" warfare?

9. What is the typical result of careless concentration of forces?

10. Describe the strategies used by the Turks during the First World War.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author's assessment of the first World War was that overall, there was a huge and unnecessary loss of life that resulted in no real decisive victories and lasting benefits for any nation. The author suggests that this monumental waste of life could have been avoided.

Part 1) Describe the overall losses during the first World War, as well as the results, decisive or indecisive.

Part 2) What factors led to the employment of largely direct methods? What individuals, technologies and other circumstances led to the employment of these strategies?

Part 3) How could the war have been managed differently if indirect methods had been employed instead? Use examples from the book to describe in detail ways that existing technology, military forces and doctrines could have been employed to achieve better results with less loss of life.

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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