Good comment. I often make the point that the Roman Empire did not fall (primarily) because the Roman army lost a lot of important battles. The real problem was mass migrations of people from the East who were allowed to settle in Roman territory and retain their foreign ways. Rome got progressively less Roman. The army got progressively less Roman. It was a slow decline that took centuries. They kept trying to find administrative fixes (c.f. Diocletian) but ultimately they lost their culture war and Europe entered the Dark Ages.
Many other cases through European history. Long train of “final solutions to migrant problems” indeed.
Funny thing is by the end, it wasn’t the Romans trying to hold things together, but the descendants of the German barbarians.
Yrs, though one played into another when the Roman army began to fill out with thousands of Germans & other non-citizens
Good comment. I often make the point that the Roman Empire did not fall (primarily) because the Roman army lost a lot of important battles. The real problem was mass migrations of people from the East who were allowed to settle in Roman territory and retain their foreign ways. Rome got progressively less Roman. The army got progressively less Roman. It was a slow decline that took centuries. They kept trying to find administrative fixes (c.f. Diocletian) but ultimately they lost their culture war and Europe entered the Dark Ages.
Many other cases through European history. Long train of “final solutions to migrant problems” indeed.
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Good points but also keep in mind another similarity: The Debasement of the Currency! The US, just like Rome, began doing so since 1913 and ultimately the end result will be the same. Debt that can NEVER be repaid and money that becomes worthless!