military historians, 9, 10. See also specific person
military history: academic study of, 3–14, 24–26, 161, 162; benefits of studying, 246; classical foundation for studying past, 31–32, 48; constants in, 15; and lessons learned from the past, 246; morality of, 24–26;popularity of, 83; utility of, 14–19; and what it teaches, 3–30; where to begin study of, 26–30
Military History Channel, 11
military liberalism, 192–93, 202
military service, benefits of, 145
Mill, John Stuart, 17
Miller, Frank, 52, 54
Milošević, Slobodan, 17, 109, 115, 148, 208, 213
Mogadishu, 19, 39, 114, 162, 204
Mohammed, Khalid Sheik, 48
Montgomery, Bernard, 148
Moore, Michael, 23, 204, 218
moral equivalence, 220, 223–25
morality: and classical lessons about modern wars, 32, 35, 41–42, 49, 86; and military errors, 161, 167; of military history, 24–26; and new-isms, 220; and paradoxes of democracy and war, 203; and roots of war, 35, 41–42; and Sledge’s account of World War II, 78–79; and war as “human thing,” 155, 156; and war in the future, 245
Morris, Donald R., 27
Moyar, Mark, 29
Muhammad, cartoon caricatures of, 219, 220
multiculturalism, 220–21, 225
multilateralism, 147–49, 153, 205
Mussolini, Benito, 18, 36
Mustafa, Lala, 95
mutually assured destruction, 6, 17, 213, 240
Napoleon. See Bonaparte, Napoleon
Napoleonic Wars, 65, 108, 110–11, 216
Nation-building, 199–202, 207–11
nationalism, 111–12, 214
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), 15, 17, 21, 112–13, 115, 148, 149, 180, 205, 213, 228, 238, 239, 241
natural disasters, 15–16, 224, 238
new-isms, 220–26
1960s cultural and social revolution, 7
Nixon, Richard, 6, 22, 176
Normandy, Allied landing on, 23, 41, 76, 107, 146, 171, 179
North Korea: and alternatives to punitive war, 213; and American way of war, 147, 154; and constraints on military power, 213; and contradictions and paradoxes about war, 244; and decisive battles, 109–10, 113, 114, 121; and the future of battle, 113, 114; and military error, 165, 170, 173, 184; and nuclear power, 184, 237; and paradoxes of the present, 237; and roots of war, 37. See also Korean war
nuclear power: and American way of war, 154; and asymmetrical wars, 227; and constraints on military, 212–13; and contradictions and paradoxes about war, 243, 244; and decisive battles, 106, 113, 117, 121; and the future of battle, 113, 117; and military error, 165, 182, 184; and nation-building, 207, 208, 209; and neglect of military history, 6, 7; and paradoxes of the present, 237, 238; and present wars as reflective of origins of war, 241; and roots of war, 37; and spread of democracy, 197; and utility of military history, 17. See also specific nation
Obama, Barack, 149, 200, 201, 209, 218
Odom, William, 162
officers, military, 73, 79, 129, 193, 197, 199
oil, 120, 207, 229, 230, 231, 232, 240, 244
Okinawa, battle for, 13, 25, 71–82, 105, 111, 113, 115, 166–67, 175, 242, 246
Oren, Michael B., 28
Ottoman Empire, 94–101, 219, 241
Oxford University, Anabasis conference at, 67
pacifism, 7, 119, 220, 221–23, 225
Pakistan, 25, 113, 114, 121, 149, 165, 182, 208, 213, 218, 238, 244
Panama, 109, 115, 185, 192, 193, 197, 200, 214
Papadopoulos, Georgios, 197
Paret, Pater, 30
Patriot Act, 217
Patton, George S.: memoirs of, 27; and military culture, 190; and military errors, 162, 167, 175, 177, 178; and neglect of study of military history, 12; and public opinion, 23; resignation of, 162; and way of war in America, 141, 142, 146; and where to start studying about war, 27, 29
peace: and classical lessons about modern wars, 33, 34–35; and 1960s culture, 7; as “parenthesis” in human affairs, 33
peace studies, 9, 222
peacekeeping exercises, 189, 210
Pearl Harbor, 129, 165, 177
Pearson, Drew, 176
Peleliu, battle on, 71–82, 242
Peloponnesian War: and anti-classical view of war, 45; casualties in, 32; as “clash of civilizations,” 88; and classical lessons about modern wars, 32, 34, 36, 40–41, 45; decisive battles in, 110; and democracies, 196; impact upon Greeks of, 55, 87–88; Kagan’s views about, 87, 89, 90–93; Kupelian’s study of, 4–5; lack of interest in study of, 84; length of, 86; modern books about, 85; as paradox, 89; and present wars as reflective of origins of war, 242; ravaging of Athenian countryside during, 4–5; roots/causes of, 35–36, 40–41, 56; and technology, 127, 132–33, 134; Ten Thousand in, 64; Thucydides’ history of, 21, 27, 34, 36, 55–56, 57, 58, 63, 84, 85, 86–87, 88–90, 92, 93, 186, 196. See also specific person
Pelosi, Nancy, 17
Pericles: death of, 84, 89; funeral oration of, 57, 215–16; Kagan’s views about, 90, 92; and lack of knowledge about classical world, 5; and military errors, 186; and Peloponnesian War, 86, 88, 89, 90, 92; Plutarch’s description of, 28; and reasons for war, 234; and Thucydides’ account of Peloponnesian War, 58
Pershing, John J., 12, 141, 146, 148
Persian Wars, 4, 27, 34, 50–51, 63–70, 216. See also 300 (film)
Persians/Persian Empire, 34, 36, 41, 45, 46, 63–70, 87–88, 138. See also Persian Wars; specific person
Petraeus, David, 10, 24, 175–76, 178
Philip of Macedonia, 112, 134
Philippines, 13, 168, 192
Pinochet, Augusto, 197
piracy, 39
Pius V (pope), 97
Plato, 33, 35, 38, 55, 222
Plutarch, 28, 50, 52, 85, 92
Pol Pot, 15, 232
police actions, 109
political correctness, 225, 232
politics/politicians: and alternatives to punitive war, 213, 214; and antithetical cultures, 191; and civilian-military leadership, 190; and constraints on military, 212; and decisive battles, 111–12; and military errors, 162, 176; and racial and gender integration in military, 195; and spread of democracy, 197; war as continuation of, 28–29; and way of war in America, 147, 154; and where to start studying about war, 28–29
Polybius, 6, 33
Powell, Colin, 189
preparedness, military, 17, 43, 48, 217, 222, 246
Prescott, William H., 27, 31
“presentism,” 161
presidents, U.S., 232, 233. See also specific person
proportionality concept, 241
public: and alternatives to punitive war, 214; and asymmetrical wars, 230, 232; and freedom of expression, 219–20; and immunity from need for military innovation, 136; and interest in military history, 11–12; and Iraq War, 23–24, 230, 243; and military error, 179–82, 184; and nation-building, 210; postmodern characteristics of, 235; and present wars as reflective of origins of war, 241, 243; reaction to war by, 15, 22–24; and reasons for war, 234; and redefinition of war, 235; role in conduct of war of, 226; and security versus freedom, 219–20; and spread of democracy, 199; and war as “human thing,” 157; and war in the future, 246; and way of war in America, 147, 157; and Western advantages, 234, 235
Punic Wars, 112, 216, 238
punitive war, 212–15
Putin, Vladimir, 118
Pyle, Ernie, 176
quality of life, 229–30, 238
Range, Gabriel, 218
Reagan, Ronald, 57, 209
realism, 208, 233
Reid, Harry, 162
religion, 219, 241. See also Christianity; Islam/Muslims
Remarque, Erich Maria, 27
Renaissance, 47
“revolt of the generals,” 189–90
“revolution in military affairs” (RMA), 126–33
Ricks, Thomas, 198
Ridgway, Matthew, 14
robots, 152, 155
Romans: Civil War of, 110; and classical lessons about modern wars, 43, 45–46, 47; and decisive battles, 112; and democracy, 194; and end of Roman Republic, 191; establishment of “Roman peace” by, 112; fall of, 43; lack of modern understanding about wars of, 6; and pacifism, 222; and present as reflective of origins of war, 239–43; and reasons for war, 18; and technology, 136; wealth of, 225–26; and Western exceptionalism, 47. See also specific person, war or battle
Rommel, Erwin, 241
Roosevelt, Franklin D., 14, 76–77, 234
Roth, Philip, 45
Roy, James, 68–69
Rumsfeld, Donald, 127, 174, 189–90
Runciman, Steven, 27
Rushdie, Salman, 219
Russia: and classical lessons about modern wars, 85; and contradictions and paradoxes about war, 244; and future of battles, 119–20; invasion of Georgia by, 37, 224, 237; and Napoleonic Wars, 65; and return of battles, 121; and roots of war, 37; spending in, 144; and technology, 136; and Tsushima (1905), 130; and World War I, 14. See also Chechnyans; Grozny; Soviet Union
Rwanda, 15, 25, 33, 93, 109, 114, 211, 238
Ryan, Cornelius, 11
Said, Edward, 220, 222
Salamis, battle of, 22, 34, 46, 47, 88, 95, 107, 139, 246
Sanchez, Ricardo, 174
satellites, 116, 117, 119, 127, 133
Saudi Arabia, 163, 183
Saving Private Ryan (film), 11
Seabury, Paul, 30
security, 215–20, 226, 242–43, 245
September 11, 2001: and asymmetrical wars, 229; as Christian-Muslim clash, 95; and classical lessons about modern wars, 38, 42, 47–48, 85; and future of battles, 115; and nation-building, 208, 209; and paradoxes of the present, 237; and present wars as reflective of origins of war, 240; prevention of another, 234; and renewal of interest in Xenophon, 67; and roots of war, 18–19, 38, 42; and Sledge’s account of World War II, 81; and war in the future, 245; and Western exceptionalism, 47–48; Wright’s comments about, 219
Serbians, 15, 17, 93, 109, 112, 150, 191, 192, 193, 197, 205, 214, 228
“The Seville Statement on Violence” (Spain, 1986), 44
Sheehan, Cindy, 23, 204
Sherman, William Tecumseh: in Atlanta, 23, 171; memoirs of, 27; and military errors, 166, 171, 174–75, 176, 178; public lack of knowledge about, 17; and public sentiment, 23; and way of war in America, 141, 146; and where to start studying about war, 27, 29; and winning of Civil War, 21
Shiloh, battle of, 12, 87, 166, 174–75
Shirer, William L., 17–18
Sicily: Athenian invasion of, 15, 45, 57–58, 84, 85, 86, 92, 196; in World War II, 23, 175
Six-Day War (1967), 28, 109, 165, 227
slavery, 54, 55, 97, 183, 194
Sledge, Eugene Bondurant “E.B.,” 26, 71–82, 83
Snyder, Zack, 51, 53
social sciences, 44
Socrates, 41, 45, 86, 89
Solana, Javier, 231
Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr, 27
Somalia, 19, 39, 109, 114, 156, 185, 193, 204, 237
Somme, battle of the, 8, 17, 28, 44, 105–6, 108, 111, 115, 120, 169, 245
Somoza, Anastasio, 168, 197
Sophocles, 41, 45, 55, 86, 174
South Korea, 37, 113, 114, 147, 154, 165, 180, 185, 193, 210. See also Korean War
Soviet Union: in Afghanistan, 108, 167, 224; and antithetical cultures, 192; collapse of, 196, 197; demise of, 153; and democracy, 194; formation of, 112; and military errors, 165, 167, 168, 178; as nuclear power, 197; and paradoxes of the present, 238; and return of battles, 121; and roots of war, 37; and technology, 131; way of war in, 144; and World War II, 22, 165, 167; and Yom Kippur War, 117. See also Russia; Stalin, Joseph
Spain. See Lepanto, Battle of; Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War, 111, 165
Sparta, 15, 36, 40–41, 191. See also Peloponnesian War; Thermopylae, Battle of; 300 (film)
Stalin, Joseph, 15, 37, 119, 143, 167, 232
Stalingrad, siege of, 32, 111
Stanford University, 4, 56–57
State Department, U.S., 165
Submission (film), 218
Sudan, 130, 237
suicide bombers, 13, 42, 47, 77, 81, 125, 221, 224, 231, 244–45
Syracuse, Athenian attack on, 15, 89, 110, 113, 196
Syria, 17, 118, 183, 227, 229
Tacitus, 70, 225
Taiwan, 37, 110, 113, 120, 131, 238
Taliban: and alternatives to punitive war, 214; and classical lessons about modern wars, 46, 47; and military errors, 178, 180; and nation-building, 208, 209, 210; and renewal of interest in Xenophon, 67; and technology, 128; and utility of military history, 14; and war in the future, 245; and Western exceptionalism, 46, 47
Tarkanian, Jerry, 56
technology: and asymmetrical wars, 229; civilian leadership’s reliance on, 127; and cycles of military innovation, 123–26; and eternal challenges and responses, 132–36; and future of American warfare, 149–50, 151–52; and future of battles, 115–20; and globalization, 126–32; impact on wars of, 19–20; and military errors, 161, 162, 172, 179; and paradoxes of the present, 238; and popular culture interest in war, 12; and return of battles, 121; and “revolution in military affairs” (RMA), 126–32; and utility of military history, 15; and war as “human thing,” 154, 155, 156; and war in the future, 245; and way of war in America, 142, 143, 147, 151–52, 153–54; West as source of new, 134–35, 139; and Western advantages, 233, 235
television, 118, 119, 202, 204, 205, 206, 213, 214, 230, 233
Ten Thousand, 27, 63–70, 139
Tennyson, Alfred, Lord, 119
terrorism: and alternatives to punitive war, 213, 214, 215; and asymmetrical wars, 227, 228–29, 230, 231; and classical lessons about modern wars, 40, 48; and contradictions and paradoxes about war, 244; and future of American warfare, 150; and future of battles, 115, 117; and Israeli-Arab conflicts, 109; and military errors, 163, 168, 179; and nation-building, 209; and new-isms, 221, 225; and roots of war, 40; and security versus freedom, 217, 220; and spread of democracy, 207; and technology, 124, 131; and war as “human thing,” 155–56; and war in the future, 245–46; and Western advantages, 233,
terrorism
234; and Western exceptionalism, 48; where to start studying about, 28. See also specific person, organization, or attack
thalatta, thalatta (“The Sea, The Sea!”), 69
Thebes, 35–36, 52, 53, 92, 134, 195
Thermopylae, Battle of, 16, 41, 51–55. See also threezz300 (film)
Thespians, 52, 53
Thomas, George, 174
Thornton affair, 165
300 (film), 3–4, 11, 51–55
Thucydides: and Athens as democracy, 46; and classical foundation for studying past wars, 31; and classical lessons about modern wars, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 46; and enemies as different, 46; history of Peloponnesian War by, 21, 27, 34, 36, 55–56, 57, 58, 63, 84, 85, 86–87, 88–90, 92, 93, 186, 196; and “human thing” of war, 91, 155; influence on Sledge of, 73; Kagan’s study of, 90, 92; and Pericles funeral oration, 215–16; popularity of, 55–59; and reasons for neglect of military history, 6; resurgence of modern interest in, 66; as revisionist, 90; and roots of war, 35; and security versus freedom, 215–16; and utility of military history, 15; views about democracies of, 86; as warrior, 90; Xenophon compared with, 63, 70
torture, 41, 95
Trainor, Bernard, 198
Truman, Harry S., 7, 22, 29, 77, 174, 176, 177, 232
Tsushima, battle of (1905), 130
Tuchman, Barbara W., 29
Turks/Turkey, 94–101, 195, 207, 242
unintended consequences, 181
United Kingdom. See Great Britain
United Nations Commission on Human Rights, 119
United Nations (UN), 56, 147–48, 182, 205, 222, 223–24, 230–31, 232
United States: accomplishments of, 234; and American exception
alism, 78–79, 140; culture and character in, 137, 139–40, 141, 145, 147–48, 149, 150; debt of, 210–11; enemies’ views about, 42–43; envy of, 231; expectations about modern war in, 145–49; frontier experience of, 141, 145; future wars of, 149–54, 186–87, 205–6; guilt in, 225; idealism in, 29; image of, 38; and immunity from need for military innovation, 136; intellectual dynamism of, 135; isolationism in, 152–53; military power of, 238; redefinition of war by, 235; self-image of, 161–62; spending in, 144, 151; as stabilizing influence, 238; technological successes of, 135; way of war in, 137–57; wealth of, 225, 226. See also specific person or topic
universities; study of military history in, 3–14, 24–26, 161, 162
Ushijima, Mitsuru, 77
U.S.S. Cole, 115, 209
utopian pacifism, 220, 221–23, 225
utopianism, 22, 33, 186, 190. See also utopian pacifism
van Gogh, Theo, 218
Venier, Sebastiano, 97, 98
Verdun, battle of, 17, 44, 111, 116, 120, 121, 241
victory, 20–21, 183, 184, 186–87, 214, 228, 230, 241
Vietnam War: and asymmetrical wars, 230; casualties in, 175, 230; and classical lessons about modern wars, 86; and contradictions and paradoxes about war, 244; decisive battles in, 108; as “different,” 162; as first modern American defeat, 185; and lack of interest in military history, 6, 9, 83; legacy of, 184–85; and military errors, 165, 172, 175, 184–85, 187; and military liberalism, 192, 193; and roots of war, 36, 37; and technology, 124; and way of war in America, 147, 148; and what military history teaches, 3; where to start studying about the, 28, 29
volunteer army, 127–28
Walker, Edwin, 189
Wallace, Lew, 166
war: alternatives to punitive, 212–15; anomalies of, 21–22; anti–classical views of, 43–45; asymmetrical, 213, 215, 227–32, 238; brutality of, 72–82; as choice, 15–16; classical lessons about modern, 31–49; as evil, 33, 34, 44, 45; future, 151–52, 244–45; good and bad, 33, 34, 35, 48–49; as “human thing,” 91, 133, 154–57; inevitability of, 88–89, 90; insanity of, 82; irrationality of, 91; just, 34, 41, 43; laws of, 133; losing of, 29, 35; as necessity, 235; as omnipresent, 48; paradoxes of, 155–56, 164, 243–46; present as reflective of origins of, 239–43; as primitive nasty business, 235; reasons/causes of, 7–8, 18–19, 35–43, 56, 89, 91–92, 120; redeeming factors of, 81; redefinition of, 235; rules of, 33, 155; as senseless, 72–82, 89–90; as tragedy, 32, 33, 43; triggers for, 165; unfair, 34; as unnatural, 44, 119; varieties of, 25–26; where to start the study of, 26–30; winning of, 20–24; without battles, 108–11. See also specific war
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