I think that the Romans had a completely valid fear with the growing popularity of Christianity as any people would have a natural fear of new things. Christianity to the average Roman would have probably had a slightly more fear as first reports probably would have been of a cult following a recently crucified criminal claiming to be the only god. To the average roman this probably would have seemed pretty strange as the Roman pantheon at the time featured several gods and was expanding as new cults tried to assimilate other foreign gods, such as the Egyptian god Isis, in. Further backing to my theory comes from the letter of Pliny the Younger, a lawyer and the author. His most famous writings consisted of several letters to various emperors as well as a great recounting of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius and the death of Pliny the Elder, his uncle. Pliny seems to be almost at a loss with the Christians as he writes “…to bind themselves by oath, not to do some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so.” He seems puzzled at these oaths which we see as fairly normal. This could be because he has been told that they are criminal or just because the Christians seem to be very tied to this. By comparison the Romans tended to have more of these things as one would expect in a large city and definitely a large bureaucracy. I think that the Romans were valid in their initial fears and after that the true nature of overall good was revealed. The fears and hatred could have been compounded by the acts of Christians trying to impose the will of their god on the empire. Acts like this included the attempting halting of gladiatorial games by jumping into the ring. This would have understandably caused significant friction between the Christians and the people they are trying to convert as the Christians are taking away the favorite past time of the uneducated mob. This would have had the same effect as trying to stop people from watching or playing football. There is already a lot of money in the sport and those who stand to lose that money could try and stoke flames over the fears of the Christians. I do not think that the Romans were right to try and stamp out the “cult” as they weren’t harmful and it seemed more of a rash and fearful move with an almost unknown, quickly rising cult.

word count: 436

It seems as though every country and even person has a different approach to war and tactics. Every individual holds an opinion on what works best for war in terms of succeeding. One man with an unusual perspective on was Sun-Tzu. Sun-Tzu was a Chinese general around 500 B.C.E. His ideas regarding military strategy were different because he also incorporated philosophical thinking, specifically Taoist principles. Taoism promotes a way of life that emphasizes natural being and interpersonal development and relationships – followers support harmony and virtue. At face value, this does not seem to work well with any aspect of war, an event that is disruptive and destructive.

In a situation that is at its very core destructive, Sun-Tzu’s interesting approach on doing the best to maintain harmony and balance seemed counter-intuitive. However, Sun-Tzu looked at war as a means for peace. He refused to “consider war a sport” (Ancient) and instead focused on the nation being in “peace or in peril” (The Art of War, 2.20) as the result of the campaigns. This is especially seen in the beginning of his writings where he describes the preliminary plans for war.

In addition to writing specific ideas for approaching war, Sun-Tzu also covers larger ideas represented in the Taoist philosophies. He mentions yin and yang and the harmony between counteracting forces. Every action should be natural and create balance in the world. Sun-Tzu’s works demonstrate an ability to work in a rather unnatural environment.

The environment at the Naval Academy is definitely unnatural. Since the beginning, midshipmen are taught stoicism, this goes against natural ways where you have to go out of your way to hide emotions. In fact, a military bearing is so important that our emotions are often used against us. The thought behind this emphasis is that the enemy will not be able to read what you are thinking and, as a result, not be able to predict future moves. The strict schedule at the academy also creates an unnatural and negative influence on the midshipmen. These young adults stay up late and wake up early for mandatory workouts or events, which ultimately tire them out and limit cognitive functions.

Sun-Tzu’s main goal in war was to defeat the enemy and end the war, instead of prolonging the activities and the conflict. Society approaches war as a game almost, like battleship. It seems as though news of conflict hit headlines and the public is fascinated. Society feeds off of the conflict and destruction, which is very much against Taoism.

Overall, a mixture of the two perspectives would be most effective. Military leaders should handle war as a means for peace. I agree that stoicism in the face of the enemy is an important factor in success because the enemy should not know our weaknesses or strengths. A blend of Taoism and modern approaches would definitely create an intriguing attitude towards military conflict, probably one that has not been seen before. Just as Sun-Tzu paved the way for different ideologies, every leader will have his or her own approach to techniques and tactics for war.

 

Corinne DeSpain

Word count: 513

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

The United States Senate: once the greatest law-making body on the face of the planet, it now is a partisan tool of the presidency. Obsequious at its highest level (though not always at its lowest), the Senate has proven itself to be an extension of the executive branch, affording the President undue power over the course of the nation. To understand the danger of this naked partisanship, look no farther than the Roman Principate.

Augustus, in his Res Gestae, claimed to have “transferred government from [his] own authority to the sovereignty of the senate” (34.1). Of course, this was a farce. Augustus was force behind policy in the Principate, and the Senate existed to provide a seemingly democratic vehicle to enact policy. Later, under the emperor Vespasian, the Senate had similar function. Though it existed as a deliberative body Vespasian declared “whatever…has been done, executed, decreed, ordered by Emperor Caesar Vespasian Augustus or by anyone at his order or mandate, these things shall be legal and valid, just as if they had been done by the order of the people” (Lex de imperio Vespasiani). In other words, the Senate did nothing the emperor would not approve of.

Sound familiar?

In early January, amidst the longest (though partial) government shutdown in United States history, the House passed a bill that would reopen government and allow time for negotiation on Homeland Security funding. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked it from even coming to a vote in the Senate. Why? Because President Trump had indicated he would not sign. Thus, Mr. McConnell openly demonstrated he was unwilling to deviate from the wishes of the President. While in the long run, a bill would have to be signed into law by President Trump, stopping a vote on a bill trying to pay American families at the behest of a different branch of government undermines the separation of powers. That is not to say President Trump is truly an autocrat; such a designation is not possible without flagrantly flouting the Constitution. It does go to show, however, that the line between the legislative and executive branches is blurrier than it should be.

In the Flavian model of government (that of Vespasian), the emperor wielded complete power and disguised this fact (officially) with the maintenance of the Senate. However, there was no question who was really calling the shots. This does differ from what has been seen in American government. Though President Trump has exerted a perhaps undue influence upon the operations of the Senate, Leader McConnell still chose to act independently. And when a Democrat funding bill finally made it to the Senate, it received more votes than its Republican counterpart (though both failed the 60-vote threshold needed), clearly rejecting the will of the White House.

Nonetheless, it is important to recognize the imperial trappings of the modern political environment. The deterioration of bipartisanship and the increase in what Arthur Schlesinger termed the Imperial Presidency pose a legitimate threat to the survival of healthy and effective political discourse and progress. A Senate free from executive puppetry best serves the American people.

Tom Vilinskis

Words Count: 462

Sources:

[1] McConnell blocks House bills to reopen government https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/shutdown-showdown-senate-prepares-to-vote-on-competing-bills-after-trump-agrees-to-postpone-state-of-the-union-speech/2019/01/24/7b65e314-1fc7-11e9-9145-3f74070bbdb9_story.html?utm_term=.c7252800f704

[2] Lex de imperio Vespasiani https://droitromain.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/Anglica/vespas_johnson.html

[3] Res Gestae Divi Augusti

[4] Shutdown Showdown https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/shutdown-showdown-senate-prepares-to-vote-on-competing-bills-after-trump-agrees-to-postpone-state-of-the-union-speech/2019/01/24/7b65e314-1fc7-11e9-9145-3f74070bbdb9_story.html?utm_term=.c7252800f704

If I had a nickle every time I have been told to prepare myself, to take advantage of the opportunities and training here, for we are entering a profession of arms, I would be a rich man. Is the Naval Academy really developing leaders of a winning force? I would have to say that they are training us to win, but by teaching us how to accept defeat first. For Midshipman, it often feels as if it is a “them versus us” mentality. The Academy and the system are the victors, and we as Midshipman are the defeated. I believe that this is by design, for it is preparing us to be stronger men and women in the fleet, and better prepare ourselves for victory in warfare. Midshipman are intentionally given too many tasks in a day. The system bombards us with random briefs, a heavily loaded academic schedule, rigorous fitness standards, parades, formations, and leadership billets to top everything off. The idea is to teach us how to prioritize, manage time, and ultimately to be ready for the unexpected and be able to adapt. Sun Tzu preaches that you must confuse and overwhelm an enemy, and this is often time how the Academy feels. He also teaches that a strong leadership of officers must be in place to have an effective force.

The majority of small unit leadership and day to day activities are run by fellow Midshipman. It is commonly known that peer leadership is the most difficult of all leadership roles. Having an inexperienced leader that dictates the daily battle rhythm of the day is a difficult place to be, and is not necessarily the best system to lead us to success. This is useful though, for a multitude of reasons. For one, it teaches that leader the most effective leadership style for themselves. Some Midshipman are naturally great leaders and thrive in a billet position, while others need this time to develop before going to the fleet. Secondly, this experience of being led by individuals who may have not found their style yet allows the rest of the brigade to learn from their mistakes. This often makes for confusion amongst the ranks, just as Sun Tzu speaks of, but in the end we will all be stronger leaders for it.

To many, it may seem as if the day to day trials that we deal with as Midshipman is busy work or useless, and at the end of the day, the system will always win. In the grander picture, the hardships we face here that are posed to us by the “system” are developing into warriors who will be ready to face hardships, know our leadership style, and know how to defeat the enemy, as often times we feel the Academy does to us.

LaRue: 468

The Art of War is Deception

Sun Tzu’s Art of War is one of the most important works on warfare every published. While warfare has evolved immensely since the Art of War was written, the principles that Sun Tzu preached remain relevant today.  The overarching principle is that the only way to win in combat is to be more intelligent that your enemy, your mind is the most powerful weapon. The Naval Academy is developing the foundations we need to succeed in war by educating us and teaching us to engage every obstacle with our heads first. It is difficult to directly compare Sun Tzu’s tactics to the techniques we are taught at the Naval Academy because we have not been instructed on how to win at war, yet.

At the Naval Academy we a drilled relentlessly with a barrage of difficult classes whose material will not be thought of after graduation. I have not met a single Marine graduate who intentionally uses calculus or cyber security in the military. While my friends and I struggle, it is for a purpose. We are being forced to develop our intellect and our ability to solve problems. Sun Tzu said “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”(Tzu, Sun Art of War). Sun Tzu wrote this because intelligence wins wars and while the Naval Academy has not taught us yet how to fight, we are being given the foundations that Sun Tzu deems necessary.

According to Sun Tzu, deception is the supreme art of war, “Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak”(Tzu, Sun Art of War). This means that you will have an advantage over enemy if they do not know your ability nor your resolve. At the Naval Academy it is instilled on us that deception is considered lying, and therefore it will not be condoned. In fact we are expected to have the Honor Concept memorized, which explicitly says we will not lie. We are taught to conduct ourselves as future leaders and deception is not a founding principle for that. It is however necessary in competition. Bose State used deception in the trick play that won them the Fiesta Bowl over Oklahoma when the game was on the line.

Overall, I believe it is not feasible to make a legitimate comparison between Sun Tzu’s tactics for war and what we are taught at the Naval Academy. We are not being taught how to fight. We are being given the tools we need to hopefully succeed in war, but we are not taught outright techniques until we commission. Both the Naval Academy and Sun Tzu put an emphasis on intelligence which is the foundation for success in war. The Naval Academy draws a line when it comes to deception and Sun Tzu does not. Therefore, I believe that Sun Tzu’s tactics are are effective when it comes to winning, in war as well as competition.

Word Count: 507

Many of the same themes and problems often trouble societies throughout the world as the cycle of time goes on. Much like the Athenians, American democracy has been facing an issue of citizenship.  In our mock Assembly, the class’s most heated topic was the topic of metics and their citizenship status. For the topic, many points were brought up both in support, and against the granting of citizenship. Socratics and Oligarchs were concerned about diverting power from “true Athenians” and granting it to the numerous metics and slaves. These are the people groups who made up the predominant population numbers, despite the fact that they did not have citizenship. The debates were heated from both sides, as passions ran high. It is almost assured that the same was true for the real Assembly. America is becoming divided on the topic of  immigration and citizenship as well. In recent years, the hot topic issues and one of the major deciding issues of party lines is that of illegal immigration. The fight over DACA has been causing heated debates on the floors of Congress. Many believe that illegal and undocumented aliens, no matter their age, do not have a place in the nation. This is because they did not go through the legal avenues appropriate to become a citizen. The flip side of the argument is that the children who have been brought in do not have a life outside of the nation, and deporting them would ruin their lives. I am of the camp, that the position that your parents put the child in is still illegal, and therefore they would take up immigration numbers slotted for individuals who have worked hard to come into the nation via a legal avenue. The United States provides the largest numbers of visas and citizenship programs out of any other nation in the world, so to say that the nation is anti-immigration would be naive and ignorant. A large number of people are able to go throughout the legal process to gain citizenship. With the debate given in class, I could see the arguments being made on both side, just like I can with the current argument our nation faces.  The difference is that the current issue is not for citizenship of individuals who were born, raised, and work within a given territory, but rather a people group that is knowingly committing a crime to transport their family into a new location. Personally, I think it is terrible to see the conditions in which people live in risking dangerous cartels, human trafficking, and starvation. In the same breath, I think it is extremely irresponsible to put your children through that, and the risks that are involved, all to commit a crime. I was a proponent of the citizenship granted to metics because of their taxation, and residency within the Athenian Empire. The issues are similar in some aspects, but I believe that their central issues are different.

Austin LaRue:477

Most history professors would argue that it is important to study the past so we can learn from our mistakes and avoid them in the future. The application of this unifying concept can be seen currently unfolding through the issue of immigration in American government thousands of years later. In ancient Athens, the main issue debated in the assembly was granting citizenship to metics and slaves, with both sides arguing primarily to benefit their political agenda and not became of their devotion to the cause. Metics were individuals who either immigrated to Athens or were born in Athens to non-Athenian parents. Both metics and slaves were characterized by their service in the Athenian military and/or their contributed to Athenian society in a notable manner. Similarly today, dreamers, a term that has been assigned to the young immigrants that were brought America illegal as children as their parents pursued the American dream, have made a large contribution to American society in academia and in the economy.

Created as an executive order by President Obama in 2012, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals has given nearly 800,000 unauthorized immigrants protection from deportation for a span of two years, which is eligible for reapplication. Early in his presidency, President Trump announced that he plans to phase out the program by not accepting new applications from dreamers, while granting those still in America temporary amnesty. This is projected to have a large negative impact on the American economy. Over the past decade the Joint Economic Committee estimates that dreamers have added $460.3 billion to the American economy, and that DACA deportations could cost the American economy billions as 91% of DACA recipients are employed. Similar to Athenian metics, dreamers are under the critical view of politically and socially esteemed members of their respective society, with the pressure to fulfill additional requirements socially and economically in order to be viewed as equal. A prime example of this is the tax metics had to pay despite possessing just as much Athenian blood as their peers in the Athenian assembly.

These two instances have eerily similar parallels, despite having a drastically different executions. Athens never opened citizenship to metics or slaves, despite a compelling argument for the incorporation of these groups. Despite metics and slaves being awarded the freedom of speech, they were never allowed to cast votes in assembly. This is somewhat similar to the current American immigration situation, as dreamers are allowed temporary residence in the United States while not being afforded all American privileges.

With these vast differences between American democracy and Athenian democracy, the two perspectives are united in the idea that we the people, or the “demos’, are the presider’s over the senate or assembly. As the United States continues to refine policy and develop and better understanding of the long term effects of immigration policy, the example of the repercussions for Athenians refusing metics citizenships will continue to be a historical place of reflection and introspection.

Cameron Douglas

Blog #3 – Parallels in Regime Changes Across History

Regime changes in the ancient world were , yet hold key similarities to those that have taken place in the modern world. The assassination of Julius Caesar usurped the head of state and threw the nation into civil war. Similarly, the assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem, the president of South Vietnam, led to national turmoil and a major US conflict. Both events were conducted by members of the rulers’ own government with different views, and both resulted in political unrest and military conflict. Through the study of these changes in regime, one can better predict the outcomes of nation-states facing similar crises today.

Julius Caesar was perhaps the most prominent Roman Emperor and was responsible for a large portion of Rome’s successful conquests throughout Europe, mainly Gaul in modern day France. He was assassinated by members of his own government days prior to another major military engagement. The deed was done to put an end to his long and domineering reign. Caesar was killed by senators who had been conspiring his assassination and subsequent overthrow of his government for quite some time. This marked the end of his dictator-like rule of the Roman Republic. Although his murderers, who numbered over sixty, were visibly guilty, they were acquitted of their crimes under the condition that all of Caesar’s decrees would remain valid. This led to civil unrest among the population of Rome, eventually generating enough conflict to become a large-scale civil war.

The assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem occurred under similar circumstances. There was heavy political pressure surrounding Diem, the acting South Vietnamese President, at this time in the 1960’s. He was overpowered by South Vietnamese military forces the day prior to his assassination, which dramatically increased instability in the South Vietnamese government and populace. Following this event, the US became much more involved in the region and its complex political relations.

With both of these events in hindsight, one can use knowledge of these events and apply it to current situations in order to better understand them. As is evident, there is much to be gained from having studied the assassinations of both Caesar and Diem. The first major observation that could be drawn from these events would be the obvious correlation between political conflict within a government or country and the likelihood of the assassination of the head of state. Both of the instances aforementioned occurred when the leader blatantly opposed the views of other members of the government. Among other contributing factors to the assassinations would be imminent war or military conquest. When the similarities and differences between these changes of regime are analyzed, it is much easier to apply the common traits to modern day situations in an insightful and impactful way.

Word Count: 454

When looking back on Alexander the Great’s notable achievements and accomplishments one may say that his quick and strategic thinking was the reason he was so successful in his campaign in Asia. However, Alexander the Great would not have been so successful if it wasn’t for his predecessor, Philip the II. Without Philip the II’s strategic victories that included defeating the Greek city states, Alexander may not have been able to conquer Asia. When Philip rose to power he made several technological advances that help to strengthen the war fighting capability of his armies. He instituted the sarissa, a fourteen foot spear, instead of the smaller spears that Spartans carried. This allowed Philip’s forces to engage the enemy at a longer range, while his men also carried smaller shields to defend from enemy attacks. This seemingly unstoppable infantry was complimented by his elite cavalry force called the Hetairoi. Lighting quick cavalry forces can quickly flank enemy forces engaged with his infantry. This can be seen in the Battle of Chaeronea. This battle was a very pinnacle event for the Macedonians as the win here would destroy any army that could compete with Phillip’s.  Philip destroyed the Athenian and Theban armies then persuaded the Greeks to become allies. Philip’s view then turns to Persia, but a sudden death prevents him from advancing to Persia.

By allying with their Greek neighbors, Philip the II eliminated the possibility of an attack on the homefront. When Alexander the Great rises to power, he did not have to worry about the Greeks and instead focus on conquering Persia. Allying with the Greeks also allowed Persia to be the only other active player besides the Macedonians to control the Aegean seas. If Philip the II did not win in the Battle of Chaeronea, the Greeks could have conducted guerilla warfare and attacked the Macedonian ships transiting to Persia. In the end, Philip the II built a firm foundation that allowed Alexander the Great to propel himself and his army into Asia and allowed him to expanded and conquer the known world.

A modern example of Alexander the Great would be the Chinese president Xi Jinping.The rapidly industrializing country of China that America knows today could not have happen without its previous leaders, Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, and Jiang Zemin. Mao Zedong’s five year plan, focused China’s resources and manpower on becoming independent and a world power. Deng Xiaoping focused more on making China a more export led country and allowed the money gained from exports to make advances in production means. Jiang Zemin focus on economic growth allowed China to increase their GDP 8% every year. These men and their policy changes had allowed China to become one of world’s superpowers today. With its second largest GDP, China’s Xi Jinping has made a robust and rapidly developing military that rises concerns with the United States. The Chinese Navy has quickly grown in size and technological capability in the past ten year. Their growing presence in the South China Sea threatens U.S, ships, which twenty or thirty years ago, China would not be able to stand toe to toe with American forces.Like Philip the II with Macedonia, Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, and Jiang Zemin paved the way and created a firm foundation that allowed their successors to become strong leaders.

Word Count 555

Vincent Potente