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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. Communications are most critical for forces of what size?

2. Late in the war, the primary German leader in the east was allowed to employ the indirect method by using what kind of an attack?

3. In the First World War, what was Italy's diplomatic status?

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

5. What tactic, employed by generals as early as Belisarius, was widely used in World War II?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What is the principle of flexibility?

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

4. What was the problem with Clausewitz's writings, and why did they have a negative impact on the first World War?

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

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

7. How does the nature and purpose of strategy relate to people's unwillingness to be convinced of a point contrary to their own beliefs?

8. What is a wedge attack, what is it used for and how is it countered?

9. What were the strengths and vulnerabilities of the Turks and the Arabs during the First World War?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author suggests that the indirect approach is applicable to many fields outside of military strategy. There are obvious similarities between military endeavors, in which the goal is to acquire some lasting benefit for oneself, often in the face of resistance from an outside force, and many other human activities.

Part 1) Explain the indirect approach independent of military strategy. Describe its various components and attributes without reference to military terms or ideas.

Part 2) Discuss how these ideas can be applied to another specific human endeavor. Draw analogies between the military concepts discussed in the book and the concepts that pertain to the endeavor you have chosen to discuss.

Part 3) Use examples to explain how grand strategy relates to this endeavor, and how decisive and indecisive results can be identified.

Part 4) Explain step by step one example of how the indirect approach can be applied to this endeavor in order to bring about decisive results.

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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