History in the fleet_Williams

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

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

Modern Mongols

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

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

China Rising

Understanding the past is the key for responding to the future. Knowledge of history of significant civilizations is an invaluable resource in order to respond to modern-day issues in the military. Specifically, the rise of China in the 21st century is a result of its desire to return to prosperity, and as future officers, we need to be able to understand its rich history and respond appropriately to any threats it poses.

For example, the Qin Dynasty in Ancient China effectively established itself as the first unified empire in Chinese history, and did so through aggressive military expansion and projection of power. Their extensive “public works projects to increase the economic productivity of the empire” was complemented by “military conquests…[especially] fortification of defensive walls [most notably] the 1,500-mile Great Wall of China.”[1] In addition, the Qin standardized as they centralized their empire to include currency, weights and measurements, the legal code, and most notably, written language. Despite all of these accomplishments, the Qin Dynasty only lasted from 221-206 BCE, when revolts of the peasantry coupled with succession issues toppled the seemingly stable empire. Following the impressive feats of the Qin were several other dynasties including, but not limited to, the Han, Tang, and Song. All of these dynasties experienced varying levels of power, but all ultimately failed to bring China to the forefront of global prominence.

In the modern era, China seeks to revise the status quo and solidify their position as a world superpower. Increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea along with numerous exploits of the cyber domain are several of the issues the United States Navy and the Department of Defense face concerning China. In order to combat these contentious actions by China, junior officers will need to possess knowledge of the why behind their missions and deployments in order motivate and encourage their enlisted sailors or Marines. By providing subordinates with a reason behind assigned duties and missions, morale will be higher as a result and the Navy at-large will ultimately function at a higher level of operational effectiveness.

In the same way, possession of knowledge about our adversaries’ history allows us to better prepare for what events may occur in the future. Understanding that China has been a country with varying amounts of power throughout its history is crucial for modern day warfighting. If we are to predict its future endeavors and potentially diffuse any further hostility, we must have a basic understanding of their culture, customs, and traditions established many centuries ago.

—Griffin Hamilton

Word Count: 429

[1] Class Google Folder, Spodek Ch. 7, China: Fracture and Unification

Alexander’s Leadership Failure

One of the most valuable things that can be applied to being a good officer is the knowledge on how to treat and take care of those beneath you. Alexander the Great was typically considered a good and strong leader, however, during the crossing of the Gedrosian Desert Alexander failed his men and put his own personal glory above his men’s safety and health. Alexander elected to cross the desert for the sole purpose of achievement.[1] He would be considered an even greater leader if he could effectively lead his troops across the desert because at the time it was considered suicide to attempt to cross such a vast and hard environment. Alexander’s men paid the price for his arrogance. The vast majority of his troops suffered from heat and dehydration and succumbed in the middle of the desert. When the food ran out “…they would club together and kill off most of their horses and mules and eat their flesh”.[2] Those that survived the hunger, heat, and thirst also were likely to fall asleep from pure exhaustion. Alexander’s soldiers were so exhausted that they would collapse and fall asleep in the middle of the desert, only to wake up alone and essentially be left for dead in the middle of nowhere.

            As part of the process to become officers, we have been taught that our people should always come before ourselves. That means that before we eat, we should ensure our sailors have eaten. If our sailors are up all night working, then we should be as well. And we should also be able to recognize when something is not normal with them and they are suffering from hunger or sleep deprivation. While Alexander was considered a great military leader and had many victories underneath him, he put his own rewards and pride above those who served him. This could be a fatal flaw. After the march through the desert, many of Alexander’s men would have felt resentment towards him and would have been much less likely to serve effectively underneath him. The loyalty of subordinates is extremely important to any leaders but particularly important to leaders in the military. Personal pride should always be put aside, especially when it involves other people’s lives. While we have studied many conflicts and leaders throughout this course, I believe this failure of Alexander and his forces may be one of the most important lessons to be learned as a military leader.

Brett Eckert

Word Count: 436

[1] Alexander The Great, Demand, Google Drive, pg 326.

[2] Anabasis, Abbrian, Google Drive, pg. 326.

Chinese influence on Grand Strategy today

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