Surprise: A Principle of War
The military is an ever-changing profession. Technology, tactics, and objectives are constantly changing, even in peacetime. The science of war has evolved drastically since the very first battle fought on American soil, but the art of war has remained constant since that same time. Regardless of the alterations over the years, the principles of war, developed by British Major General J. F. C. Fuller and adopted by the United States Army in 1921, have held ground in our practicing military professions in the past and act as guidelines for action in the future. These nine principles of war are often referred to as "MOOSEMUSS," which is an acronym used by most Marines. Surprise is one of the last S's in the acronym. My definition of surprise is striking the enemy when they least expect it. This could be done in so many ways. It would not just be attacking the enemy when they are unaware, but rather attacking them in an instant in which their reaction is too late to respond effectively. Surprise is only temporary when it comes to war, so the initial shock must be ut
------------------------------------------------------------------------ This understanding has not changed, nor have the principles of war over the course of time even though the science of war has changed. The principle of surprise is one of the most important principles, due to the fact any army, no matter how small or large, can overcome the enemy at any time if they catch the enemy off guard or unprepared. his men playing cards, relaxing, and socializing with their rifles stacked and unattended. The surprise attack came "like a clap of thunderstorm from a cloudless sky," stated one Union soldier. The results of the surprise were detrimental. Hooker's army panicked and was entirely knocked out by an army made up of a "ragtag" force of less than half of his own army. Hooker had over 130,000 men under his command with Lee only commanding 60,000 men. The brilliant planning of General Lee using the principle of surprise, along with the other eight principles, forced Hooker into a full retreat and eluding the Union from a very decisive victory that they needed badly. The Principles of War and t
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Approximate Word count = 749
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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