Officers or Ambassadors?

After over seven year of war in the region, sixty-three percent of Americans cannot locate Iraq on a map [1]. This is just one of many symptoms indicative of the collective ignorance of the American population towards the complex dynamic of the Middle East. While the situation in the Middle East is undoubtedly a complicated one, the high degree of geographic and cultural illiteracy stereotypical of Americans is resultant of a lack of willingness to understand, not of an inability to do so. As future naval officers, we are not afforded this luxury of ignorance and can hold no indifference towards matters of foreign relations.

A few weeks ago, my U.S. government class had Ambassador Cameron Munter come speak to us about his role as a diplomat. Serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan during the Osama Bin Laden raid, he had a wealth of information to share about US-Middle Eastern relations and the role military officers play in facilitating that relationship. In particular, he highlighted the current transition from the use traditionally trained ambassadors to fulfill diplomatic duties towards the use of U.S. military leaders abroad to assume these roles. In training to become naval officers, he emphasized, we also must train to become diplomats.

Almost any midshipman would agree that the Naval Academy is a STEM oriented school. Often humanities and social studies electives seen as obstacles in the way filling in a predetermined matrix. However, Ambassador Munter challenges this outlook through his assertion that the role played by naval officers as diplomats is one of the most critical tasks to be accomplished. More often than not, opportunities for diplomacy are presented in unplanned situations. In order to conduct effective negotiations and conversations with foreign nationals, a broad base of cultural knowledge is required. In studying history we are given the opportunity to examine the present through the lens of the past, enabling an increased understanding of tensions between ethnic and religious groups.

Underlying tensions and a complicated past are characteristic of the Middle East. Our current studies of the interactions between the Middle East and the West through the crusades enables us to better understand these tensions, particularly those religiously based. The Shia/Sunni split originated as early as the year 632, yet “define[s] not only the pattern of local politics, but also the relationship between the Islamic world and the West,” causing very real implications for the US military today [2].

Compounded with the friction between sects of Islam is the multi-religion claim to Jerusalem from Jews, Muslims, and Christians. In 1 Kings 11:32, the Bible reads that God claims Jerusalem as “the city which I have chosen,” and Jerusalem serves as the site central to the life of Jesus. In Judaism, Jerusalem is so important it is given over seventy different names, such as “City of Righteousness” and “Doorway to the World’s Peoples.” Yet Islam, the most populous faith in the Middle East, claims the city central to their religion as well, with a site of particular significance being the Dome of Rock, where it is believed the Day of Judgement will occur [3]. With competing claims to one land, tension inevitably arises.

Today, Jerusalem and the surrounding regions are entangled in a conflict which the US is inextricably tied to. The Middle East is a region of strategic interest to the United States, not only economically in terms of oil supply and trade routes, but also ideologically as an international stage for the fight for democracy and the protection of human rights. While we may be inclined to opt for an overly-generalized understanding of the situation, or no understanding at all, diving into the nuances of the historical context of the current conflict prepares us to tackle the role of ambassador that we are bound to play as future naval officers.

History is critical to ensuring domestic security and secure US influence in regions of extreme geopolitical significance. Through intimate knowledge of the culture and context—and more importantly a willingness to learn—we can be best prepared to create and communicate solutions as ambassadors. The solutions we seek are in response to complex issues rooted in history, but finding a bipartisan solution to a global conflict with such staggering repercussions for the United States is critical to our success as a nation.

Word Count: 598

Sources:
[1] CBS News. Vries, Lloyd. “Where’s Iraq?” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wheres-iraq-young-adults-dont-know/.

[2] National Public Radio (npr). “The Origins Of The Shiite-Sunni Split,” https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2007/02/12/7332087/the-origins-of-the-shiite-sunni-split.

[3] The Yale Review of International Studies. Krinsky, Sarah. “Jerusalem: Political Significance of a Holy Site,” http://yris.yira.org/essays/350.

–J. M. Lotterer

America and Athens?

While weapons and man may change, the conflicts remain the same: two sides fighting over land, power, religion, or conflicting ideals. Blood is always shed, and rarely is either side happy with their lot in the aftermath. Such is the proud nature of man. Even today, parallels exist between ours and the ancient worlds. History repeats itself, and nowhere today is that more obvious than the United States and ancient Athens, two extremely powerful nations that had and have true hegemony over the civilized world of man.

Both Athens and the US boast powerful republics, with Athens standing as the first true democracy of man and the US designing a government based heavily on the Athenian ideals. These systems serve well to maintain peace among the people and aid in decision making to further the interests of the nation. Neither system is perfect, even with the 1,500 year boost that the Framers of the United States Constitution had. They have “strong tradition[s] of being a maritime power[s],” and have extreme global impact on every other society within their reach, creating conflict that is very similar for both nations.[1] The United States is the “international police power” of the western world, maintaining a constant presence on land, air, sea, and the cyber domain at all hours of the day.[2] The Athenian equivalent to this was the Delian League, their so-called alliance that they created with many other nations in the Aegean Sea. While it is true that the Athenians maintained a much more tyrannical rule of their League compared to the humanitarian and quiet presence of the American global presence, they both played the same role as the world power and they maintained conflict due to this position for many decades.

The true struggle that came from the Delian league was the Peloponnesian War, a long struggle between Athens and Sparta. “The growth if the power of Athens, and the alarm which this inspired” in Sparta was the catalyst for the war.[3] This can also be seen from Russia and China as a response to America’s power, with them trying to undermine and come out on top of the US. While it must be stated that, in the case of this conflict and the way in which Athens governed its territory, America and Athens are on opposite sides of this situation. America could be seen as more similar to Sparta, attempting to stop the inane rule of an all-powerful city-state that is holding the rest of the world hostage.

Athens played a very selfish role as a power, something that fits more rightly with the time. Aspects such as equality and empathy were few and far between in the past, but now are commonplace. It is blatantly apparent that Athens and America play very similar roles in the world that they are in, but the decisions that Athens made put them down a more negative and self-important path. America is a much more righteous nation, using their influence for good rather than bad. Their decisions may differ, but Athens and America had very similar encounters due to who they were and the role that they played.

Cyrus Malek-Madani

Word Count: 550

[1] “America Is Athens and That Should Scare You.” American Greatness. February 28, 2018. Accessed April 08, 2019. https://amgreatness.com/2018/02/28/america-athens-scare/.

[2] Roosevelt Corollary.

[3] History of the Peloponnesian War, Book I, 1.23

Athens and Sparta: the ancient Navy and Marine Corps

Officers in military careers serve as leaders of the nation. They stand for all the right things. They accept responsibility and take the blame when things go wrong. As an officer in the Navy though, we owe our specific skillsets to developing our country through the sea. Our history remains important to us as it carries on our traditions from the beginning of the nation to now. The Ancient Greek civilization proves significantly useful to be knowledgeable about as the Athenians held a maritime-based way of life.

The Athenians relied on the sea for their power. As a Navy, so do we. The Athenians built their own empire through the sea by using their ships to conquer other nations. By building a great Navy, they allowed their expansion and influence to reach all over the Mediterranean. They used triremes to wage wars on other nations. Even though Athens was by no means the largest city-state, it became one of the richest.

Not saying that the Navy should dominate and lord over other countries, but the Navy could learn from Athenian history on how to maximize their efficiency and influence around the world. The Athenians thought things through. “For this the allies had themselves to blame; the wish to get off service making most of them arrange to pay their share of the expense in money instead of in ships, and so to avoid having to leave their homes. Thus while Athens was increasing her navy with the funds which they contributed, a revolt always found them without resources or experience for war.” (Thucydides 1.99). They spent their money wisely and focused on building up their nation.

Ancient Greece also served as a good example for officers with the Spartans. Sparta, a warrior city-state, specialized in land attacks and built their empire up in that manner. Sparta provides a good example for the Marines to follow. The Marines possess a warrior culture focused on brotherly bonds. A similar mindset to that of the Spartans. Every person of different ranks eats, sleeps, works, and fights together. The Spartans earned their fame for being the toughest soldiers around. At the Battle of Thermopylae, three hundred Spartan soldiers stood together and held off the entire Persian army. They eventually perished, but not before taking a large portion of the Persian army with them. The Spartans inspired the rest of Greece to fight against the Persians too.

Ancient Greece serves as a great example for officers of the military to study because it embodies so much. The contrasting styles of the Athenians and the Spartans allow for multiple solutions to the same problems. Not only this, but their more notable strategies can be applied to the Navy and Marine Corps today. Both Athens and Sparta held the most powerful navies and armies of the ancient world. Because of this, officers should study their history before entering the fleet.

-Moira Camacho

Word Count: 416

Thucydides 1.99

Relevance of the Course: Introduction to the Historical Background and Context of Jus Ad Bellum

The United States Navy is a globally operational, maritime force. Its Sailors and Marine defend and support the United States Constitution across the world, inducing the inevitable interaction between American citizens and those of an entirely different world view. By harnessing a basic knowledge of the histories of these ancient civilizations, students and officers are better equipped to support a foundation upon which cultural appreciation, acknowledgement, and respect can be built. Such cultural competency is necessary to effectively operate in foreign environments, so as to successfully accomplish the mission and protect all those within the militant environment (“Building Language”). In many instances, a lack of historical and cultural understanding builds a barrier between both opposing and allied forces. Such a barrier can become dangerous and prove detrimental to mission success. The United States House of Representatives’ Committee on Armed Services (Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations) report, Building Language Skills and Cultural Competencies in the Military: DOD’s Challenge in Today’s Educational Environment, published in November 2008, cites multiple instances this in which this barrier negatively impacts the operation.

One apparent piece of historical knowledge which will be abundantly relevant to our service of officers is our discussion on St. Augustine’s City of God, which has been the basis our of Just War Theory, Jus Ad Bellum. St. Augustine was the “founder of Christian thinking about what constitutes a just war” (Course Packet 144). This philosophy is applied to modern war justification. Its significance and relevance to our military system has been discussed in other courses here at the United States Naval Academy, notably in Ethics and Moral Reasoning for the Naval Leader. The introduction of the historical background of this philosophical work makes this course unique. It is necessary to understand completely our nation’s criteria for the justification of declaring and fighting wars; however, it is also meaningful to be aware of and comprehend the historical background of such philosophical thinking that is rudimentary to our current philosophy. Understanding the foundation upon which the philosophical ideals were established and the historical and cultural context in which they were written deserve our awareness and recognition. By reflecting on the fruition of such statutes, we may be better enabled to fulfill such ideals during our own time of service.

-Meagan Stevenson

Word Count:

Sources:

United States, Congress, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations . “BUILDING LANGUAGE SKILLS AND CULTURAL COMPETENCIES IN THE MILITARY: DOD’s Challenge in Today’s Educational Environment .” BUILDING LANGUAGE SKILLS AND CULTURAL COMPETENCIES IN THE MILITARY: DOD’s Challenge in Today’s Educational Environment , 2008. https://armedservices.house.gov/_cache/files/3/7/3737c7c1-efeb-4672-bc99-74b340faf0ba/540DE3C82A9F532C584E402C683E8439.language-and-culture-report-11-08-vf.pdf

Appendix C of the Course Packet, St. Augustine, Selections from City of God and other writings

The Past, Today

Study of the past is the most effective, important, practical way to better mold the future. In the foundation of America, our forefathers laid the bedrock of our values and way of life based on the knowledge of successes and mistakes of the past. Civilizations such as the ancient Athenians assisted the construction of the democratic values America holds today; the Athenians have simply been a part of the ushering in of democracy to the much of the world, our own country included. However, having an even greater impact than the Athenians on the American government and way of life was the Romans.

The Romans created the first large-scale representative democracy, and even though their success was limited, their failures influenced the founders’ decisions in their conception of our American government as it is today. As military officers, knowledge of the “why” behind the values held by Americans and how they came to be is essential to comprehending the oath we swear to the Constitution and fulfilling it.

The Ancient Romans, following in the footsteps of the Greeks and adopting much of their traditions and culture, instituted a form of democracy that sought to remedy the main issues that Athens’ direct democracy failed to address: namely stability and the overwhelming mob-rule. In order to achieve this, the Romans created a republic in which (most) citizens could participate and choose representatives to accomplish their demands. In fact, many of the founding fathers praised the Roman Republic and those who defended; take, for example, James Madison on Cicero (Cicero was a staunch defender of the Roman Republic in the face of the dictatorship of Julius Caesar): “Among the ancients there are two illustrious examples of the epistolary style, Cicero and Pliny, whose letters present you with models of fine writing, which have borne the criticism of almost two thousand years.”¹

Taken from a 10,000-foot view, the Roman legislative “branch” of government is relatively akin to our own, considering the millennia separating our nations. However, no nation is perfect, and Rome still failed to achieve stability in times of emergency. Tyrants and emperors readily filled the void created when centralized power was necessary, and the Roman Republic gradually lost its potency.

By considering the past and learning from its mistakes, our founding fathers were able to create one of the, if not the, most successful nations ever to dwell on this earth. As officers, warfighting will not be our only medium of the profession: diplomacy and bureaucracy almost inevitably will force themselves into our lives at some point and without a comprehension of history and past civilizations’ — especially the Romans’ — failures, our success in fulfilling the mission we swore an oath to is jeopardized. The institution of our mission, our nation, stands upon the bedrock of an understanding of the past: be it the Romans, the Greeks, or any person we can learn from; our nation and humanity’s progress will forever be inextricably linked to those in our history.

— Gregory Mathias

Word Count: 465

¹Adams, John. The Letters of John and Abigail Adams No. 117. 1776

Let’s Learn from Pericles

As future naval officers, I believe that we can learn a few valuable lessons based on the actions of Pericles. One of Pericles’ greatest failures was sending his military to war when his nation simply could not support a war effort. Athens was still suffering from a deadly plague when Pericles decided to sail out against the Spartans and face them on their conquest. Thucydides tells us that “while the Peloponnesians were in Attica and the Athenians campaigning the sea, the plague went on killing Athenians, both in the army and the city. A result of this, we are told, is that the Peloponnesians left the country sooner out of fear of the plague, when they learned it was in the city from deserters and by seeing funerals. Still, this invasion was the longest they ever made in Attica- almost forty days- and they wasted all of the land”.[1] In Pericles’ eagerness, he left his city defenseless and at a very vulnerable time all for the sake of pride and glory.

There is a possibility that some of us could one day hold enough power that we are required to help make the decision to send the United States to war. If we are one day in that position, this story of Pericles should immediately come to mind. When deciding on sending our nation to war, we must always first consider if the nation is in a state where it could support a war. In the past, the success of the United States military in war has been possible because of the incredible war effort that happens on the home front. Without a stable home front and a nation that supports the military, success is much harder to come by.

Not all of us will one day be an admiral or general or in the position to send a nation to war, but we will all one day be responsible for a division or platoon of Sailors or Marines. We can easily take the lesson learned from Pericles and scale it down to this level. When we are responsible for taking a small group into battle, the same theme of making sure the home front is stable still applies. Our subordinates will have families and issues to take care of, and it is our responsibility as officers to help them. When a Sailor or Marine goes into battle stressing about their affairs on the home front, they will be less effective and could put the mission at stake. As officers, we have the authority to keep those Sailors or Marines out of the fight until they settle their issues. We must do everything in our power to help our subordinates settle their issues, or we have to make the decision to sideline them until issues are resolved. Failure to make that decision at the right time could result in failure like it did for Pericles.

Andrew Mitchell

Word Count: 490

[1] Thucydides- Military operations of 430

Understanding Chinese Culture

China has emerged as a strong force on the world stage and poses one of the largest threats to U.S. interests around the world. The conflict between the United States and China has so far remained in the economic and cyber realms, however, we must be prepared for the future. This includes understanding Chinese culture, its roots, and their society. Without this understanding, we are unprepared as naval officers and as a nation to handle the threat China poses to national and global security.

Over the past few decades, China has invested in the large-scale modernization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). While China is currently a regional military power, their goal is to become a world military superpower capable of competing with the United States. Wendell Minnick in an article detailing China’s growing military power referenced comments by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2017 how, “there were three developmental benchmarks for the PLA: becoming a mechanized force with increased informatized and strategic capabilities by 2020, a fully modernized force by 2035, and a worldwide first-class military be mid-century” (Minnick). China has a very competitive society that is strongly linked to meritocracy and other Confucian ideals. While China is currently controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, it is safe to assume those in power within the party are there because of their merit and are capable leaders. These leaders are currently making a strong push to challenge the U.S. on the world stage, and while they are still behind militarily, they will continue this push and catch us unless we continue to innovate and evolve as a military. We must prepare and strategize for China while also maintaining our other commitments around the world.

As naval officers we must also be aware of the geography, culture, and politics of China. We need to gain a better understanding of the way China does business. If we do not understand the dynamics of the theatre we may be operating in then we will not be nearly as effective. This includes understanding the Confucian values China has relied upon for centuries and also examining the hierarchical structure of their society. This can be done by examining the five relationships expressed by Confucianism. The structure of their society is very top to bottom and this can be seen in the ordering of the five relationships with ruler-subject being at the top and and friend-friend being at the bottom. This means the Chinese people will be greatly influenced by dynamic of these relationship and we must examine how this will affect how we operate in any conflict with China. Understanding the enemy based on their culture and how they behave will allow us to be much more efficient and effective.

As future naval officers we must understand how Chinese culture influences their decision making around the world. We must take the geography and political atmosphere of the region into consideration as well to understand their way of doing things. Understanding their values and societal structure is important to ensure nothing is overlooked and we are as prepared as we can possibly be for whatever the future may hold. While I believe armed conflict with China is unlikely, we are currently engaged in economic, cyber, and political conflict and we must continue to gain a better understanding of Chinese culture to gain an upper hand in these conflicts and prepare ourselves for the future.

-Ethan Fessler

Word Count: 536

Works Cited:

FocusEconomics. “China Economy – GDP, Inflation, CPI and Interest Rate.” FocusEconomics | Economic Forecasts from the World’s Leading Economists, Focus Economics, http://www.focus-economics.com/countries/china.

Lockie, Alex. “How the World’s Largest Military Stacks up to the US Armed Forces.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 5 Aug. 2016, www.businessinsider.com/chinese-us-military-comparison-2016-8#chinas-ground-forces-9.

Minnick, Wendell. “How China’s Military Is Becoming More Dangerous By the Day.” The National Interest, The Center for the National Interest, 10 Apr. 2019, nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/how-chinas-military-becoming-more-dangerous-day-51847.

Commanding Respect

History teaches valuable lessons to anyone, but to those in the unpredictable military environment, it is especially important to be aware of mistakes made by leaders of the past. It is difficult to predict when and how challenges will arise in the military. Thus, it is important for officers to learn from history, adding to their existing experience the knowledge of those who have already lived through some of those challenges. The experiences of Alexander the Great and the Macedonian Empire are especially useful for officers in the fleet, highlighting the importance of being a positive role model and respecting subordinates.

One of the most applicable lessons for an officer from the era of Macedonian expansion is the importance of setting a proper example for subordinates. In Babylon, Alexander wanted his men to have a break, so he turned them loose in the city. Roman historian Curtius Rufus records, “Alexander’s stop in Babylon was longer than anywhere else, and here he undermined military discipline more than in any other place. The moral corruption there is unparalleled; its ability to stimulate and arouse unbridled passions is incomparable,” (5.136). When Alexander allowed himself and his men to “relax” in Babylon, he let the standards of military discipline and morality slip, permitting his men to run rampant, raping and pillaging throughout Babylon.

Witnessing Alexander’s immoral lifestyle outside the military, Alexander’s men lost all sense of self-control. This is a valuable lesson for future officers in the fleet. Once an officer steps into his role, he becomes a symbol of what is right and wrong, what the standard is going to be. If the officer cannot uphold that standard, he cannot expect his subordinates to either, resulting in terrible consequences.

Another valuable lesson gleaned from Alexander is respect for subordinates. Alexander repeatedly put his own goals and ambitions before the well-being of his men. It was his desire to develop a popular image with the nations he conquered, appealing to their traditions rather than to his own men, that caused his troops to refuse to follow him into battle. Even after this fact, however, Alexander continued to mistreat them. On his return march to Macedonia, Alexander marched his men through the Godrosian Desert, a deadly and hostile route that resulted in the death of many of his men. The Greek historian Arrian writes, “Alexander did not choose that route because he was unaware of the difficulties it would involve (Nearchus is our one authority for this); he chose it because, apart from [the legendary queen] Semiramis on her retreat from India, no man, to his knowledge, had ever before succeeded in bringing an army safely through… Alexander heard these old stories; they inspired him to go one better than Cyrus and Semiramis,” (6.24). Alexander was so caught up in his own legacy, he completely disregarded the safety of his men, and the march was so costly it came to be known as a death march.

Alexander’s mistake was his valuing of his own personal agenda over that of his men, who had been campaigning on his behalf without rest for years. If a follower does not feel that his leader respects or cares for him, he has no reason to respect or care for his leader. The leader’s personal desires cannot come before the needs of his men, or else the mutual respect that makes up the relationship of command falls apart.

Alexander may have been a military genius, but his mistakes are glaring reminders for the modern military of what it means to be an officer. An officer is primarily an example to his subordinates. Alexander was not a good example to his men, lacking the moral courage to be the representation of how a soldier should act, as well as lacking respect for the desires and needs of his troops. Alexander put himself and his legacy above his men and expected them to follow him anyway. Ultimately, it brought about the end of his campaign of expansion, as his men lost respect for him and the will to follow him. Alexander’s history is a reminder to the modern officer to serve others, not to expect service, in order to develop a successful command built on mutual respect.

-Nate Forrest

Words: 598

Arrian 6.24

Rufus 5.136

The Art of War Used Today

I believe that the most relevant civilization we have studied compared to our military today is Ancient China, more specifically, Sun Tsu’s teachings. A lot of his teachings are taught in our military today. We employ the same tactics and promote the same mindset when it comes to succeeding in a war. It is important to accumulate teachings and mistakes of the past and use them to further improve our own military today. Sun Tsu’s teachings is useful for me to learn and practice as a future officer.

As future officers we will be employing tactics regardless of our service selections. It is important to understand the fundamentals of war, which is outlined by Sun Tsu’s The Art of War. Sun Tsu shares five essentials for victory to include “know when to fight and when to fight; have officers and men who share a single will”[1] (18). It is important for a command and especially a wardroom to be on the same page and share the same interests when it comes to military activity. A wardroom that is not on the same page can be very dysfunctional and would negatively impact the entire command. This would bring down efficiency and overall decrease the morale. One thing I can do to uphold this standard on my part is to understand the Commanding Officer’s intent and really push that mission in regards to upholding it and also promoting it to get my subordinates to have the same goals as myself and the Commanding Officer.

I believe that the most important aspect in being a successful officer is to be able to remain composed and make smart decisions during difficult and stressful times. Sun Tsu states that a warrior shall, “confront chaos with discipline; he treats tumult with calm” (45). If one is intelligent but is unable to perform under pressure, they are useless because they cannot fulfill a mission. When I was on deployment on the Los Angeles Class Submarine, USS Charlotte, I witnessed many officers standing Officer of the Deck. It was clear which officers were actually fit to stand that watch station while on mission. On mission, every action taken is at very high stakes and requires very quick and intelligent decisions. Many officers had to be assisted by the Commanding Officer because of the stress level. Situations like this differentiate the good officers from the officers that cannot be trusted in demanding situations.

We develop our military and trainings based on lessons learned from the past. We study mistakes made in previous wars and tailor our trainings to ensure we do not make the same mistakes. We also learn from other civilizations’ military tactics to include Ancient China’s teachings of Sun Tsu. His teachings are widely used in today’s military in ensuring that we are tactical in war and have the right mindset to make intelligent decisions in order to succeed in battle.

-Kevin Semma

Word Count: 456

[1] Minford, John. Sun-tzu, The Art of War. London: Penguin, 2009

Why We Fight

In the American military, officers and enlisted swear nearly identical oaths. Both swear to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic” [1], however, while enlisted swear to obey the orders of those appointed over them, officers do not. Commissioned officers swear to “well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office” [2]. This means they swear allegiance solely to the Constitution, solely to the principle of American government and its people at large. To the officer, not the enlisted, falls the duty of upholding the founding principles of this nation.

Of the Athenian government, Pericles told his subjects they “have a form of government that does not try to imitate the laws of [their] neighboring states” [3]. So, too, is the American democracy. It is what some may consider to be the most audacious democratic experiment known to man, a government cobbled together from a hodgepodge of Enlightenment ideals, ancient traditions, and innovations of the time. In fact, not only does the United States not imitate the laws of her neighbors, but her neighbors imitate the laws of her. What does this all mean? It means that America really is what John Winthrop intoned long before the Constitution was imagined: “a citty [sic] upon a hill,” [4] of which “the eies [sic] of all people are upon” [4].

The words of Pericles also explain the enduring presence of America in the world. While it seems so entrenched now, there was a time when the fledgling democracy could have been erased from the earth. We must remember our existence has been “purchased by valiant men who knew their duty and kept their honor in battle” [3]. This experiment in democracy will not preserve itself. It is buttressed by the sacrifice of millions who came before.

The Funeral Oration was designed to recognize those already lost in the Peloponnesian War, and to rekindle the spirit of patriotism in the face of imminent battle with the enemy. In today’s world, is not every moment just that for the United States? Are there not those so diametrically opposed to the ideals we hold they call for “death to America?” As officers in the United States military, we must remind ourselves every day of the stakes at hand. Athens lost the Peloponnesian War. Never after that did it reach the same height of power. Should the United States fall under the resurgent power of Russia or China, our fate would not likely be much different.

According to Pericles, those who die win “praise…that will never grow old” [3] and will be “remembered forever, whenever the time comes for speech or action” [3]. Indeed, in these phrases, the words of Horace—chosen as the class motto for 2022—are brought to mind: non omnis moriar, not all of me shall die. Such is the legacy America’s fallen. Part of them becomes the foundation on which the entire country is built. Thus, to fight for our country is to fight for those who live now, those who lived once, and those who will live tomorrow. “Happiness lies in liberty” [3], and where better to find liberty than in America? Now, no single officer bears the entire burden of a country, yet the actions of just one can have lasting import. May the lessons of Athens guide America to a better fate and a better world.

Tom Vilinskis

Word Count: 467

Sources:

[1] Oath of Enlistment

https://www.army.mil/values/oath.html

[2] Oath of Commissioned Officers

https://www.army.mil/values/officers.html

[3] Thucydides, The Funeral Oration of Pericles

[4] Winthrop, John. “City Upon a Hill”

Click to access Winthrop’s%20City%20upon%20a%20Hill.pdf

[5] Horace, Ode 3.30

http://www.kniskern.com/robin/classics/horace/o3.30.html