America Is Not The New Rome

by abelincoln64

Many have made the comparison between modern day American and ancient Rome. The comparison seems apt as both dominated their respective time periods whether it be in military might or technological advancement. However, America is no Rome and Rome is no America. Yes America has set up bases in many countries around the world but we do not control these countries and they can tell us to leave at any time. Rome does not acknowledge the will of other countries. You either abide by their rules willingly or you are forced to comply. If America was indeed the new Rome countries would have no choice but to let us in because we are in fact the most dominant. Vaclav Smil, the reputable author of “Why America Is Not A New Rome” says, ” America has never been an empire, it has never pursued an overtly imperial policy, and even its global hegemony is of a very peculiar kind, much less effective and much more fragile than commonly thought”. America is not an empire and just as Smil states, we have never expressed such views of an empire. I believe that such freedoms exist today for many American citizens and others around the world would not be the same if America actually acted as an empire does. Smil continues to say that America following the Second World War “did not behave like an imperial power: It did not annex any foreign territories or impose any direct permanent military rule in the defeated countries”. America is not the new Rome and to say this would be very narrow-sighted.

Herodotus in today’s conflicts

by abelincoln64

In Herodotus’ noteworthy and extensive work, The Histories, he details the conflict between the Persians in the East and the Greeks in the West. Although written hundreds of years ago, The conflict between the East and the West depicted in the Histories is not different from today’s conflicts. Persia, similarly to the United States, sought the creation of an everlasting empire. The U.S. has set military bases all over the world just as Persia tries to expand into Greece. Herodotus also explains that the creation of an empire is always  met with many challenges. The United States has been fighting a war on terror for years now, because people like Osama Bin Laden believed that the U.S. was intruding on their sacred land. Herodotus would explain the value of studying his work is that the U.S. could have possibly prevented what has happened during the war on terror by not trying to expand.

Herodotus explains the history of his time period in a by partisan way, hoping that he can provide only the information and allow his audience to create their own conclusions. It is important to study the trends in Geopolitics because human nature is not changing. Power is constant and Persia and the United States both sought it. What’s relevant today in our world will undoubtedly be similar to the future whether it be World War III or something else. As a researcher, Herodotus displays the most important value of  withholding opinions because of the sway he inevitably would have on readers.

Our Shame Is Our Greatest Motivator

by abelincoln64

In Tim O’Brien’s awarding winning short story, The Rainy River, Tim is faced with one of the most difficult decisions in his life, when he receives his draft notice. Will he enlist in the military and sacrifice years of his life to the war in Vietnam or will he flee America and head for the Canadian border. The thought of death strikes fear in O’Brien and he decides to head for the border. He considers his possible death and decides that it is best to flee. Similar to The Illiad’s Hector, who tries to reason with the Demi-God and far superior warrior that is Achilles. So what causes both men to abandon their fear and head towards battle? Shame. The shame that would fall upon them, their families, and their reputation.”It was easy to imagine people sitting a table down… the conversation slowly zeroing in on the young O’Brien kid, how the damned sissy had taken off for Canada”(184).  Not just society’s shame, however, but more importantly the shame that O’Brien would feel for himself. Similarly, Hector realizes that he must fight Achilles because he does not just represent himself but he represents the Trojan people just as O’Brien realizes that he is fighting for America, not just himself. He would not be able to live with his decision had he chosen to cross over into Canada, so he complies with the draft order and enlists in the military. These two men reveal the universal truth within human society and that is the role of shame never changes. Hector and O’Brien are faced with death but they decide to go to war because of the shame that would be cast upon themselves and the ones close to them.

The Terrors of War

by abelincoln64

War is an extremely gruesome and brutal part of society. In each of the works we have read, it is apparent that battles are fought with intensity and rage. In the Illiad, Achilles fights with power driven by vengeance for his lost comrade. It is similar to the American soldiers on D-Day who watch their friends die to rounds of machine gun bullets. When presented with an opportunity for mercy, neither Achilles of the soldiers take it because they believe that death is the only way out for the enemy. There is little to no organization in war as depicted by the chaos in all three narratives. Everyone goes in with a plan for battle but when you are confronted by looming death, it becomes a fight for survival. As seen in within Achilles and the soldiers in “Storm of Steel”, it is natural for a berserk state to take over individuals. It clouds their judgment and forces them into a fiery rage, hell bent on killing everything in their path. “Tunnel Vision” is an excellent phrase to describe this because the soldiers are no longer concerned with their surroundings, it is only what lies directly in front of them that they see. Another aspect that is similar between the texts is religion. In the Illiad, Gods are directly interacting with individuals but in “Saving Private Ryan”, religion provides the hope for soldiers who so badly want to make it out alive. Ultimately, the scenes that occur during war are the worst parts of reality and it can cause the most calm of people to become insane.

Condemnation of Poor Leaders

by abelincoln64

“Your honor as we win [it] for Menalaus and for you, dog-face, From the Trojans: all this you neither heed nor regard at all: And now you yourself threaten you will take away from me my prize”(159-161). Achilles shares the same disdain for lofty leadership as Siegfried Sassoon. However, Sassoon would go as far as to protest the whole institution of war itself, however. Both men hate how their leaders can sit back and relax while they are forced to fight on the frontline. In Paths Of Glory, General Mireau perfectly exemplifies this style of leadership by commanding Colonel Dax to force his men across no man’s land in an attempt to reach the prized “ant hill” objective. Dax, however, could not protest as Sassoon and Achilles did. Achilles is able to openly protest his leader, Agamemnon, because he is the best warrior and could not be bested by the other men. Sassoon had to protest through written word and even then he was admitted to a mental hospital or else he might face death for writing such treasonous words. Unlike the previous two men, Dax is still serving in the military and such insubordination would be punished severely. Dax can only hope to protect the lives of his men by serving as council for them in court. Each of these honorable men disagreed with the way in which leaders directed their men but the way in which they protested it had to be different because of their individual situations. It is important to have men like these, who are willing to disagree with their superiors to protect others.