Tactics
Decisions and actions about using force in a battle with the goal of winning that battle
Operations
decisions and actions about moving forces within a theater (a region) with the goal of winning a campaign (a series of battles).
Strategy
Decisions and actions about moving forces between theaters with the goal of winning the war
Grand strategy
Decisions and actions about using force in general, such as the decision to engage in a war
Doctrine
A military's theory, principles and practices about strategy, operations and tactics.
Front
The direction a military unit is facing /
The line along which two units meet
Flank
The side of a military unit /
The action of attacking a unit from the side.
Rear
the back of a military unit
Wheel
The turning of a military unit as it advances.
Magazine
attaching a clip to breech of gun where multiple bullets are stored
Semi-automatic
Every trigger pull shoots 1 bullet and reloads
Automatic
every trigger pull shoots a burst of bullets
Infantry
moves on foot
Archers
move on foot, shoot arrows
Cavalry
people on horses. armor: people in tanks
Navy
sea
Air Force
air
Logistics
planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of military forces
Hoplite
Greek part-time soldier, fought with spears and in phalanx formation
Phalanx
rectangular mass military formation. everyone facing in one direction & usually carrying spears
The Battle of Marathon 490 BCE
persians vs. athenians. athenians stretch out and charge, enveloping persians
The Battle of Chaeronea 338 BCE
macedonians fake retreat, making greeks make split in their lines/forces
Roman siege engines
Onager: launching objects at walls; Catapult: launching arrows; Ballista: larger version of catapult
Siege of Alesia 52 BCE
romans vs. gauls. alesia: a fortress. cesar builds 2 fortification belts. he wins
The Siege of Masada 72 CE
construction of roman ramp to bring siege machinery to fortress. romans breach walls of masada but is empty; all jews inside committed suicide
Knights
Assistants; squires; medieval warriors on horseback. part of feudalism
Feudalism
king gives land to vassals in return for protection and loyalty
The Renaissance
a cultural, artistic, and political revolution beginning in italy. large battles, heavy lethality, large armies, mercenaries (paid $) as soldiers, wars of pillage
The Roman Empire
professional army, conscript soldiers, expanding empire, setting up camps
Crecy 1346
Crecy is in france. French knights mowed down by English arrows. Part of Hundred Years' War. English win b/c of superior weaponry and tactics
Agincourt 1415
English get to retake land won in Crecy. Gunpowder led to effective cannons. English outnumbered but win anyway. English longbow effective.
Gunpowder
powder that explodes in a gun, propelling a projectile
Arqebus
a muzzle-loaded (mouth-loaded) gun
Muzzle
mouth of gun
Breech
closed end of gun
Matchlock
lit with a match
Pike-man
a person carrying a pike that protects people with an arquebus
Volley
training soldiers to shoot together
Musket
similar to arquebus but bigger and better. flintlock
Flintlock
spark made by flint stone
Wars of Pillage
during Renaissance, large battles, large armies, heavy lethality, mercenaries (fight for $)
Battle of Luetzen 1632
Adolphus begins w/ cannon volley, creating smoke. Cavalry charge. Infantry + cavalry + artillery. part of 30 years' war
The Modern State
wars of maneuver, avoiding the enemy, large armies, minimal lethality, professional soldiers. new military bureaucracy. state raises armies.
Wars of Maneuver
less destruction, make sure enemy can't get at your supplies, forts, fortification over firepower, professional soldiers, slow & methodical strategy, fighting in blocs
Bayonet
daggers at tip of gun. first fire at enemy line, then charge at them, goal to shoot charging line at last minute, have to load while standing, high losses in battle, no personal initiative or skill
Nationalism
wars of nationalism, massive battles, massive lethality, large armies, citizen soldiers. gaining independence, defeating enemy's society
Austerlitz 1805
russia, austria, france. Napoleon was outnumbered. Napoleon blocks path of Russian army, outflanks austrian army & defeats them by attacking from rear. Napoleon approaches austrians & russians w/ fake peace deal. Napoleon then weakens right flank as a tri
Imperialism
Conquering lands outside Europe. Improvements in firepower & transportation led to more imperialism. Period of relative peace & stability in Europe.
Rifling
spiral groove in barrel makes bullet spin. can use conical bullets. steadies the flight path, makes it aerodynamic
Bullet
a conical object that gets shot out of a gun
Trench warfare
standing in trenches to fight. this offers protection from gunfire.
Operation Overlord 1944
D-day. Allied forces open up a new western front against hitler by attacking france. fictitious invasion in calais. gathered in england prior. ground, air, and sea forces
Waterloo 1815
Napoleon's last battle. Loses to English. Also russians, prussians, austrians. inefficacy of cavalry. French prepare final charge, are beaten back by english
Gettysburg 1863
civil war. north vs. south, meade vs. lee. north wins. ended lee's invasion of the north
Somme 1916
took place in france, wwi. indecisive. 1st use of the tank. many casualties
Breech-loading
loading a gun thru the breech (closed end of a gun)
Weapons platform
vehicles used to deliver multiple weapons and the soldiers operating them closer to the target
ICBM
intercontinental ballistic missile. can carry nuclear weapons
Tank
an armored fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat
Locomotive
the train, or the engine that pulls the train. Revolutionized warfare, eliminated need for horses because supplies could be transported by train
Egyptian chariot
a type of horse carriage. spoked wheels to make it lighter and faster. occupant uses a bow and arrow
Long bow
used in crecy. a type of bow that is tall. gave english the advantage
Sarissa
15 foot spear used in phalanx and syntagma
Syntagma
macedonian army. closed-ranked rectangular formations. spears angled depending on location in syntagma
Vassal
person granted land from a lord or king in return for services
Vauban fort
a star-shaped fort that allowed for people to defend themselves. fort mchenry. a ditch in front. wars of maneuver.
Guerilla warfare
irregular warfare. a small group of combatants which has more mobility, can surprise enemy
Asymmetrical warfare
a superpower vs. a small state. not equally matched. occured during the cold war. ex. a superpower vs. another superpower's allies or satellites
War by proxy
a superpower's allies fight each other w/o a direct confrontation between superpowers. cold war. superpowers' influence extending beyond own country
The Macedonian Empire
alexander the great. chaeronea. syntagmas
The industrial revolution
revolution, starting in england, centered around industry. new factories, new methods of transportation, new weapons
Composite bow
made from horn, wood, and sinew melded together. better than wood bow. more effective.
Medieval castle
built to control surrounding land. both offensive and defensive. gunpowder and cannons led to their demise.
Blitzkrieg
lightning war". bringing together military units in a way never done before. direct attack, complete annihilation. break thru enemy front w/ tanks, tanks followed by infantry, tanks cut off enemy's path of retreat. allowed hitler to expand german empire
Fascism/totalitarianism
the state as a military machine, crushing all opposition/resistance
Artillery
shoots projectiles
Cold war
a war that is not "hot". Occurred in 20th century btw soviet union & usa. MAD leads to relative stability. ideological war.