What makes a battle decisive? How are battles won or lost? Why is the study of Military History more than the study of battles? These are some of the questions we will strive to answer during our discussions in "Decisive Battles". 

While this class discusses battles, Ancient and Modern - the student will frequently be asked "What would you do in this situation?". By way of applying the Principles of War (handout) the students will use their critical thinking skills to better understand how one commander won the battle and why the other side lost the battle. 

The class will begin with a general overview of the historical context surrounding the battle, then a brief timeline relevant to the causes of the battle, then students will be introduced to the Order of Battle for both sides and be asked to comment on the placement of troops, the morale of the troops, the style and nature of leadership so they may make an assessment as to who might win based upon those and other factors. 

General Format of the class: 

I.  Introduction – popular understanding of the battle
II. Historical Contextualization surrounding the battle
III. Military events prior to the battle
IV. Commanders and Order of battle
V. Causes of the battle – terrain, location, situation
VI. Advantages and Disadvantages for each side (Center of Gravity)

social studies
VII. Intent and Orders (Fog of War)
VIII. Opening moves
IX. Culminating Point of the battle
X. Coup de grace 
XI. Aftermath & Casualties
XII. Conclusion: discussion of significance and decisiveness

The class will then "reconstruct" the events of the course of the battle so as to identify significant culminating points indicative of a victory and assess why this battle was decisive in terms of the outcome of the campaign or war. 

Each class will promote significant Principles of War, tactics, and technologies that played a part in the battle.  

FIRST CLASS: Napoleon's masterpiece - The Battle of Austerlitz, 1805. 

Other initial topics:
Alexander the Great: The Battle of Gaugamela, 331 B.C.E.
Admiral Yamamoto: Pearl Harbor, 1941
Hannibal the Tactical Genius: The Battle of Cannae, 216 B.C.E. 
General Patton: Relief of Bastogne, 1944
Leonidas and the 300: The Battle of Marathon 490 B.C.E.
Zhukov and Stalingrad, 1943
William the Conqueror: The Battle of Hastings, 1066
General Montgomery: The Battle of El Alamein, 1943
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain - The Battle of Little Round Top, 1863 C.E.
Henry Tudor - The Battle of Bosworth, 1485 C.E. 
 
And Many More...........