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LTC Francis Smith Royal Army. Lexington & Concord 1775. “NCA:” George III . “Warlords:” Adams & Hancock. “The Shot Heard Round the World…”. “What We See Usually Depends On Where We Sit”. Introduction To Military History. MS 494 : The History of the American Military Experience.
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LTC Francis Smith Royal Army Lexington & Concord 1775
“NCA:” George III “Warlords:” Adams & Hancock “The Shot Heard Round the World…” “What We See Usually Depends On Where We Sit”
Introduction To Military History
MS 494 : The History of the American Military Experience INTER-MEDIATE LEVEL Pre-Commissioning/ Initial Entry SENIOR LEVEL - APPLIED HISTORY - STRATEGIC ANALYSIS - ANALYSIS OF STAFF RIDE History/Heritage Instruction Critical Thinking/Analysis - ADVANCED HISTORICAL CONCEPTS - ADVANCED BATTLE ANALYSIS - STAFF RIDE EXECUTION • HERITAGE • HISTORY OF ARMY • - BATTLE ANALYSIS INTRODUCTION • - STAFF RIDE INTRODUCTION
Professional Military History: Explains not “Entertains”
PROFESSIONALMILITARY HISTORY Develops and Refines Your Professional Critical Thinking and Judgment IS about: Trends, Patterns, Process Concepts, Culture, Relationships Theory vs. Practice The “Nature” of War Evaluating Current Doctrine Is NOT about: Names, Places, Dates Heroes, Villains, Causes Tradition, Legacy “Lessons Learned” Validating Current Doctrine
“Nature” of History • History “proves” nothing, but it illuminates a great deal • The power of history lies in its suggestiveness, and in the power of discernment it conveys to its user • The great value of history in the practical world is in the habit of mind that it encourages: • Unwillingness to accept arguments based on simplistic assumptions • Understanding of how, bias, perception, cause and effect work
- Petronius Arbiter 210 BC Continuity In Military Culture “We trained hard but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.”
Light Cavalry Light Infantry Artillery Heavy Cavalry Heavy Infantry The “Basics”
English Soldiers Break the Charge of Scots “Warriors” at Culloden, 1746
Military History Objective “To teach the officer how to teach himself should be the avowed objective of every course in military history”. Prof. Jay Luuvas
MS 494 The History of the American Military Experience The TEXT: Weekly on-line Quizzes, Midterm and Final Exams Articles/Podcast Reviews Book Review & Presentation Participation Like drinking from a Fire Hose