MIDTERM REVIEW

Guys - Here is midterm review - Please study early and often :) The test will be tough but fair, probably 70 questions or so. Be prepared for fill in the blank questions - True/False and Multiple Choice will be kept to a minimum...after all, it is a midterm :)

American Military History Review for MIDTERM EXAM

Part 1

1. True or False - The US Coast Guard is always under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security. FALSE
2. Beside search and rescue, name one other role the USCG plays. __DRUG ENFORCEMENT, RIVER AND COASTAL PROTECTION AND SECURITY________________________.
3. In what year was the USCG founded - 1775, 1790, 1890? Answer… 1790
4. The CG Academy and Officer’s Candidate School is located where - Annapolis, Md, Boston, Mass, New London, Conn, or New Brunswick, Me? NEW LONDON
5. USCG received a Presidential Unit Citation recently for it’s work and efforts doing what? ______RESCUE EFFORTS DURING HURRICANE KATRINA________________________________________________
6. This branch of the US military was born on June 14, 1775 and is the oldest of all the branches. __US ARMY______________.
7. The US Army has a total , including reserves and guard, force of just over 1 million, 2 million, or 3 million soldiers. ONE MILLION
8. The highest rank in the US Army is General of the Army and this person holds the rank of a 3, 4, or 5 star general? 5 STAR GENERAL
9. True or False - The National Guard is always under the authority of the President of the United States. FALSE
10. True or false - The US Army currently operates under a larger division structure, but will soon switch to a smaller brigade structure. TRUE
11. The highest rank a non-commissioned officer can attain in the US Army is the rank of Colonel, Sergeant, Lieutenant, or Captain. SERGEANT
12. Army basic training lasts for 7, 9, 12, or 15 weeks? 9 WEEKS
13. The birthday of the US Marine Corp is November 10, __1775_______.
14. Marines are primarily structured to be a land, sea, amphibious force. AMPHIBIOUS
15. The Marines believe very strongly in the motto “Every Marine is a __RIFLEMAN___________.
16. The Marines believe in the motto “Every officer is a division, brigade, platoon, or team leader.” PLATOON
17. Semper Fidelis means ____ALWAYS FAITHFUL__________________.
18. Two Marine officers predicted a war was coming with Japan and prepared the Corps in the tactics and strategies that would help win the war in the Pacific…Name one of them ___ELLIS and LEJEUNE____________________.
19. The Marine Corps emblem consists of 3 items Name them. GLOBE,ANCHOR, and EAGLE___________________________.
20. The Marine Corps is the smallest of the main branches with about 2,000, 20,000 or 200,000 members. Answer …200,000
21. The Marine Corps is most closely linked with what other military branch? __US NAVY__________________
22. The most decorated ship in US Navy history (with 20 battle stars) was the USS Hornet, Enterprise, or Constitution? USS ENTERPRISE
23. The special forces of the US navy are called SEALS, which stands for __SEA, AIR, and LAND__________________.
24. Currently, the center of US naval operations and strategy is the aircraft carrier strike force, battleship force, nuclear weapons capabilities, or nuclear powered submarines. AIRCRAFT CARRIER STRIKE FORCE
25. Currently, the US navy has about 300, 3,000, or 1,000 ships? Answer…300
26. True or False - The US navy is the largest in the world, equal in size to the next 17 navies combined. TRUE
27. Originally, the air force was part of what other military branch? US ARMY
28. Currently, the US Air Force has about 3, 30, or 300 flying squadrons. Answer 300
29. Special Forces units in the USAF are called Delta Forces, Rangers, Pararescue Jumpers, or Sky Pilots. PARARESCUE JUMPERS
30. The motto of the USAF is Above the Clouds, Above and Beyond, Above All, or Above the Rest. ABOVE ALL



1. Name the only Medal of Honor winner from the USCG. ___DONALD MUNRO_____________
2. The naval equal to an army general is called a what? _ADMIRAL_______________.
3. What ship was sunk and lost more men than any other at Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941? ___USS ARIZONA_________
4. What ship currently sits beside her now at Pearl (It was on this ship that the Japanese signed the surrender documents, ending WW II) ____USS MISSOURI__________
5. The first US navy submarine was fittingly called the USS ALLIGATOR_____________.
6. What special cargo did the USS Indianapolis carry and deliver before she was sunk by a Japanese sub
(I never told you, but take a guess…) ____COMPONENT PARTS OF THE ATOMIC BOMB_______________________.



Part 2



1. In all American wars combined, over 1.3 million have died
2. In all American wars combined, over 1.5 million have been WIA and MIA
3. Over 6,000 died in the Revolutionary War
4. Over 2,000 died in the War of 1812
5. Over 13,000 died in the Mexican War
6. Over 600,000 died in the Amer. Civil War
7. Over 2,000 died in the Spanish American War
8. Over 115,000 died in WW I
9. Over 400,000 died in WW II
10. Over 30,000 died in the Korean War
11. Over 58,000 died in the Vietnam War
12. Over 400 died in the First Iraq War
13. Over 7,000 have died in the War on Terrorism

14. There have been 12 major American military conflicts:

Revolutionary War (1775-1781)
Barbary Pirates War (1801-1803)
War of 1812 (1812-1815)
Mexican War (1846-1848)
American Civil War (1861-1865)
Spanish American War (1898)
WW I (1917-1918)
WWII (1941-1945)
Korean War (1950-1953)
Vietnam War (1963 -1973)
First Iraq War (1991)
War on Terrorism (Iraq and Afghanistan) (2001- )

15. American also fought an ideological war with Communism -- The Cold War (1946 - 1989)

Biblical view of war (Psalm 144:1-2)

16. According to James 4:1-4, the root cause of war is hatred, prejudice, selfishness, and covetousness
17. God has endorsed war (I Chronicles 5:22, Joshua 6, etc)
18. Revelation 19 speaks of Jesus Christ establishing his kingdom as a warrior, conquering the armies opposed to Him.
19. Evil must be faced and defeated (Deut 20, Rev. 20-21)
20. There is a right to self-defense/protection (Deut 20)
21. Freedom is God’s desire for every person, yet freedom is not free, but comes at a great cost (Gal. 5:1)
22. There are Biblical rules of war (Deut 20)
23. There is such a concept of conscientious objector (Deut 20)
24. Limited war is sometimes appropriate (Deut 20, I Sam. 11:2-3; 30:1-2)
25. Total war is sometimes appropriate (Joshua 6)
26. The Bible recognizes soldiering as a honorable profession (Matt 8:5; Lk. 3:14, Acts 10; I Cor. 9:7)
27. Military service is used as a picture of commitment to Christ (2 Tim. 2:4) and effective Christian service (Eph. 6: 11-17)
28. Military heroes are honored in the Bible (heb. 11:32-34)
29. Cost must be considered when waging war as well as consideration of victory and defeat (Lk. 14:31)
30. Nations have a right to fight against enemies when threatened (Jn. 18:36)
31. War has existed since Satan rebelled (Isaiah 14,28) and will always exist in this age (Matt. 24:5-7; Mk. 13:7-8)
32. Peace must often be imposed by overwhelming force (Mt. 24:5-7)

33. The concept of just war was first set forth by Augustine of Hippo (North Africa) in the 4th century AD

34. The concept of just war is composed of 7 principles:

War must be a last resort option after all efforts short of war have been exhausted
War must be waged by nations, not be terrorist groups or other smaller entities
War is justified for self defense and protection, but wars of conquest and subjugation are not appropriate
Victory must be attainable - it is not appropriate to start a war to injure and kill if the war cannot be won
The ultimate goal in war should be to establish a better peace
Responses in war should be proportional - unnecessary force is not appropriate
It is not appropriate to target civilians on purpose - legitimate military targets only

35. Quotes:

“War should be waged reluctantly, and with tears.” St. Augustine
“It is good that war is so terrible, or we would grow too fond of it.” Robert E. Lee
“War is all hell” William T. Sherman

36. American political and military policy has involved the founding, protection, and expansion of freedom. American wars can be understood in light of these 3 goals

37. The 3 most significant individual attacks on America have been:

Aug 24, 1814 - Burning of Washington
Dec 7, 1941 - Pearl Harbor
Sept 11, 2001 - Attacks on New York and Washington

38. The American military creed:

Article 1: I am an American fighting man. I serve in the forces which
guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in
their defense.
Article II: I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command I will
never surrender my men while they still have the means to resist.
Article III: If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available.
I will make every effort to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special
favors from the enemy.
Article IV: If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with all my fellow
prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any actions which
might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If
not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back
them up in every way.
*Article V: When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am
required to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will
evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make
no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful
to their cause.
Article VI: I will never forget that I am an American fighting man,
responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made
my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of
America.
*By Executive Order signed on November 3, 1977,

The American Revolution began because the colonists were angry over a series of events, decisions, and policies imposed on them by an unfair King and leaders in the mother country of Great Britain. Name 2 of the things that upset the colonists and helped lead to war.

TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION, QUARTERING OF BRITISH TROOPS, RESTRICTIONS ON TRADE, ROYAL GOVERNORS, etc…

How many were killed in what was called the Boston Massacre? 5, 55, 555, 5,555 ANSWER 5
The Revolution began when American militia and British soldiers fired upon one another at _LEXINGTON_____________and __CONCORD____________.

True or false - At the end of the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Americans still held the high ground. FALSE

The British forces in Boston had to abandon the town when American cannon were brought to the heights above the town. Who accomplished this feat of bringing the cannon from Fort Ticonderoga?
Israel Putnam, Horatio Gates, Henry Knox, Nathaniel Greene HENRY KNOX

At the Battle of Brooklyn, American forces were in trouble with their backs to the East River - How did Washington’s men escape? _____ROWED ACROSS IN SMALL BOATS______________________________________________________

At the same time, what did they see as an act of God which saved them? __THE FOG___________________

Where did Washington and his men defeat over 1,000 Hessian fighters with only 4 of their men being wounded? Philadelphia, Trenton, Saratoga, Ft. Ticonderoga TRENTON

What ice filled river did they cross to pull of this victory? Patapsco River, Mississippi River, Delaware River, Susquehanna River DELAWARE RIVER

Which victory was the most important of the war because it led to foreign nations lending support to the American cause? Trenton, Princeton, Saratoga, Yorktown SARATOGA

What nation was the main source of aid for the American cause? ___FRANCE______________.

Name the American hero turned traitor to the cause. ____BENEDICT ARNOLD___________________.



True or False - In the American Revolution, most American soldiers used rifled muskets. FALSE

The two groups or types of American soldiers were __REGULARS____________ and __MILITIA________________.
At the Battle of Bunker Hill, Israel Putnam said, “Don’t __FIRE UNTIL YOU SEE THE WHITES OF THEIR EYES“____________________________ __________________________

At the beginning of the revolution, what fraction of the population do historians say were for independence? ____1/3_______.

What fraction were loyal to the King at the beginning? 1/3

Name the British officer captured and hanged for his role in the plot with the American hero turned traitor. _MAJOR JOHN ANDRE______________

Nathan Hale - Hero, caught as spy and hanged Said, "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country."

Patrick Henry - American patriot, Said, "I know not what course others may take but as for me give me liberty or give me death."

Part 3

The US fought pirates off the coast of North Africa and through the Mediterranean Sea between 1801 and 1804. In May 1801, Tripoli declared war on the US. US ships were seized and crews imprisoned and held for ransom. At the time, the US navy consisted of 7 ships.

The USS Constitution, commanded by Comm. Edward Preble bombed Tripoli and fought pirates in ship to ship and hand to hand combat

The USS Philadelphia and it’s crew of 300 were captured and held for ransom. While pirates attempted to outfit the ship for their use, Stephen Decatur and a small unit from the USS Intrepid rowed to and boarded the Philadelphia and set her on fire. They escaped with only 1 wounded. Decatur was promoted to the rank of Captain at age 25, the youngest to reach that rank in the history of the US Navy.

William Eaton and Lt. Presley O’ Bannon led about 100 Marines as well as Arab and Greek fighters on a 1,000 mile trip across the North African desert from Alexandria to Tunis. About half way there, they attacked and captured the city of Derna and defeated the Tripolian army. The king od Tripoli opened negotiations to end the Barbary wars - US prisoners were released, piracy was ended, and the US paid $60,000 cash.

The War of 1812 was fought between 1812-1815 and is often called Mr. Madison’s War. The war was waged with England over shipping and trade disagreements between the two nations. The US declared war in 1812 despite only having a 7,000 man army.

England was allied with a number of Indian tribes. The war produced a number of great US military commanders, including Sam Houston, William Henry Harrison, Andrew Jackson, and Zachary Taylor. All four would become President - Houston of the Republic of Texas and the others as POTUS.

Harrison defeated and killed the great Shawnee chief Tecumseh at the Battle of the Thames on Oct 5, 1813.

Attacks were made by US forces to capture Quebec and Montreal - they were unsuccessful. The US Navy fought and won a series of battles with British Naval forces on the Great Lakes.

The British blockaded the east coast, cut off all US trade routes to Europe, attacked and burned Washington DC and attacked Baltimore on Sept 13, 1814, but were turned back at the battle of North Point and at Ft McHenry, where Francis Scott Key noted the US victory with a poem that would become the National Anthem

Washington DC was burned, including the White House and Capitol on August 24, 1814

In late December 1814 to Jan. 8, 1815, Us and British forces fought the battle of New Orleans. The war had been negotiated to an end at Ghent, Belgium on Dec 24, 1814, but news of the treaty would not reach the US for weeks, thus the Battle of New Orleans was fought and won by forces under the command of American hero Andrew Jackson

Mexico gained it’s independence from Spain in 1821. The Us offered Mexico $5 million for Texas territory, but Mexico refused but allowed Us citizens to settle in the area. By 1836, Americans outnumbered Mexicans there by 10 to 1

Texas declared it’s independence from Mexico on march 2, 1836. It became the Lone Star republic and remained so for 9 years until Texas was annexed as a state in 1845

Texas gained it’s independence from Mexico at the Battle of San Jacinto - Sam Houston and his forces defeated Santa Anna and Mexican forces and forced Santa Anna to surrender.

At the Alamo, a mission church, about 200 US forces were annihilated (including Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett) but not before holding out for nearly 2 weeks between Feb 23-March 6, 1836 and killing about 1,500 Mexican forces. The battle cry thereafter was “Remember The Alamo”

At Coletto Creek, an American army surrendered and 500 prisoners were taken to Goliad prison. Santa Anna ordered them executed and on March 27, 1836, 350 American POW’s were murdered. “Remember the Goliad”

During the Mexican war, so many men signed up from Tennessee, it became known as the Volunteer state

Both the US and Mexico wanted the war in an attempt to acquire more territory

After the war, the US gained 1.2 million square miles of territory, California came into the Union in 1850 as a free state. The US paid Mexico $15 million

Many US soldiers fought in the Mexican War as comrades, then fought against each other in the American Civil War -- Grant, McClellan, Sherman and Hancock for the Union and Lee, Johnston, Longstreet, Jackson, and Pickett for the Confederacy are just a few…

Mexico City was captured by American forces on Sept 14, 1847 after the storming and capture of the castle fortress of Chapultepec - the National Palace was captured - the “Halls of Montezuma”

Texas gained it’s independence from Mexico in 1836 and remained it’s own nation until 1845 when it became a state of the US. It’s president and governor was war hero Sam Houston. Houston was removed from office as governor of Texas when Texas seceded from the Union in 1861.