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August 20, 2007
Studying War
Military history teaches us about honor, sacrifice, and the inevitability of conflict.
Try explaining to a college student that Tet was an American military victory. You’ll provoke not a counterargument—let alone an assent—but a blank stare: Who or what was Tet? Doing interviews about the recent hit movie 300, I encountered similar bewilderment from listeners and hosts. Not only did most of them not know who the 300 were or what Thermopylae was; they seemed clueless about the Persian Wars altogether.
It’s no surprise that civilian Americans tend to lack a basic understanding of military matters. Even when I was a graduate student, 30-some years ago, military history—understood broadly as the investigation of why one side wins and another loses a war, and encompassing reflections on magisterial or foolish generalship, technological stagnation or breakthrough, and the roles of discipline, bravery, national will, and culture in determining a conflict’s outcome and its consequences—had already become unfashionable on campus. Today, universities are even less receptive to the subject.
This state of affairs is profoundly troubling, for democratic citizenship requires knowledge of war—and now, in the age of weapons of mass annihilation, more than ever.
To read this entire article by Victor Davis Hanson, please click here.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at August 20, 2007 09:14 AM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
It's worse than that. Even when I travel in conservative circles, I'm usually the only one in the group who can look at U.S. military insignia and know what that person's rank is, etc. When I was a kid, all my guy friends knew this stuff. While it's great that we have a volunteer armed forces, the disconnection most Americans have with our excellent military is severe and ultimately dangerous.
Posted by: Jake at August 20, 2007 09:28 AM
Jake:
Most frustrating for me is discussing world affairs with liberals. Basically they argue in a vacuum for they make believe that nations do not engage nor solve existential problems through warfare. Always have, always will. If you do not understand war, you are not in touch with reality. If you are taking courses in "conflict resolution" you will end working for the U.N. and no doubt find yourself abetting genocide in some far flung corner of the third world.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.seraphicpress.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at August 20, 2007 10:51 AM
It's all about Realpolitik baby. That was the title of my weekly column in my college paper. I got a lot of good remarks from my professors about it... but strangely, shockingly, not too many dates.
Posted by: Jake at August 20, 2007 11:30 AM
Jake:
Not too many dates? At Columbia? How shocking!
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at August 20, 2007 12:21 PM
Like Fred Thompson said, you cannot avoid war by refusing to have anything to do with it.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NzUwZjRlNjdmZWY1YjJmOWNiODVkZmI3Mzc0MjhjOGY=
Posted by: pixologic at August 20, 2007 12:22 PM