Photo By Daniel Nelson | Brig. Gen. Robert Brown, deputy commanding general (support), Multi-National...... read more read more
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MOSUL, Iraq - The epic battle of Gaugamela took place more than two-millennium ago where Alexander the Great's forces faced and defeated an army of Persian soldiers more than five times greater than their own. This superior leadership and military genius of Alexander the Great enabled him to control the battlefield and overcome the menace of the Persian onslaught in 331 B.C.
Brig. Gen. Robert Brown, deputy commanding general (support), Multi-National Division-North, and Soldiers from Command Post-North, Task Force Lightning, hosted a command group briefing, May 9, to discuss the battle tactics used by Alexander the Great during this ancient battle at Gaugamela, an area located just north of Mosul, Iraq.
The group included Maj. Gen. Robert Caslen Jr., commanding general, MND-North, and brigade commanders and command sergeants major from throughout all of MND-North.
The command group arrived and received a detailed briefing on battlefield operations, maneuvering, and other specifics of the battle. The overview was presented by Capt. Wendy Wright, commander, 54th military historian detachment, who provided details of the life of Alexander to include: his rearing, his father (King Phillip II), his father's assassination, and how he ascended to the throne as king at the age of 20. Wright further detailed Alexander's campaign into Persia and generalship during his campaign.
Even though the battle at Gaugamela took place in 331 B.C., lessons can be learned from the victory Alexander the Great had achieved by overcoming incredible odds and defeating the Persian army led by King Darius III.
"His tutelage at his father's side, and his valor at the battle of Chaeronea earned him the immediate loyalty of his father's army," stated Wright. "Alexander wanted to fulfill his fathers final battle plans; an invasion into Persia. In the spring of 334 B.C., Alexander set forth to the Persian western sea port."
Maj. William Epolito, deputy force protection officer, 25th Infantry Division, concluded the briefing to the command staff by asking the question, "Why is the battle of Gaugamela important to us today?" His aim for this question was to provide relevance in what can be learned from a battle that took place so long ago; how Alexander led his army to defeat a powerful adversary on a battlefield that was hand-picked and made to give advantage to the Persians.
"This, even though it was so long ago, gives us basic infantry and cavalry tactics," added Epolito. "We still can learn from this."
Making the closing remarks to the group for the night was Caslen. He highlighted how important the event is, being able to go to a battlefield, which is studied by historians around the world.
"We have a tremendous opportunity to be on a battlefield that's one of the most significant battles in the history of warfare," said Caslen. "There are a lot of lessons to be learned from it: from tactics to strategic."
Caslen added that U.S. Soldiers have an opportunity to share, develop and train an Iraqi army in the same sort of camaraderie, which Alexander had built with his army.
"More importantly, is that we have a venue to bring two foreign factions that have fought each other in ware before together," added Caslen. "This is an opportunity for engagement, for transparency and more than anything, for the future of this country. It's an opportunity for these two warring factions to build trust."
The next morning the group loaded into UH-61 Black Hawk helicopters and was flown to Gaugamela to meet with top-ranking officials from the Iraqi army and Peshmerga, armed Kurdish fighters. They were also greeted by Dildar Jamil, a retired Iraqi general, who spoke about the battle that Alexander endured there centuries ago.
The group, now more than 80 U.S. and Iraqi senior leaders, actively engaged in the discussion with Jamil about the battle and what they can take away from the tactics and strategies used by Alexander the Great to overcome such great odds.
Before leaving the battle site, Caslen and Alex Laskaris, the provincial reconstruction team leader for the Ninewa province of Iraq, presented a marker to serve as a monument for the battle, which was waged there. The words - etched into the marker in English, Arabic and Kurdish - don't depict a winning side to battle, but to honor the noble warriors who fought.
As the words on the tablet were read to the group in each of the languages, Laskaris ended the ceremony by reading the English, "...You relinquished beloved youth for the rough cloud of war."
| Date Taken: | 05.09.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 05.15.2009 02:44 |
| Story ID: | 33644 |
| Location: | MOSUL, IQ |
| Web Views: | 903 |
| Downloads: | 183 |
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