Temujin emerged as the charismatic leader known as Genghis Khan and assembled a large army to conquer lands for the Mongol Empire. His forces were highly skilled warriors who utilized advanced strategies like feigned retreats, coordinated ambushes, and rapid communication to defeat larger cities and towns. They were especially effective with their cavalry and horse archery tactics. The Mongol soldiers were also very loyal, diligent in training, and able to live off the land, making them a formidable force in Genghis Khan's conquests across Russia, the Middle East and China.

1. The Mongols
Ling Lin

2. Once upon a time, a
man called Temujin,
also named Chinggis
Khan, emerged on the
steppes as a charismatic
leader. He was a greedy
man who wanted more
land and power.

3. He assembled a huge
army of soldiers who
were ordered to go to
many countries like
Russia, the Middle East
and China and conquer
as much land as
possible.

4. Smaller cities and
towns gave in easily
because they did not
have the leadership of a
strong empire to protect
them. Despite this,
thousands of people
were slaughtered in the
Mongol conquests.

5. The soldiers were
brave and fantastic
warriors. They had
many weapons and
strategies that helped
them gain so much
land.

6. Spy networks spent
months before an attack
scouting defenses,
mapping roads and
escape routes, noting
supply sources, and
gathering intelligence on
local defense and
infrastructure.

7. Coordinated attacks
included ambush, hit and
run, and wave attacks.
One of the most successful
strategies was the feigned
retreat in which Genghis’s
troops would fake defeat
and run, only to turn on
pursuing enemies.

8. Rapid communication
used swift riders and
a system of relay
stations to pass
messages to and from
the battlefront.

9. The bow and arrow was
commonly used in battle.
Six out of ten soldiers
were horse archers,
which means they shoot
the enemy while riding.
This let the Mongols kill
as many of the opposing
side as possible.

10. Light cavalry soldiers
called keshik did not
partake in as much
heavy battle. Instead,
they were the ones in
charge of skirmishing
and raiding.

11. Soldiers practiced
fighting every chance
they had to make sure
they were ready for
enemy attack at anytime.
They focused on
individual fighting like
jousting and sometimes
group fighting methods.

12. The Mongol soldiers
were very loyal to
those in charge as well
as each other. This
meant there was no
need for unnecessarily
strict rules and
regulations.

13. However, there was
a very harsh
punishment for
anyone who ran
from danger in fear.

14. Gathering food was
particularly interesting
for these soldiers.
They would all make a
circle around a group
of animals and force
them to the center, all
while practicing war
maneuvers.

15. As the circle got
smaller, they waited for
their leader’s order to
begin killing off the
animals. This let them
practice war moves as
well as get enough
food for a feast.

16. The Mongol soldiers
were diligent and
skilled. They are the
backbone of the
Mongol conquests.

17. Works Cited
"Battle Tactics | Genghis Khan." Genghis Khan | Genghis Khan. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.
<http://genghiskhan.fieldmuseum.org/behind-the-scenes/establishing-an-empire/battle-tactics>.
"Mongol Combat Tactics." The Silver Horde. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.
<http://silverhorde.viahistoria.com/research/tactics.html>.