1. machine guns
   horses
2. airplanes

For many centuries, people have used horses in war. "Cavalry" refers to units that rely on horses as a means of attack.

1. horses trained to bite enemies
   chariots pulled by horses
2. flying horses with chain armor

Centuries ago, most horses were on the small side, too little to carry armed warriors. Instead, they were used to pull chariots and the soldiers riding them.

1. caused allergic reactions in enemies
   nukes
2. speed

While infantrymen plodded around on foot, mounted warriors were much, much faster. The element of speed made the cavalry a fantastic weapon.

1. central Asia
   United States
2. Iceland

In central Asia, new methods of horse handling and bigger horses led to some of the earliest cavalry units. Eventually, warriors swung swords and spears while galloping right into battle.

1. rope
   stirrup
2. broadsword

The stirrup made cavalry more possible for every army. Stirrups gave even average horse handlers better control in the midst of battle and made it easier for soldier to train on horseback.

1. Lyndon Johnson
   Cleopatra
2. Genghis Khan

The Mongol hordes of central Asia were famous for their cavalries. And Genghis Khan was their master, leveraging the cavalry in building one of the biggest empires in history.

1. Only the largest soldiers are allowed to ride the horses.
   It consists of Shetland ponies.
2. The horses feature heavy armor.

Throughout much of military history, armies put heavy armor on their horses. Thus protection against swords and arrows, the huge horses were a bit like living tanks.

1. mounted soldier armed with Tasers
   a rapid and aggressive attack
2. an attack using rocking horses

Shielded by heavy leather, metal, or other tough surfaces, horses could charge directly into enemy lines as part of shock tactics. In doing so, they crushed resistance and created gaps that foot soldiers could penetrate.

1. Dead horses are great biological weapons.
   inertia
2. Horses are invincible.

Inertia — momentum — is a basic aspect of ground fighting. WIth their mass and speed, horses can literally smash through enemy lines.

1. vector
   withdrawal
2. charge

As horses became more and more effective in battle, cavalry charges became a feared aspect of warfare. A single well-timed cavalry charge could turn the tide of an entire fight.

1. arrows
   firearms
2. torches

Firearms, large and small, changed the course of warfare. Large rifles and cannons blasted through horses just as they did men and machines.

1. tyranny
   monarchies
2. knighthood

In Europe, heavily armed cavalrymen became known as knights. Knighthood became a vital and entrenched part of society.

1. lances
   land mines
2. grenades

Early mounted soldiers like knights relied heavily on weapons like lances. These long, piercing weapons gave cavalrymen reach and penetrating power.

1. only to bait enemy planes
   during suicidal assaults
2. to harass and distract

Guns drastically reduced cavalry’s effectiveness. But many generals still used cavalry to harass, distract and confuse the enemy, all the better for infantry to exploit.

1. Cavalrymen were considered expendable.
   to prevent retreating enemies from returning to a fight
2. Horses just like chasing terrified people.

Even when guns proved to be deadly against cavalry, mounted soldiers were very valuable in chasing retreating enemies. Why? It discouraged them from thinking about returning to battle.

1. Vietnam War
   America Civil War
2. American Revolution

Horses were absolutely critical even in America’s first war, the Revolution. Mounted troops struck at superior British armies and then fled, frustrating the redcoats to no end.

1. 0
   about 3,000
2. about 350,000

World War I was a war that found generals using antiquated tactics against incredible new weapons, like heavy machine guns. At the start of the war, about 350,000 cavalry troops readied themselves for battle.

1. They ran the other way.
   They all died. All of them.
2. They were eventually sent to fight as infantry.

WWI centered around trench warfare and heavy machines — generals soon realized that cavalry had no chance. Instead, those men were ordered off their horses and sent forward as infantry.

1. coordinating retreats
   direct assaults
2. scouting

With their fleetness, horses were very valuable for transportation in the Civil War. As such, scouts used horses to spy on the enemy.

1. Canada
   USA
2. USSR

Soviet forces still had plenty of cavalry on hand during WWII. And the mighty German army used horses for many transportation roles.

1. It was used in every battle.
   It determined the outcome of the war.
2. It didn’t have much impact, really.

Cavalry grabbed numerous headlines in the Civil War. But it was often for show — the incredible firepower of industrial weapons easily cut down cavalry.

1. Mexico
   U.S.
2. India

In the area of India, mounted soldiers called "sowars" were an integral part of warfare. They were light cavalry, meant for high-speed attacks.

1. true
2. false

False. Today’s American military still has cavalry ... but it’s the armored kind. These vehicles do perform some traditional cavalry roles, though, like scouting.

1. They murdered all of the peasants.
   They held profitable horse races.
2. They kept a stranglehold on their power.

Medieval lords loved the power of cavalry and of knights. They hired knights to help them dominate their regions and thus keep their role as top dogs in society.

1. maces
   bows
2. shotguns

Mounted Mongol warriors were famed for their bow skills. They could gallop across the steppe and then unleash devastating volleys of arrows.

1. a type of spear mounted to a horse
   a soldier who rides a horse but fights on foot
2. a horse made to look like a scary dragon

In the 1600 and 1700s, dragoons were soldiers who used horses for transportation. But they didn’t fight on horseback, they still fought on foot.

1. They were easily deterred by magic spells.
   They were scared of pikes.
2. They required years of training.

No matter the era, horses required years of training. As such, they were costly investments for armies.

1. Panama
   France
2. Iraq

At the 1807 Battle of Eylau, Napoleon’s French army clashed with the Russians. The French hurled an enormous cavalry charge of 11,000 men at the enemy.

1. It was repelled.
   It bought time for the French.
2. It crushed the Russians.

At the Battle of Eylau, Napoleon desperately sent 11,000 cavalrymen in hopes of stopping the Russians. He bought his infantry just enough time to finally win the fight ... but he lost far too many men in the process, damaging his air of invincibility.

1. in lagoon fights
   in situations where generals want to get rid of a few rebellious soldiers
2. in very difficult terrain

In some places, like Afghanistan, the terrain is so remote and rugged that horses — not helicopters — are still the most effective way to fight.