How have the theories of Carl Von Clausewitz and/or Henri Jomini influenced the birth of combined arms warfare? In your conclusion, suggest the significance to today’s military professional.

The Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay seeks to prove and illustrate an idea or theory. Obviously, briefings are important, but key positions require one to relate information to a larger and in some cases more sophisticated audience.

Answer a specific question from a list of topics in the evaluation plan. Examine those questions with care several months before the paper’s due date. Topical questions from the evaluation plan are not necessarily the topic statement. As indicated in Annex C, “Tips for Writing History Essays,” a challenge is keeping the paper concise and within the page limits. Organization is important.

Begin with a clearly stated thesis (the point to prove) in the introduction and use the body of the paper to construct the argument. Rationally build the case, leading to a conclusion consistent with the thesis without repeating that thesis word-for-word. Avoid using information or comments not directly supporting the thesis.

In general, devote one paragraph to one idea. Arrange sentences in logical order from most to least important. Strive, however, to connect paragraphs with transition sentences. Build each paragraph around a strong topic sentence informing the reader what the paragraph contains so that it contributes to the thesis. For additional information and guidance, consult ST 22-2 as well as The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White.

A history paper must contain proper footnotes or endnotes. (For examples, see Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations [eighth edition]). The abbreviated style of putting the source and page number within parentheses in the text (parenthetical documentation) is unacceptable. As a reminder, every direct quotation requires a footnote/endnote in order to properly identify and credit the source. Use direct quotations sparingly, generally to add special emphasis to a point. However, be judicious. Using direct quotations from secondary sources rarely adds to the strength of an argument. Stringing together direct quotations is seldom effective and distracts from the paper’s purpose. A more effective technique is summarizing ideas and information within a paragraph and then inserting a footnote/endnote to direct the reader to the source. Use footnotes/endnotes to provide more depth or explanatory information that otherwise would interrupt the flow of the paragraph. Including several sources within the same footnote/endnote is acceptable.