S311: THE ANALYTICAL ESSAY LEARNING ACTIVITY – PREPARE AN ANALYTICAL ESSAY
Instructions:
- Analyze and evaluate the major points of your case study for research utilizing the principles of mission command.
- Use your time to develop a deep understanding of your topic to fully explain your analysis. You are required to give an in depth introduction of your topic.
- Then develop the body of the paper fully using not less than three full pages and no more than five pages.
- Provide transitional sentences from one topic to the next.
- Gather one additional reference for your essay.
- Ensure you use Times New Roman, 12-point font and the current APA writing style (Student Paper).
- Your essay should be typed, double-spaced on standard-sized paper (8.5″ x 11″) with 1″ margins on all sides.
- Your essay should include four major sections:
- Title Page
- Thesis Statement
- Main Body
- References Page
SAMPLE OF THIS ESSAY
Below is a structured analytical essay following the S311 requirements.
Title: Command in the Cauldron: An Analysis of the Battle of 73 Easting through the Lens of Mission Command
Student Name: [Your Name]
Institutional Affiliation: [Your Institution]
Course: S311: The Analytical Essay
Date:
Thesis Statement
The overwhelming American victory at the Battle of 73 Easting was not merely a result of technological superiority, but a definitive validation of Mission Command; by fostering mutual trust, accepting prudent risk, and empowering subordinates to exercise disciplined initiative, the Second Armored Cavalry Regiment successfully decimated superior numbers of the Iraqi Republican Guard.
Main Body
Introduction The Battle of 73 Easting, fought on February 26, 1991, stands as one of the most significant tank battles in United States military history. Occurring during the Persian Gulf War, the engagement pitted the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (2nd ACR) against the elements of the Iraqi Republican Guard’s Tawakalna Division. The environment was characterized by a blinding sandstorm, near-zero visibility, and a rapidly evolving front line.
Despite these chaotic conditions, American forces achieved a lopsided victory, destroying scores of enemy armored vehicles with zero losses to their own main battle tanks. While the M1A1 Abrams tank and M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle provided a technical edge, the decisive factor was the application of Mission Command. This philosophy of command enables agile and adaptive leadership under conditions of uncertainty. To understand the magnitude of this victory, one must analyze how the principles of Mission Command—specifically mutual trust, disciplined initiative, and mission orders—were synthesized to overcome a numerically superior force in a degraded environment.
Mutual Trust and Shared Understanding The foundation of the success at 73 Easting was the profound mutual trust established between the regimental commander, Colonel Don Holder, and his troop commanders, most notably Captain H.R. McMaster of Eagle Troop. In the months leading up to the invasion, the 2nd ACR engaged in rigorous, realistic training that forged a shared understanding of how the unit would fight. This trust allowed Colonel Holder to provide his subordinates with broad objectives rather than restrictive, micromanaged instructions.
When Eagle Troop crested a ridge and unexpectedly found themselves face-to-face with a massive Iraqi defensive array, McMaster did not have to pause to seek permission to engage. He knew his commander’s intent: to find, fix, and finish the enemy to clear the way for the



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