Since the colonial times, the United States has relied on a number of external sources to create important founding documents, as demonstrated by the Magna Carta and the American Constitution, and the British governmental system and our own bicameral legislature. This use of outside sources does not stop with just the structure and principles of our government, but also includes the structure and ethos of our military. There have been a number of civilizations with military and leaders that inspire humans today, such as Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan, but none of this civilizations were as pivotal in American military as the Spartans.

In Spartan society, dedication to service and the mission was the center of each citizens identity and time with boys being pulled from their families for training and females playing a supporting military role from a very young age. This in addition to the commitment demonstrated by relational sacrifices and their commitment to education. This is also seen in today’s officer’s force with the most educated Navy in history with increasing opportunities for masters degrees for enlisted and officer service members alike.

Spartan society was centered around a lifelong dedication to military service, allowing them to dominate their enemies on the battlefield. The culture of the Spartans can be summarized by the statement mothers would say to their sons as they we departing for war “with your shield or on it” (Plutarch). Shields in Spartan society were the key to their success only if every man utilized his shield as it was intended to be used. Without each man using his shield to protect himself and the man next to him in the sarissae, their likelihood of success in battle would plummet. This profound sense of selflessness that is found in the Spartan civilization has a key role in the officer force today. Selflessness is taught in leadership classes at the Academy as not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less and putting the needs of others ahead of your own. Spartan warrior ethos are very applicable to modern officership, as demonstrated by their indoctrination in officer training schools including plebe summer.

By studying the prowess that the Spartans demonstrated on the battlefield and within their own culture by creating warriors, we learn from their triumphs and trials in order to best most successful. The Spartans are the extreme demonstration of the leaders that Academy graduates strive to be, committed to their mission and one another.

-Mack Pearson

Word Count: 412

As a future officer in the Navy or Marine Corps, it is important to be objective in your decision making. Alexander the Great is thought to be one of the greatest tacticians and generals of his time, but even he had faults. I believe that it is important to study history because analyzing how great leaders like Alexander the Great rose and fell from power is essential to becoming a great leader. History has proven time and time again that some aspects like politics or war will repeat over and over again. By studying history, I can avoid mistakes that great leaders made in the past. When learning about how Alexander the Great rose to power, I learned a few things. I learned from Alexander the Great that a great leader should be mindful of his or her action, a great leader will listen to their subordinates and take into account what they feel, and lastly a good leader must make objective decisions.

  When conquering Persia he wanted to persuade the Persian people to recognize him as their ruler. To aide in that effort, he adopted some of their traditions, one of which is called proskynesis. This is a position where the subordinate gets on their hands and knees and bows to their leader. By adopting this Persian tradition, the Persian people gained trust in Alexander, but that came at a price. Alexander’s generals, did not like the idea of bowing to their leader. The lesson that can be learned from this situation is that an exceptional leader does not try to satisfy everyone’s needs. Alexander the Great was too hung up on how the Persian people viewed him, that he sacrificed his men’s loyalty so that the Persian people would respect him as a leader. Also, he fell in love with a Persian woman. “And then there was the matter of Roxane. His actions were motivated by passion…’ (Plutarch, Alexander 47.7-.8). Falling in love with a member of the enemy team is terrible. His subordinates lost faith in him because he failed to recognize how his actions affected his leadership. Directly following that event, Alexander the Great made a poor decision in order to one up his rival leaders. He marched his army through the Godrosian Desert. He chose this route was that he wanted to do better than Cyrus and the legendary Queen Semiamis. In the end, he is responsible for many of his men’s death due to dehydration.

Alexander also spend most of his time with villagers, and not his men. This gave off the impression that Alexander only cared about the Persian villagers instead of his own men. This is the seed that can be planted in a person’s brain. This seed is called mistrust, and by forcing his own men to change their traditions to accommodate to another person’s is almost insulting. A good leader would listen to his subordinates and adjust or justify for his actions. If a leader does not do that, then he or she will lose the trust of their men.

Alexander the Great is an amazing tactician and general, but he lacked the ability to understand how his actions affected how his subordinates viewed him, and his arrogance are mistakes that I hope to not make in the future as a Naval or Marine Corps officer.

~556 Words

Vincent Potente

In order to be successful, one must never stop learning. A common phrase I have been told at the Naval Academy is, “The day you stop learning is the day you start dying.” A history course with many aspects focused on the military side of past civilizations helps future military leaders learn from mistakes. While learning from past civilizations’ mistakes, these courses help young leaders incorporate new ideas into their own way of thinking.

Currently, every country and even person has a different approach to war and tactics, and that has held the same throughout history. Every individual holds an opinion on what works best for war in terms of succeeding. Chinese history and civilization has always really intrigued me, and a military leader I really respect is Sun-Tzu. In high school, I had the opportunity to read Sun-Tzu’s The Art of War and really dissect what he was saying. In his literature, Sun-Tzu states that the ultimate goal of war is to “subdue the enemy without fighting” (The Art of War, 2.20). Sun-Tzu stood apart from his competitors because he incorporated Taoist principles that emphasized more philosophical thinking. Successful people should focus on their natural being and development as a person. Taoist followers support harmony and virtue.

As a midshipman, I believe I support the same ideals. I support the harmony of people and the fluidity of a brigade working together to achieve a goal, one that naturally aligns with the way of the world. People are most effective when they are able to work in an environment most conducive to them personally. Why would leadership force its people to work uphill when the same outcome can be achieved by going downhill?

Not only will learning from China help me create a unique leadership style and goals for my subordinates, it will also help me understand China as an adversary. China’s military and political history will help me find ways to create relationships with Chinese nationals in order to support the mission of the United States Navy. This will especially hold true if I achieve my dreams of becoming a Foreign Area Officer, working directly in China on behalf of the Navy. In order to be a FAO, I must get a Master’s degree in International Relations, so learning about China and its important history  beforehand will give me a leg up in the future. Overall, it is important to know the history of a country you are trying to subdue.

Military leaders should handle war as a means for peace instead of creating conflict. Learning about the Taoist principles in Sun-Tzu’s writings have given me a different perspective on war, strategy, and tactics. This information will not only aid my job as a Junior Officer directly out of the Naval Academy, but it will also help in long term career goals. Learning about different civilizations in this class has helped me explore different ways I want to lead in the Fleet.

Corinne DeSpain

Word count: 483

https://www.ancient.eu/Sun-Tzu/

The American military draws from the principles of numerous ancient civilization, perhaps the most prominent being Ancient Sparta. Their civilization was the pinnacle of a warrior society with the central focus being making fighters and winning wars. By taking a closer look at the Spartans, it becomes apparent that their military success was dependent on a strict ethical code, crucial training and development, and effective tactics and strategies. If we emulate certain aspects of their warrior-based culture, our military could benefit, especially at an individual level.

The concept of the warrior is most relevant for modern military forces in special warfare and infantry. However, this is not to say that there is nothing to be learned from the Spartans if one does not belong to one of these two areas. Every individual in the military has sworn themselves to a higher cause and will likely face the possibility of death in their respective service. With this knowledge, it may be helpful to keep in mind the practices and teachings of the Spartan military, as their soldiers epitomized honor, courage and commitment. Similarly, members of the Navy are expected to uphold these virtues, as they are the Navy’s core values. By studying how Sparta was able to employ such a disciplined military, we can be better equipped to instill similar virtues in our subordinates.

From a young age, Spartan men were raised in a demanding military environment where personal honor was strongly emphasized. They were taught loyalty, honesty, courage, and other attributes of admirable officers. One notable quote from Spartan society was “Come back with your shield – or on it.” This was typically a war cry of soldiers’ mothers who wished for their sons to die valiantly in battle rather than return home. The quote exemplifies the dedication, resiliency, and selflessness Spartan soldiers were expected to uphold in combat. They embraced the reality that they were only small instruments who collectively were able to achieve the worthwhile goals of the state through teamwork and sacrifice.

Although it is not possible nor entirely moral to replicate Spartan society, there is much to be learned from the way they trained their military. One main lesson aforementioned is the importance of a strong moral foundation. Another that can be drawn is the selection of their warriors. Instead of expanding their forces by allowing the entirety of the Spartan population into the army, they only chose the finest fighters to form the ranks of the Spartan military. This process was extended over a period of several years of training and was extremely selective. The Spartans were known for fighting with numbers far inferior to their enemies and still remaining victorious.

The real benefits of studying Ancient Sparta occur at an individual level, where one can begin to learn the characteristics of a warrior and emulate those traits and virtues. The concept of the warrior applies to every member of the military and the Spartan soldier is one of the best models from ancient times. By upholding consistent moral values and actively demonstrating loyalty to country, making use of one’s knowledge of Ancient Spartan military can be useful in the fleet.

Cameron Douglas

525 Words

Looking at Ancient China and specifically the many different philosophical teachings and ways of government could be very useful to me as an officer in the fleet. For example different people may require different styles of leadership. A normal officer would mostly follow Confucius’ concepts of leadership where a good leader is an ethical leader but that ability to be ethical would certainly depend on the ethics that that leader ascribed to such as utilitarianism, the idea that if the end goal is achieved then whatever means have been used to achieve it are ultimately acceptable, or Kantian teaching where a thing is morally allowable only if the it meets a “categorical imperative” which says that the action must be allowable under any circumstance for anyone. Some elements of legalism are applicable to the navy but only I believe when all other ways of attempting to reason out a more traditional method. This part of legalism would be the two handles and not the other facets of the idea. Grabbing power for the sake of power and increasing the power of the Navy alone has no place in the US Military. Daoism has no place in leadership as it promotes a lazy attitude towards life where as the military needs a much more efficient method. The idea of the duties of the emperor also applies to the navy as even the upper levels of the government has a job and although the exact duties that must be performed are not the same, the idea that the most senior office must be held responsible for duties is essential to how the navy functions. The idea of promoting the men and women who are good at what they do instead of where they come from is also critical to remember as naval officers must choose who to promote and give people qualifications. Without the acknowledgement of this the officers wouldn’t be held to the standard of only promoting the best and the navy would not function as intended. The final way that the ancient Chinese can help to teach the habits of the current naval officer is to remember to study history but not to blindly follow it. The philosopher George Santayana summarized this best with the quote of “those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it” without the lessons of the past to help us with making decisions we will continue to mess up. These lessons are important such as not invading Russia in the winter.

word count 418

George Williams

Harrison Goodrich

Professor Sagstetter

Blog #6

HH215

Modern Mongols

During the 13th and 14th Centuries, the Genghis Khan led Mongols wreaked havoc in an area that spread between the modern-day Baltic States and China’s East Coast. The Mongols had an unparalleled level of skill when it came to delivering death and fear to the unfortunate souls that opposed them. The almost mythical level of chaos the Mongols possessed was born from their brutal slayings of innocent people.  In the 21st century, the Mongol’s actions would definitely be dealt with military intervention by the United States of America. Studying the Mongols will be useful in our careers as officers in the fleet because organizations that gain their power from fear tactics and gruesome slayings are still in the world today. The Islamic State is an example of a terrorist organization that refuses to abide by laws, and proudly boasts about their ability to kill innocent men, women and children by putting videos on the internet. By studying the Mongols, it will give us a historical insight into how these groups came into power and what caused them to eventually fail.

While the Mongols did not have modern day social media to spread fear, there are still accurate description of their actions. Such as  in Ibn al-Athir’s The Secret History of the Mongols, the author is crippled by the fear that the Mongol’s actions create. He watches them murder women and the unborn babies in their wombs. The Mongols did this to spread fear and force people to submit to them. By making themselves so feared, sometimes they didn’t even have to go to war to conquer. This is very similar to how terrorist groups such as Islamic State spread fear by posting videos of themselves online beheading people and burning children alive. Opposition to the Islamic State by locals is unlikely because they want to live. As officers, it is important to understand that when groups use such tactics, military intervention by a world power is likely. In most cases it is the United States military. It is also important to understand why these groups have to resort to such tactics. Is it because they want to appear stronger than they actually are? Is it because of skewed religious beliefs? Or is it simply because they can? By studying the Mongols we can learn more about future adversaries who abide by no law and without a conscience.

Word Count: 408

Time changes technology and the speed of warfare, but time does not change human nature. Sun Tzu writes on the human nature and strategy involved in warfare, and “The Art of War” is a timeless piece of military writing for it. “The Art of War” outlines the grand strategy involved in tactical decisions that will win wars. In my Civil Military Relations class, officers main job description is defined as the managers of violence. It is especially important for us to be able to understand the strategy involved in decision making on the battlefield, as we must manage the use of violence and control the battlefield. Sun Tzu talks about mastering the profession and winning wars. As officers, we are in the business of managing the violence that, in turn, wins wars, so this writing is important to us especially.  The writing was created in 500 B.C., but is still quite applicable today.

As China becomes a rising threat on the international stage today, we can actually use ancient Chinese theology to our advantage. China is expanding in a multilateral way as they too return to their roots of the silk road with their new belt and road initiative. The PRC is expanding into the South China Sea and building sea ports (referred to as their “string of pearls”) along the coasts of Asia, Africa, and most recently Europe. Their goal is to expand Chinese culture and their sphere of influence, but this causes dangers to the rest of the small nations in the areas, and also the U.S.. Many strategists claim that our next conflict will be with China, and we are already engaged in an economic war. The important thing for the U.S. to keep in mind is the history of China, and it may let us explain where they plan on going in current times. Sun Tzu talks about the importance of understanding your enemy and being able to predict their next move, so that you can always be one step ahead. “The Art of War” stresses the importance of knowing the capabilities of your enemies and knowing how to exploit their weaknesses. Currently, China is considered a near competitor to the U.S., so it is important that contain their power and influence before they become more powerful. The effectiveness at which the U.S.  is able to do this very important to our success in the future, and this is very likely to be the main conflict that we will have to deal with throughout our careers.

LaRue: 425

The Mongol empire and to an extent the Russian empire under the USSR were very similar in their outward perception that the nation was weak and then became very strong very quickly. The pre-USSR Czarist Russia was a very backward and old school nation with many people still being surfs and keeping up large amounts of small farming plots. While the country was not as split as the nomadic tribes of the Mongols, it was widely accepted that the Russians were fairly weak and slow react to threats. However when the Soviet Union, or USSR was established the country began to rapidly modernize through Stalin’s 5 year plans. In the late 1930’s the nation earned its other similarity to the Mongols, being brutal but tolerant. The Soviet Union was for example much more tolerant of the Jews as opposed to the Germans. This is very evident through German Anti-Jewish Propaganda put out by the Nazi party. The Nazis blamed the Jews for the losing of the First World War along with the other enemies of the Nazi party such as Communists. While the Russians didn’t always treat the Jews the best they didn’t treat their own people that well to begin with. The other way the Russians were similar to the Mongols were that they were a substantial military power once they had formed and organized their military despite Stalin’s purges. They did this by essentially ignoring the well being of the workers and soldiers, and making massive amounts of weapons which they overwhelmed the attacking Germans with. This tactic is very similar to the Mongols who overwhelmed their enemies with massive swooping attacks with more troops in reserve. This is reflected at Kursk where the Russians threw a massive amount of tanks at the oncoming Germans. Primary sources from the battle on both sides account massive amounts of tanks clashing both literally and physically. One German crewman notes that he stopped a charging Russian tank only 26 feet from his own vehicle. The numbers at the battle of Prokhorovka numbered in the thousands of tanks with huge losses on both the German and Russian lines. While the German’s losses were hard to replace, the Russians had a reserve totaling a massive 5000 tanks waiting for their chance to attack. This is very similar to the Mongols who kept some forces in reserve to surprise a tired enemy with fresh and ready attacks.

George Williams

Word count: 403