A critical examination of why Western culture has dominated the world by looking at the Western way of fighting, as observed by Victor Hanson, author of "Carnage and Culture".
Abstract This paper presents Victor Davis Hanson's "Carnage and Culture", in which he argues that over the past twenty-five hundred years, beginning with Hoplite warfare in ancient Greece up to nuclear technology in the United States, the West has predominantly overpowered non-Western civilizations in battle. The rise and ultimate domination of the West, he claims, can be attributed not to geographic advantage, luck, or bravery, but to the peculiarly violent culture that nurtured and encouraged military superiority. This militaristic culture reflects the larger social, economic, political, and cultural abstractions that gave way to its military dominance. This paper examines the Western way of war with reference to the battles at Guagamela, Cannae, Tenochtitlan, and Rorke's Drift, and shows why, over twenty-five hundred years, the West has won.
From the Paper "At the battle of Gaugamela in 331 B.C.E. Alexander III of Macedonia crushed the Persian army and claimed himself king of Asia. The most obvious key factor of Western military practice ? decisive battle ? allowed the outnumbered Macedonian force the upper hand along with organization, discipline, and command. The Persians before had experienced a rude awakening to shock combat when their lightly armed troops invaded the heavily clad charging masses of metal at Marathon. One hundred sixty years later the Persians faced a more advanced form of hoplite battle; although they hired Greek mercenaries, they still were not able to compete."
Abstract This paper compares how both Walt Whitman, in "Poetry and Prose" and James M. McPherson, in "For Cause and Comrades", portray the experiences of soldiers in the Civil War as hell. It looks at McPherson's account of the carnage and Whitman's account of loss and wasted humanity.
From the Paper "A review of the poetry and prose of Walt Whitman and James M McPherson in Civil War Poetry and Prose and For Cause and Comrades respectively demonstrates that both individuals have one main theme about war. War is hell. In his book .."
Tags: Civil War, heroism, carnage, death, America, poetry, fear
Abstract The paper describes "Carnage and Culture" as a conservative view of Western military history that asserts that Western military might is superior to and cannot be defeated by non-Westerners. The paper examines Hanson's reasons why certain fundamentals of Western society and culture make this the case. The paper discusses how Hanson believes that the war in Iraq is not only winnable, but that victory is a certainty. The paper contends that, on the contrary, current events are teaching us that in many ways the war on Iraq has already been lost.
From the Paper "Hanson, author of The Western Way of War (1989) and The Other Greeks (1995), has chosen nine battles fought by the West against various non-Western enemies that prove, as Hanson claims, why Western cultures have been able to field armies and navies capable of routing numerically superior enemies all across history. Seven of these battles were victories for the West. Of the other two, one is the ruinous Roman defeat at Cannae in 216 B.C, and the other an offensive in the late stages of the Vietnam War in 1968 - a strategic victory overseas that became a political defeat at home in the United States. Each of these battles is lovingly recreated - and some critics claim re-imagined in favor of the author's speculations - as Hanson spells out his thesis; that the Western war machine is superior, and that it is the personal politics of the individual that make it so."
Abstract This is a comprehensive paper about the practice of female genital mutilation. The paper discusses the practice as it exists today in many countries around the world, especially in African and Muslim countries. It also discusses the physical and psychological implications of such mutilation, and provides statistics about the practice in many countries.
What is Female Genital Mutilation?
History of FGM/FC
Current Statistics.
Arguments for FGM
Arguments Against FGM
Rite of Passage or Cultural Carnage?
Abstract The paper discusses the origins of the Futurist Movement whose art-work reflected the energy and the changes of the late nineteenth/early twentieth century. It shows how Norwegian Impressionist artist, Edvard Munch's "The Scream" - which relayed a message of total dread and horror that comes from trying to realize the preciousness of life in a world of carnage - laid the groundwork for the movement's message. The paper examines the work of others who identified with this movement, such as writer Filippo Marinetti and artist Marcel Duchamp. The paper also touches on the Dadaism movement which orginated from refugees from WWI Germany and explores the works of several Dadaists, such as artist Jean Arp and historian Hans Richter.
From the Paper "While Dadaism had movements all over the world, it was birthed from refugees of World War I in Zurich. The dehumanizing impact of the industrial age moved into the realm of the absurd during the Great War. No one in Germany escaped the horror of that bloody war unscathed. It was like a self-inflicted plague, not altogether unlike tuberculosis or any other disease, only making less sense. During that war was the first time that the modern implements of fighting came into use on the battlefield, and the soldier in the trenches achieved a new level of insignificance. They became canon fodder, with death often time coming from hidden mines, distant snipers, from big guns and airplanes that could only be heard and not seen. The carnage of the war and the desperation that followed clearly marked the souls of these artists. Painting landscapes made no sense in that context."
Abstract This paper presents "The Red Badge of Courage" as a classic anti-war literature because it illustrates the carnage and violence of war. The author explains that by following one particular soldier though combat, the book vividly illustrates the monotony and sporadic fighting making up a soldier's life. The paper points out that the soldier ultimately wonders just why he risks his life while, nonetheless, continuing to fight.
From the Paper "Crane perfectly captures the tedium of war, the unending waiting, and the questioning of leadership: What the war is about, and what is so wrong with the other side. Henry meets and speaks with a Southern soldier, and begins to question war and its meaning. "'Yank,' the other had informed him, 'yer a right dum good feller.' This sentiment, floating to him upon the still air, had made him temporarily regret war" (Crane 10). Thus, Crane introduces the theme of the irrationality of war early on in the story. Here are two men who might have been friends had they had the opportunity, and they instead are fighting each other. Does either of them really understand what they are fighting for? This question seems to linger long after the chance meeting, and adds to the poignancy of the moment. This thread continues throughout the book, as Crane's characters alternately ebb and flow with the tide of battle. Sometimes they are gloriously brave, and sometimes they are tired, dejected, and angry at the circumstances that placed them there. During one dark time in battle, they seem to blame the officers who led them there, "And from this consciousness that they had attempted to conquer an unconquerable thing there seemed to arise a feeling that they had been betrayed" (Crane 131). In the middle of battle, war does not make any sense, and the men who are fighting are intensely aware of this as they struggle to stay alive."
Abstract In book 22 of the "Odyssey", the primary setting is of a domestic and pastoral nature. Thus, the violence and carnage that takes place in the midst of this landscape is highly incongruous and creates a sense of profound irony in Homer's work. This theme can be seen in Odysseus' slaying of Antino and Eurymachos, as well as in the final tender scene between Odysseus and the serving women.
Abstract Photography has become an important tool in documenting child casualties of war. Since its invention in 1839, photography has been used to record the horrors of the battlefield. Photographic documentation of war first focused largely on the men involved in the conflict: generals meeting with their troops and horrific images of battlefield carnage. That focus changed with the Vietnam War, as photographic documentation of the civilian casualties of war became well-known. The most famous of these photographs, a striking image of a young girl fleeing a Napalm strike in terror, likely changed the face of the documentation of child casualties in war for all time. This paper shows that, today, documentation of children in war is an important part of the photographic record. Photographs of child casualties in the Gulf war and the recent Iraqi conflict have had an important role in humanizing the conflicts and bringing to light the sad reality of war: that the innocent suffer the most.
From the Paper "There are important implications that can follow the photographic documentation of children in war. Like all photographs, those of child casualties in war are simply a stolen moment, a snapshot of time. The impact of such photographs can be unexpected, especially on the lives of the subjects of the photographs. For example, media attention from Nick Ut's famous photograph changed the course of Kim Phuc's life forever. The Vietnamese government considered her a valuable symbol of the war, and took her out of medical school. Kim tried to evade the government, but foreign journalists inevitably tracked her down and exposed her to the government. She eventually received asylum in Canada, and acts as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador (Saywell) ".
Abstract In the 1980s and 1990s, student violence became a common occurrence in many public schools. Even prior to the carnage at Columbine High School in Colorado, many schools were experiencing violent confrontations between various gang members, and solutions were being sought, with great attention and focus given to conformity in apparel. As a result, many schools throughout the United States have instituted policies where a standard uniform is required apparel for all students, most notably in elementary and middle schools. Among the justifications for these policies are school safety, school discipline, and last and apparently least, school academic success. Results as to academic successes resulting from uniform policies is mixed and fluid. This paper focuses on guidelines for uniform policies, schools that have had success, empirical reports that contradict other empirical reports, and schools opting out.
From the Paper "The debate as to whether or not children who wear school uniforms raise their achievement level is not new, has not been resolved one way or another ? and it is an ongoing dynamic. It appears from the literature that the main reason many school districts initially implemented the school uniform requirements was in the name of ?school safety.? Those safety reasons sprang from the violence which plagued many schools in the 1980s and 1990s, a time during which youth gangs began to emerge."
Abstract This paper describes the main character in the O'Brien's book about a young man who was drafted into the the war with Vietnam. The paper describes the man's conflicting emotions and turmoil he feels about the war.
From the Paper "On June 17, 1968, Tim O'Brien received his draft notice. Many emotions must have erupted inside of him that day and in the following months to come. He said, "I remember the rage in my stomach. Later it burned down to a smoldering self-pity, then to numbness." In "On the Rainy River" O'Brien brings to life many places and characters to convey his feelings about his draft notice and the war in Vietnam. Elroy Berdahl and the Armour Meat Packing Plant for example brings to life and express to the readers his conflicting emotions about the war in Vietnam. Many feelings, such as desperation, rage, and fear come to the surface. "The emotions went from outrage to terror to bewilderment to guilt to sorrow and then back again to outrage.""
Abstract This paper explains that murder has a profound affect on man as depicted in Erich Maria Remarque's "All Quiet on the Western Front"
when the protagonist Paul Baumer, gradually moving from an idealistic German student to an embittered and realistic young man forced to both see and perpetuate senseless carnage on men, forgets the reason for hating. The author points out that trapped in the mud of the no-man's land, Paul has his illusions shattered fairly quickly, though he still seems to cling to the belief that there can still be gentleness and beauty in the world. The paper relates that, although Paul has been responsible for men's deaths before, he never witnessed the exact moment that they stopped breathing, until he stabbed a Frenchman in a trench; even after the man has finally died, Paul cannot find his way back to total sanity.
From the Paper "After several months in the war, Paul Baumer goes home. However, he is like the man from the country, who, once accustomed to the noise at night in the city, cannot readjust to the silence of the country. Coming home, he immediately realizes how many things have changed. He has become hardened, his mother is near death, and no one can comprehend what war is truly like. "But a sense of strangeness will not leave me, I cannot feel at home amongst these things. There is my mother, there is my sister, there my case of butterflies, and there the mahogany piano-but I am not myself there. There is a distance, a veil between us." (139). Paul is unable to resume the life he once led, even for just a few weeks. His father continually asks him questions, "...in a way I find stupid and distressing." (143). Paul is also offended by his old German-master, who patronizingly tells him, "You see only your little sector and so cannot have any general survey." (145). "
Abstract This paper explains that, at the beginning of the final act of "Hamlet", William Shakespeare foreshadows the bloody and carnage-filled conclusion to this tragedy by introducing views concerning the inevitability and finality of death through the dialogue between Hamlet and the two gravediggers. The author points out that, as Hamlet ponders the past profession of a skull, which has been carelessly tossed out of its grave, he is forced to realize that in death there is no social distinction. The paper concludes that, through Hamlet's reversal of opinion about the desirability of death and the discussion with the gravediggers, Shakespeare, who is readying the audience for the slaughter that is soon to commence, uses the scene as a means of commenting on his perception of death, the only lasting condition and the oldest profession.
From the Paper "With the new light shed upon the dark subject of death, Hamlet forces himself to reevaluate his death wishes. Through out the play, Hamlet sees death as a desirable end, worrying only about where his soul would go if he were to commit self-slaughter. At the height of his misery, he makes known his yearnings, exclaiming "O, that this too too sullied flesh would melt..." (1-2-129). It is clear that his coveted will is for a quick demise. Hamlet explains this further when he reveals his belief that his life is useless. After promising to bend his eye away from Wittneberg and towards Elsinore, Hamlet states "How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable/Seem to me all the uses of the world!" (1.2.133-134)."
Abstract In this article, the writer discusses that civil war monuments historically have depicted the plight and struggle of white confederate male soldiers and generals pitted against white union male soldiers and generals. The writer looks at the most remarkable monuments that commemorate the contributions of two underrepresented but vital populations supporting the Civil War efforts... black soldiers and women. The writer explains that black soldiers and women fought just as diligently for the cause of the union as did white soldiers, however, historically their efforts have largely been under represented in modern civil war art. The writer discusses the monuments of the Spirit of Freedom and the Peace Monument at the Capitol in Ohio that help depict the burden and carnage that under represented populations faced during the Civil War era.
Outline:
Introduction
Women in the Civil War
African American's in the Civil War
Conclusions
From the Paper "Like women, black soldiers have also failed to receive the recognition white males have for their contributions and sacrifices to the civil war. This changed only recently when that nation's first memorial was erected commemorating black soldiers who fought in the Civil War for the Union. The monument, entitled the "Spirit of Freedom" honors the more than 200,000 black soldiers who fought in the Union. It features several black soldiers armed for battle "on land and at sea" . These soldiers like women often fought without recognition behind the scenes. Unlike white soldiers, African Americans often had to fight for their own freedom as well as for the preservation of the union, thus more so than traditional soldiers they should be recognized for their dedication and service. Civil War historians suggest that roughly 10& of union soldiers included African Americans, of which more than 1/3 died serving their cause. While white soldiers were freely commemorated, black union soldiers received relatively little recognition even after the war."
Abstract This paper examines the far-reaching consequences of the September 11,2001 terrorist attack on America. The paper looks at the feelings of shock and disbelief shared by all Americans as well as how the intensity of the emotional and psychological reactions of Americans who lived in New York City or Washington D.C. tended to be more intense than the rest of the country because many of those living in New York or Washington D.C. knew some of the victims, had directly experienced the ferocity of the terrorist attacks, and were caught in the midst of the carnage unleashed.
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that, following the horror of the catastrophe and carnage of September 11, 2001, if there was ever any doubt that America's priorities needed to be changed, that doubt was now removed. The writer relates that America's leaders would begin to examine the nation's vulnerabilities, among the most glaring of which was the porousness of its borders - the vast influx of Mexican nationals across America's southwestern frontier. The writer notes that the flood of Mexicans across the United States border, though the result primarily of economic factors, has powerful implications for America's security. The writer points out that a serious analysis of the aims of America's national security strategy might look at whether illegal aliens truly present the terrorism problem that has been attributed to them. The writer concludes that while there may be real and significant reason to contain or eliminate illegal immigration from Mexico, and to seal the Southwestern border of the United States, government action does not seem to bear out the sense of urgency inherent in its rhetoric.
From the Paper "The Immigration and Naturalization Service was already putting operation plans that would treat alien groups as potential subversives, arrogating to itself extraordinary, seemingly extra-legal powers in the name of guarding against potential national security threats. The fear of alien incursion to which these contingencies react is based on a still larger problem, of which Mexico and other developing nations appear to partake. It is a similar to the problems that pervade much of the Muslim world, as well, and give rise to the feelings of hopelessness, despair, and frustration, that turn so many into terrorists."
"Globalization has led to a worldwide race for control of resources, both human and natural. The populations of developing nations, like Mexico, feel themselves more exploited than ever by the multinational corporations operating out of technologically-advanced nations like the United States."
