... an August 2001 war game

[meliss]

"In an August 2001 war game simulating combat with Syria, the IDF realized that it could effectively fight what was then seen as its most pressing military challenge—the Syrian Army’s arsenal of tanks, which numbered in the thousands—using only drones."
Hi, why "in an August" instead of the common "in August" ?
Source: Rise and Kill First by Ronen Bergman.

 

[Tarheel]

The prepositional phrase is "In an August 2001 war game simulating combat with Syria". The noun phrase is "an August 2001 war game simulating combat with Syria". That's where you need to start.

 

[Tarheel]

@5jj I'll be happy to explain. Removing "in an August 2001" from the rest would not help me understand the phrase in question.

 

[5jj]

@meliss.
I have restored the post that you deleted. Please do not delete a post after it has received a response. Post #2 would have looked strange without the question leading to it.

 

[meliss]

@meliss.
I have restored the post that you deleted. Please do not delete a post after it has received a response. Post #2 would have looked strange without the question leading to it.

So what do I do if I understand the answer right after posting the question? And I'd like to save the post with my Merry Christmas wishings.

 

[Tarheel]

I would say off the top of my head
That you could start a new thread.

 

[Rover_KE]

So what do I do if I understand the answer right after posting the question, and I'd like to save the post with my Merry Christmas wishings wishes?

As Tarheel said, start a new thread as it's off-topic.

 

[Skrej]

"In an August 2001 war game simulating combat with Syria, the IDF realized that it could effectively fight what was then seen as its most pressing military challenge—the Syrian Army’s arsenal of tanks, which numbered in the thousands—using only drones."
Hi, why "in an August" instead of the common "in August" ?
Source: Rise and Kill First by Ronen Bergman.

Presumably they had numerous training exercises over different months in different years. In such cases, we can use the indefinite article.

You can use the indefinite article with names, days, months and seasons when:
1) referring to one of many (such is the case here)
2) the month is modified by a descriptive adjective It was an unusually cold December.