What term describes the pursuit to cut off and destroy a retreating enemy?

• A. Pursuit
• B. Raid
• C. Retreat
• D. Pincer

Answer: (A)

Pursuit describes the action of pressing on after an enemy that is withdrawing, with the aim of cutting off their escape, denying them a chance to regroup, and destroying or capturing them if possible. This keeps up the offensive tempo, converts a victory into a more decisive one, and prevents the retreating force from slipping away to fight another day. A raid, by contrast, is a quick, surprise attack with limited objectives and time, not a sustained chase. Retreat refers to the enemy’s withdrawal itself, not the pursuer’s activity. A pincer maneuver aims to encircle the enemy from multiple directions, which is about surrounding rather than specifically driving a retreating force to destruction.