Howard Zinn's "Patriotism and the Fourth of July" Article Review

Reviews Howard Zinn's anti-war article "Patriotism and the Fourth of July" that supports the idea that war is not a solution to the world's problems.
# 150786 | 1,085 words | 4 sources | MLA | 2008 | TR
Published on Apr 22, 2012 in Political Science (US Foreign Policy) , Ethics (General) , International Relations (War and Conflict)


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Description:

This paper relates that, in the article "Patriotism and the Fourth of July", Howard Zinn states that wars of today may be fought for outwardly just and fitting causes that are not much different than past wars that were fought for power and profit. In opposition to the belief, "our country, right or wrong", the author, indicates that Zinn stresses that an individual must oppose his country and flag if there is ample evidence of wrongdoings taking place, yet this attitude has almost disappeared entirety from the current patriotic belief. Nonetheless, the paper underscores that a powerful military is necessary for adequate protection and to maintain order as pronounced in a Roman proverb: "Arms keep peace".

From the Paper:

"To begin with, it should be taken into account that Howard Zinn himself is no stranger to armed conflict, as he had joined the Army Air Force as a bombardier and participated in aerial bombing campaigns during the Second World War, some of which included the first military uses of napalm. After the war, upon beginning his academic career, Zinn investigated the missions he took part in. He was appalled to discover that not only had many civilians had been killed in these air assaults, but that a number of missions' planners were motivated by self gain and career development rather than strategic objectives. Without a question, these events have led Zinn to believe that there could be no justification for the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and for similar events that occurred throughout history. In many instances, Zinn has presented arguments against targeting civilians and against war as a means to an end.
"In the article, Howard Zinn also skillfully distinguishes between patriotism, which he defines as "loyalty to the principles of democracy", and blatant aggression and war mongering. It is worth mentioning that Zinn uses a striking example to lay out his case; the massacre of six hundred Filipino men, women and children at the hands of American troops. Despite the fact that atrocities such as mass murder, rape, arson and looting have been quite common throughout the history of warfare, Zinn has presented this example in order for the reader to determine the "true patriot"."

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Franson, Robert Wilfred. Rev. of War Before Civilization, by Lawrence H. Keeley. Troynovant. 2004. Oxford University Press. 1 Feb. 2008 <http://www.troynovant.com/Franson/Keeley/War-Before-Civilization.html>.
  • Hoover, Herbert. Quote Details. 2007. 1 Feb. 2008 <http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/35960.html>.
  • Lobe, Jim. "'Decent Respect.'" POLITICS-US. 2008. IPS. 2 Feb. 2008 <http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=33844>.
  • Zinn, Howard. "Patriotism and the Fourth of July." Alternet. 2008. 1 Feb. 2008 <http://www.alternet.org/story/38463/>.

Cite this Article Review:

APA Format

Howard Zinn's "Patriotism and the Fourth of July" (2012, April 22) Retrieved May 25, 2013, from http://www.academon.com/article-review/howard-zinn-patriotism-and-the-fourth-of-july-150786/

MLA Format

"Howard Zinn's "Patriotism and the Fourth of July"" 22 April 2012. Web. 25 May. 2013. <http://www.academon.com/article-review/howard-zinn-patriotism-and-the-fourth-of-july-150786/>

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