Posted on 08/02/2022 4:26:19 AM PDT by MtnClimber
Americans need to "put maps and encyclopedias back on their tables" to understand the "central geographic reality" of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The 19th-century German geographer Friedrich Ratzel once wrote that "great statesmen have never lacked a feeling for geography." "When one speaks of a healthy political instinct," Ratzel continued, "one usually means a correct evaluation of the geographic bases of political power." Europeans and Asians have always had a better grasp of the importance of geography than Americans because unlike Americans, their potential adversaries and opponents were usually located close by, not an ocean away.
Laszlo Bernat Veszpremy is a Hungarian historian and the editor of a science journal called Corvinak. Writing in The American Conservative, Veszpremy has provided a geography lesson for Americans in an effort to help them understand the Russian-Ukraine war. The article is titled "The Inexorable Crowbar of Geography," and in it Veszpremy urges Americans to "put maps and encyclopedias back on their tables" so they can understand the "central geographic reality" of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
That geographic reality is the "East European Plain," which extends over two million square miles. It is the largest lowland in the world. The great British geographer Sir Halford Mackinder sketched what he called the "Great Lowland" in his geopolitical masterpiece Democratic Ideals and Reality (1919). Mackinder described this plain as a "gateway" into Europe from Asia, and into Asia from Europe. He characterized this lowland as "the strategical fact of decisive meaning" for Eurasian geopolitics. Mackinder described the raids of hordes from Asia — Tatars, Huns, Avars, Magyars, Mongols — that helped shape modern Europe. Centuries later, European empires — Napoleonic France, Wilhelmine Germany, and Nazi Germany — traversed the great lowland and struck into the heart of European Russia.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
Was arguing with these two obnoxiously large Scotsman in a bar in Hong Kong with my brother years back. My brother cited the wrong city for St. Andrew's golf course in Scotland and the big idiot Scot says, "There's the famous American sense of geography!"
So my brother says, "Oh you know your geography, huh. Where's Ohio?"
And the dumb lug says, "I'm not sure, but I know it's on your west coast..."
"Yeah, the west coast of Pennsylvania, you moron," replied my brother.
Europeans know European geography. They don't know squat about anything else. North Americans know North American georgraphy. It's not our fault there's only three countries on the continent. Aussies have it even easier.
There are more than 3 countries in North America.
.
The Confederacy had a border and look how that worked out for them.
“Like I give a flying turd what you think, and you only demonstrate how ignorant you are.” he said like an upset little girl.
You sound low-T and stupid.
Welcome to Free Republic
Move to Red China.
Been here since 2007 under another handle so whatever. You are part of the globalist neocon GOPe so move to Red Europe where you would fit right in.
“The Confederacy had a border...”
Not one recognized by the Union. Ukraine does have one that Russia recognized.
I will bet that makes Ukrainians feel better! I guess we can agree that Russia has decided to recognize a new border and is making it so on the ground. You should get a bucket of white paint and go and remind the where the border actually "is" my friend.
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