Alec Wysocki

July 24th, 2016

Professor Lark
Nano-History Research Paper

Alexanders Battle Tactics Used Today

Numerous army does not always win. Alexander won three
hundred thousand Persians led by twenty thousand Macedonians.
Napoleon Bonaparte. I think this quote relates to my topic because it
shows that even great military leaders, such as Napoleon Bonaparte,
studied Alexander the Greats battles and strategies.
Alexander the Great is without doubt one if not the best military
commander in history. His army was well trained, well equipped, and
great in size. With his great army he conquered nearly half of the
world. Alexanders kingdom reigned from Greece to Egypt, Iran, and
India. Alexander the Greats kingdom would not have been possible
without his army and his battle tactics. Today, many military
academies use tactics that Alexander the Great had invented.
To start comparing Alexander the Greats tactics and tactics used
today we first need to look at Alexander the Greats army. The core of
the army was the phalanx, a highly trained infantry. They were
positioned in a box formation, making it impossible to attack them
from any other than frontal position (Mishkov). The soldier was

required to place his spear on the shoulder of the man in front of him.
The spears were about sixty feet long, which furthered the defensive
distance of the phalanx. The phalanx did have some disadvantages.
The phalanx only worked well on flat terrain. However, Alexander the
Great scouted his terrain before every battle so he knew where to
fight.
Alexander the Great also participated in the battles on the front
lines. This encouraged his soldiers and struck fear in the opponents.
Alexander ordered his phalanx to strike in the center of the opposing
army while his cavalry attacks the flanks. One if not the biggest
strength of Alexander the Greats army was their mobility. Alexander
needed his army to be able to move and make adjustments during the
battle fast. The army also wore light armor, which allowed his men to
move quickly.
Alexander the Greats mind and thinking has been a distinct
advantage against his opponents. Alexander has learned from great
philosophical thinkers such as Aristotle. Alexanders father, Philip II of
Macedon, hired Aristotle, one of historys greatest philosophers, to
educate the 13-year-old prince (Barksdale). He was capable of making
quick adjustments while on the go during battle. It always seemed like
he was one step ahead. Today, militaries study Alexander the Great
and his battles to learn more about his great mind and tactics. They try
to decipher what goes on in his mind during the battle.

Today, war has changed a lot. The use of guns and bullets has
revolutionized how battles were fought. Guns are more lethal than
swords and spears. They can be shot from farther distances and still be
fatal. Heavy artillery such as tanks can destroy cities and fortresses.
Lets also not forget about air strikes. In ancient wars they had to worry
about arrows and javelins. Today, soldiers have to worry about
helicopters, missiles, and bombs dropping from the sky. Back in ancient
war the soldiers either walked or they used horses and in some cases
elephants. Today, transportation and vehicle weaponry has changed to
helicopters, tanks, and many small transport vehicles. However, many
of the tactics Alexander the Great used with his army are used today.
Some of them have been copied and applied directly to armies but
some of the tactics and have modified.
Alexander the Greats military tactics and strategies are studied
in military academies today. Some of the tactics used today is called,
Fire and Movement. In the fire and movement tactic one unit attacks or
suppresses the enemy, while other units attack from the flanks.
Alexander the Greats phalanx and cavalry used this tactic first and
perfected it.
The classical charge tactic became classical because of
Alexander the Great. His phalanx would march forward toward the
enemy with their spears held high. Then when close enough they
would all charge at the enemy with their spears down. The front men

would hold the shield and the men behind them would hold spears.
This would create a collision between both armies. However, the
spears were 60 feet long so the phalanx made contact well before the
opposing army did. Today, the charge has been modified into small
groups against individual positions (Goodman). Small units will charge
to the enemy position and take over small battlegrounds in order to get
to the heart of the enemy.
There is a reason why Alexander the Great never lost a battle in
fifteen years. He was a brilliant mastermind that could make
adjustments while out on the battlefield. His troops were equipped with
great weapons and defensive equipment. His troops were also very
well trained and well disciplined, which gave him the advantage
against his opponents. His mind and his soldiers ability to make
transitions during battles were possibly his two greatest weapons.
Without Alexander the Great and his brilliant tactics and strategy, he
would not have conquered so many empires and spread his kingdom.

Bibliography
1.Mishkov,Aleksandar.AlexandertheGreatMilitaryStrategyHowAlexander
NeverLostaBattlein15Years.DocumentaryTube.11June2015.Web.July25,
2016. <http://www.documentarytube.com/articles/alexanderthegreatmilitary
strategyhowalexandernever0lostabattlein15years>.
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Web.25July2016.<http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/strategyand
tacticsmilitary>.
3. Goodman,RonaldE."StrategyandTactics,Military|Scholastic.com."Scholastic
Teachers.Web.25July2016.
<http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/strategyandtacticsmilitary>.