Lesson plan
Commanding ground
In fortification, a commanding ground is an area that overlooks any post, or strong place. Of this there were three sorts: first, a front commanding ground, which is a height opposite to the face of the post, which plays upon its front; second, a reverse commanding ground, which is an eminence that can play upon the back of any place or post; and third, an enfilade commanding ground, or curtain commanding ground, which is a high place, that can with its shot scour all the length of a straight line. According to von Clausewitz, commanding ground can be either a singular point within a limited area for a single combat, or a larger series of geographic features that provide the same effect for multiple combats.
Article summary
In fortification, a commanding ground is an area that overlooks any post, or strong place. Of this there were three sorts: first, a front commanding ground, which is a height opposite to the face of the post, which plays upon its front; second, a reverse commanding ground, which is an eminence that can play upon the back of any place or post; and third, an enfilade commanding ground, or curtain commanding ground, which is a high place, that can with its shot scour all the length of a straight line. According to von Clausewitz, commanding ground can be either a singular point within a limited area for a single combat, or a larger series of geographic features that provide the same effect for multiple combats.
Key claims
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.