Mongolian Fighting Tactics

Listen to "Mongolian Fighting Tactics"

The Mongols, nomads from the Steppes (north of China), were first united by Genghis Khan in 1206. Genghis Khan led the Mongols across Eurasia via innovative and effective military tactics.

• The Mongols were oriented around extreme mobility. They carried their houses with them, drank their own horse's blood to stay alive, and could travel up to 100 miles per day.
• The Mongols had an elaborate priority-mail-system which allowed orders to be transmitted rapidly across Eurasia.
• Genghis Khan used combined fake retreats with accurate Manguadai Horse Archers to pick off his European enemies.
• Genghis Khan slaughtered a few cities, in an attempt to scare all other cities to surrender without a fight. He, being a practical leader, also valued smarts more than bravery.
  
• On occasion, the Mongols also used biological warfare against their enemies (most notably at Kaffa)

For more information, read http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/h11mon.htm
http://www.accd.edu/sac/history/keller/Mongols/empsub2.html
Dictionary of Battles by David Chandler

Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine