ASSIGNMENT NO.

3
Name: Bisma Mehma

Class: BS English (Afternoon)

Roll No. : Lhr 2181

Subject: History

Submitted To: Sir Riaz Toor

Topic: Military History

Military History

Definition:
 The branch of history that deals with the study of role that armed forces played in past.
 Military history is a humanities discipline within the scope of general historical reading
armed conflict in history of humanity

History of Military History:

The study of war and its effects has a long history, dating back to at least 2500 B.C. when a
Chinese philosopher wrote The Art of War.

 European theorists came with the tradition which began with Julis Caesar’s nearly 2,000
years ago.
 Practical experience and deep thought ensured that the study of military history is both
analytical and fruitful.
 Such a tradition was absent in Britain where military history seems as ammeters stuff and
armchair generals. Britain wars tend to be fought at great distance from home.

Purpose of Military History:

 Serious military issues only began to emerge in Britain after World War I.
  1. Historians used their experience of trench deadlock to avoid dreadful causalities. Their
view on use of tank and aircraft in battlefield may have found favorable in Germany and
Britain.
2. It is reflected in the use of military war to support doctrine.

Impact of Military War:

Military history is a humanities discipline within the scope of general historical reading armed
conflict in history of humanity.

Types of Military Historians:

 Professional: They focus on military affairs that had major impact on societies as well as
aftermath of conflicts.
 Amateur: They often take interest in details of battle, equipment and uniforms in use.

Subjects of Military History:

 Causes of war
 Social and cultural foundation
 Military doctrine on each side
 Logistics
 Leadership
 Technology
 Strategy
 Tactics

Why study Military History:

 Military history has been studied at academic and service schools because:
 military command seeks not to repeat mistakes
 improve upon current performances
 perceive historical parallels during war
 capitalize on lessons learned from past
 When certifying military instructors de-emphasize rote detail memorization. They focus
on themes and context using motto Past is Prologue.

Disciplines of Military History:

 The discipline of military history is dynamic i.e. changing with development.
 The dynamic nature of military history is largely related to rapidity of change.
Revolution of Military History:
It attempts to explain how warfare has been shaped by emerging technologies like
gunpowder.

Problems and Limits:

 In recent work, a military historian mentioned some problems 21st century military
historians faced. These problems include:
1. Euro-centricity
2. Technological bias
3. Dominant military systems
4. Focus on leading military powers
 The limits of method are complicated by lack of record, either destroyed or never
recorded.