How to Beat the American Military? When you can' t face it in battle

Victor Hanson's Private Papers ^ | 09 Mar 04 | Victor Davis Hanson

[AreaMan]

There is a growing consensus that it is near suicide to face the United States in a conventional war. Both the long history of western warfare, and a variety of recent encounters

[AreaMan]

Contemporary China is similar. Like the Ottomans and the 19th-century Japanese, it believes it can either purchase or steal Western computer, aeronautical, and nuclear technology—while skipping bothersome Western notions like democracy and free speech in the process of obtaining military parity with the United States.

This was bothersome.

[Lexington Green]

How to Beat the American Military?.... Elect Democrats

[dts32041]

This was bothersome.

It is if you wish to suppress your populations and suppress innovations.

[gieriscm]

The Chinese are well-known for their efforts at commercial and industrial espionage. They don't just seek military secrets.

Overall an excellent read, and something every American should understand.

[philetus]

The U.S. military has the finest fighting man in the world.
Not because of superior technology, but because he/she is a free man/woman and he is fighting to free other men/women who are murdered and persecuted by their own governments or by another country's government that wants to dominate them.

Americans have, willingly, given their lives for citizens of many of the worlds countries, when they could have stayed home and lived to a ripe old age.
(The following is my personal opinion)I believe in every instance, God has been on the side of these noble warriors.

Not very many of these countries that, our military, saved from extinction, are grateful for the sacrifices of our soldiers and based on past history, many more will follow the same path, but our fighting men/women are STILL willing to give their lives for freedom.

It's too bad that so many of our own citizens and politicians believe that the best thing for the world, now,
is enslavement.

[IncPen]

ping

[rogueleader]

5. Use gay marriage to undermine the American way of life.

[2banana]

I have been lucky enough to travel around the world both as an American tourist and American soldier. Some insights I have picked up along the way:

I can honestly say, most of the world loves America and Americans. Even the French. They admire our "can do attitude," our eternal optimism, our individual independence and our absolute fearlessness in taking on "city hall" and the powers in charge. They are also very grateful for our generosity. Americans are by far the most friendliest and giving people (individual and collectively) on the face of the planet. I could present statistic after statistic, but just ask any bartender or waitress in any remote town of any third world country who would they like as customers, and they will reply "Americans."

Our enemies, who I have also met and talked with, believe this optimism and generosity are a weakness. They feel that any country foolish enough to try to help other people (instead of crushing them) or permits dissenting points of view is weak. They feel our wealth (ironically made by extremely hard work) has made us soft and unwilling to fight very hard.

Our course, they do not know our military history and ignore our fighting traditions and legends. They do not understand that Americans do not really want to make war and want nothing to do with conquering the planet (too much paperwork). We would rather stay home with our families, enjoy life and go to work. But if we must fight, then we go all out; that we will kill our enemies as fast and as a numerously as humanly possible, that we will bring relentless devastation and carnage to our adversaries and not stop until they are either dead or have surrendered. We want to get the miserable job of war done as fast, efficiently and as brutally as possible so that we can go home.

Our enemies look at our military as the strength of machines. They feel if we did not have our wonderful helicopters, F-16’s, Abrams Tanks, aircraft carriers, etc. that our soldiers would melt away. However, it is a rare event when an American soldier surrenders, even against overwhelming odds. The American soldier has slugged it out toe-to-toe with every enemy we have ever faced (even after all the wonder machines have broken down) and have always emerged the victor. This warrior spirit has been proven in regular army units, special op units and militia/National Guard units. It is not something that is taught, it is just always understood; that the soldiers of liberty and freedom will always defeat the soldiers of dictators and tyrants no matter what.

The men and women of the American Armed Forces understand that Freedom is not free. It has been purchased with a terrible price. American soldiers have suffered, bled and died under the worst imaginable conditions in dreadful places all across this hard world. Unlike most armies, Americans have put themselves in harm's way willingly. They fight not for treasure, glory or power but for an idea; that essential Liberty "shall not perish from the earth" as long as I can do something about it.

We should never take our liberty for granted. Since the dawn of humanity, tyrants have and will always try to gather more power by enslaving others. There is only one thing that they fear; when a free people look them in the eye and proclaim, "We will defend ourselves."

[Migraine]

6. Elect Democracks...

[elbucko]

To all that you wrote in your post, Amen.

[Uncle Miltie]

Bookmark

[Docbarleypop]

Thank you, you put into words what I have always believed.

[vanmorrison]

I agreed with most of your observations. And with Hansen's as well.

However, one historical point that is often forgotten is that the American martial tradition is rooted in the evolution of our country having been carved out of the wilderness by self-reliant, freedom seeking, self-defending emigres from failed societies all over the world, who placed a high value on innovation and personal inititiative.

In fact, the US Military Academy at West Point was the first institution of its kind in the world. It even predates St. Cyr, which was founded by Napoleon. The American military tradition is storied, indeed.

[Defend the Second]

Exceptionally well said, 2banana. I too have done some traveling overseas, most recently across Germany, Austria, Belgium, France and Luxembourg (look fast, there it goes...) I stayed much of the time in US military facilities, primarily in Baumholder, Chiemsee, and Garmisch in Germany as well as Normandy, Paris, and Brussels. In no place did I encounter overt anti-Americanism, and the rudest person I met in Paris was another American. (I caught him scratching his initials on a 300 year old gargoyle high up on the Cathedral of Notre Dame, offered to kick his ass in the friendliest Texan sort of way and received a most interesting series of curses in return.)

I think Americans as people are generally liked. In my experience hardly anyone hates anyone one on one. I think people the world over respond positively to the traits that are deeply rooted in Americans: optimism, generosity, courage - all the things you say. In Bavaria I heard a story from an old man about how desperate his infantry unit was to surrender to the Americans, not the Russians. Even though we were the enemy, they believed we were a decent, honorable people. I appreciated that.

By the way, nobody sums up the cultural/military differences between us and the Islamic world better than VDH. I hear he is required reading in the Bush/Cheney White House.

[VaBthang4]

Elect Democrats.

Zactly!

[prognostigaator]

^

[sport]

How to Beat the American Military? When you can' t face it in battle

Simple. Make sure that democrats are elected to political office from the court to the whitehouse.

Most of the American public still do not get it.

The North Koreans, Communist Chinese, and Terrorists Organizations do though.

I was listening to comments idiots were making about how great kerry was on Channel 13 in Tampa, Florida today and had to puke.

[schmelvin]

The article notes a secular society and education system as one of the reasons for our success...I'm surprised nobody has jumped on that yet?!

I just took it to mean that we are not a theocracy. Of course, I don't believe that God should be thrown out of our society and schools, but in theocracies religion often so permeates everything that advancements in philosophy, science, etc. are stifled. And, you end up with situations like girls not being allowed to attend school, children "learning" geography from maps that omit Israel, and other such nonsense.

To me secularism does not automatically equal atheism. (Though, I'm sure many on the Left would like us to believe otherwise.)