WAR: Shock and awe have their limits, as history has shown. (by Michael Bellesiles)

STLtoday.com ^ | 12-8-03 | MICHAEL BELLESILES

[Prodigal Son]

You credit him with trying to make a historical point, when he is more likely trying to make a political point.

I don't know. He sounded pretty specific when he said:

The originator of the policy of "shock and awe" was not a Pentagon employee but Giulio Douchet, an Italian advocate of air power in the 1930s.

[FairWitness]

The originator of the policy of "shock and awe" was not a Pentagon employee but Giulio Douchet, an Italian advocate of air power in the 1930s.
- - - And if the Italians claim he was never there, maybe he meant France. He can't recall.

Your comment prompted me to look on "Google" for "Giulio Douchet". Google had no hits for that exact name, but asked me if I meant "Giulio Douhet". Apparently Bellesiles (or the newspaper?) spelled the name wrong - how fitting! (Douchet sounds more French than Italian, as you imply).

[af_vet_1981]

And I see no mention of Hiroshima or Nagasaki. How can he credibly discuss shock and awe strategy without a reference to that victory ?

[wildbill]

Lets find out who the History News Service is--and whether Bellesiles has their imprimatur after being exposed for making up stats in his book. I think he was suspended from his university job.

[wildbill]

I sent the following letter to the editors of History News Service:

Dear Ms. Appleby and Mr. Banner:

Michael Bellesiles recently published an essay in STLToday.com where he claims to be a writer for History News Service. Considering Mr. Bellesiles proven reputation for making up information, I was wondering if his connection with HNS was current and valid---or if his contract was among those items damaged by water in the office where he formerly taught.

It will be interesting to see if I get a reply and what it says.

[FairWitness]

Good. Let us know if you get a reply.

[an amused spectator]

His confidence cost him his life in the South Carolina forests at King's Mountain, where American peasants carrying old-fashioned weapons wiped out his forces.

Rewrite: His confidence cost him his life in the South Carolina forests at King's Mountain, where American peasants, though totally unfamiliar with the very few old, broken guns carried by every tenth militia peasant, wiped out his forces.

[wildbill]

Here's the reply from one of the directors of HNS:

"Mr. Bellesiles has written a piece for HNS, so his claim is entirely valid. JMB"

He adroitly avoided the question of whether Bellesiles is currently a writer for HNS and whether he would be welcomed by them for future articles.

[FairWitness]

He adroitly avoided the question of whether Bellesiles is currently a writer for HNS and whether he would be welcomed by them for future articles.

Thanks for update. Being fluent in "doublespeak" is apparently a pre-requisite for a lot of jobs these days.

[.38sw]

Oh, THAT Michael Bellisiles, the paragon of truth and integrity...I'm sure his research is impeccable.