Master Sun Tzu’s Art of War really emphasizes the importance of deception and being smart while in battle. He also emphasizes being strong in all aspects. For example, feigning ability when you are able and when you are deploying troops, act like you are not. According to Sun Tzu, to lead your people well, you must have this mental ability and be able to see the big picture. You cannot get caught up in the little details of war, this will potentially cloud judgement and lead to defeat. This relates to midshipmen and the techniques used at the Naval Academy because all midshipmen are required to take a variety of classes, be athletes of some sort, as well as participate in a good amount military training. This combination of learning throughout our four years here at the Academy force us to adapt and become well-rounded individuals ready for the Fleet and ready to lead our people.

            For the academic part of our development, we are required to take classes in math, engineering, humanities, as well as military focused courses such as leadership and ethics. This ensures that we are able to think critically in the Fleet. It also ensures that every officer has a base foundation of math and technical skills.

            For the sports, intramurals/varsity sports as well as the PRT (physical readiness test), force midshipmen to work out and keep their body in good shape to be ready to commission. As for the military part of our development, midshipmen go to parades, formations, and mandatory events that sometimes eat up whole evenings. This is to teach time management and efficiency, which are both valuable skills to have as an officer.

            Sun Tzu states in Art of War that you should always “know the enemy, know yourself, and victory is never in doubt”. This relates to USNA because you must know yourself if you want to succeed here. You have to know your abilities and what your true motivation is to be able to grind it out every week. If you are able to commit your mind and know yourself as Sun Tzu says, victory (graduation) is virtually guaranteed. Sun Tzu also states “be ready for the unexpected”. This hold true at the academy as well because there are a lot of things thrown at you that could potentially put you in mental distraught and make you lose track of yourself. If you prepare yourself ahead of time and brace for things to go wrong and realize that it’s going to happen, the whole process becomes easier to handle and you will be back on your feet quicker.

            Sun Tzu’s Art of War and the philosophy embedded in it relates to the academy in many different ways, from being well-rounded in all aspects to knowing your own abilities as well as preparing for the worst. These values will prepare us to commission into the US Navy or Marine Corps as capable officers in the future if we hold true to them and learn from them.

-Peter Lohrbach

Word count: 505

Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” has a deep focus on the importance of logistics in war, placing a greater value on planning and thinking as opposed to reacting, and it outlines the many ways in which an army can be successful in war. It explores the roles of “making of plans”, the “strategic offensive”, and “the fray” in warfare, among others, and explains how each of these aspects contribute to war strategy. Some aspects of these strategies overlap with the tactics taught here at USNA that we then go on to use in the Navy and US military in general, however some clash in fundamental ways.

Tzu’s chapter on the “Making of Plans”, although maybe not intended to, provides a general summary of his military strategy. In this chapter, he emphasizes the importance of “The Way, Heaven, Earth, Command, [and] Discipline”(Tzu 4), the “Five Fundamentals”, in victory in warfare. It is in these fundamentals that we simultaneously see the key similarities and differences in Tzu’s tactics and the tactics taught at USNA. “The Way” emphasizes man’s dedication to their leaders; while dedication to leadership is a key aspect of our military strategy, we aren’t taught that our people should be “of one mind” with us. Instead, diversity is encouraged, and while we want close followers, we don’t want robots following us just because we are occupational leaders. “Heaven” emphasizes balance, which isn’t a tactic that we’re taught here at all. As an officer, your primary task is to lead your people, and you’re dedicated to that aspect of the job 100% of the time. “Earth” talks about analyzing your surroundings and gauging your environment, something heavily emphasized at USNA, since paying attention to detail is key to any military operation. “Command” outlines the key traits of a leader, describing a leader as wise, courageous, of integrity, compassionate, and severe. Except for “severe”, all of these are emphasized here at USNA. USNA values different leadership styles, and being severe is not always the best way to approach leadership, however these other listed traits are core traits of an officer, as emphasized by USNA. Finally, “Discipline” emphasizes organization in the military. This fundamental overlaps the most with USNA-taught tactics. Discipline here starts at I-Day and has no rest, and it is injected into every part of our life because of how big of a role it plays in the US military. All of these fundamentals speak to the importance of preparation in warfare, since all of them are things that must be practiced and planned prior to battle.

I think that the American military strategy that is taught here at USNA is more effective. In China’s history, it has gone through a series of periods of unrest both between and during the reign of different dynasties. China’s past is, therefore, unstable, largely as a result of many of its military policies that hurdled them into conflicts or clashes of varying degrees. America, on the other hand, while involved in varying armed conflicts, has actually grown stronger because of our military. In the case of China, I think their military actually destabilized the country at some points, but in the US the military actually provides stability. I think this can be attributed to America’s emphasis not on balance but on choice. Command is pretty subjective in the US military and there is no one right way to be a good leader, but Tzu’s strategy very clearly outlines the “rights and wrongs” to command. Overall, therefore, while there is significant overlap between Tzu’s ideas and the tactics taught here at USNA, in general, USNA-taught tactics are more effective because of the results they yield in the American military

–Katie Mackle

Word count: 600

Sources: 

Sun Tzu, “Art of War”

The best of stories are often seeded with a grain of truth. Nothing could be truer than the rise of the fictional Galactic Empire of the Star Wars universe. The Empire in Star Wars shares remarkable parallels on multiple fronts to the actual Roman Empire. These similarities and differences between these two empires are highlighted in what they were before empire, how they became an empire, and what they became after assuming the structure of an empire.

            The Roman and the Galactic Empires were republics before becoming empires. They both possessed a senate that functioned as the major decision making body for the country, but maintained the ability to appoint a leader in times of great challenge. The Romans a dictator, while the Galactic Republic had the ability appoint a Supreme Chancellor over the state (20th Century Fox). That power gave way to the fall of the republics and the rise of empires.       

In order for charismatic leaders to take over and create an empire they needed chaos. The Galactic Republic’s Supreme Chancellor Palpatine secretly orchestrated a civil war within the Republic (20th Century Fox). He caused the chaos then used it to consolidate the power of the state into an empire and his position as its emperor all in the name of stability and peace. He also possessed a military that was personally loyal to him in the form of a clone army. This rise of an empire, starting with the ambition of one man, is similar the actual rise of Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar possessed, like Palpatine, an army that was loyal to him over their country. With this army Caesar waged a civil war to take power with the marching of his legion across the Rubicon to Rome. He then legitimized the power he took by claiming he was the only path  to restoration. The Roman orator Cicero stated on the matter about Caesar, “It is for you and you alone, Gaius Caesar, to reanimate all that you see lying shattered” (Cicero, Pro Marcello 23). He was speaking about Caesar picking up the shattered pieces of Rome that Caesar himself had shattered. Rome at the point of Caesar’s take over differs, but still parallels the Galactic Empire under Palpatine.

The major difference post take over in both countries was simply a matter of semantics. The Galactic Empire under then Emperor Palpatine was called an empire. After Julius Caesar took over as a dictator of the Roman Republic, despite being run like an empire. The creation of the Roman Empire in name did not come until later.

The rise of the Roman Empire was a drama that rivals, even today, some of the world’s most popular screen writers. The essences of these two stories are remarkably similar and can be seen through observation of the fall of their republics and the rise of their empires. It is of such power to this day that even an institution as diverse and creative as America’s modern Hollywood cannot help but draw similarities to it.

• Robert Hatfield

Word Count: 504

Americans and Athenians are very similar in that they derive their self-worth from being from their respective country. They take pride in being American or Athenian. The major difference between the two is America has an extremely diverse population that makes up the country whereas Athens does not. This is why the situation that America has with “Dreamers” is different from Athens problem with Metics and slaves. America is ok with letting foreigners into their country because most people are descendants from foreigners. What they don’t want is immigrants illegally coming in and skating the laws that they have in place for proper citizenship. Athens outright did not want Metics or slaves to be called Athenians or to be allowed in the assembly.       

            Some would say that the two countries are basically going through the same problem. They would say that just like Athens, America is struggling with a racist sentiment towards these immigrants coming into their country and want nothing to do with them. Although it is true in some cases, the majority of America only wishes that these immigrants would come into the United States legally.

America does not mind letting foreigners into their country. What makes them upset is when people come into their country undocumented and illegally. Parents smuggling their children into the country just so that they can gain citizenship is in a way cheating the system. “I do not favor punishing children, most of whom are now adults, for the actions of their parents,” Trump said in a written statement issued shortly after attorney general Jeff Sessions announced the policy. “But we must also recognize that we are nation of opportunity because we are a nation of laws.” (Siddiqui) This stance taken by president trump is a common opinion in America. We do not wish to punish those who are in this situation but in order to stay true to ourselves we have to enforce our laws.

Athens was not okay with letting Metics and Slaves into the Assembly or allowing them to vote. As Pericles put it in the Funeral Oration Athens was a city that was built on “customs that brought us to this point, the form of government and the way of life that have made our city great” (Thucydides 3.36). This includes keeping citizenship to those who have two Athenian Parents. The fact that they passed this law shows that Athens is very different from America. Athens tried to keep their democracy pure blooded as possible whereas America allows anyone to be an American. America is considered a land of opportunity for foreigners to take advantage of whereas Athens was reserved for their citizens. Athens didn’t want anything to do with Metics or slaves in their assembly despite the help that they showed Athens by fighting in the war alongside them.

America and Athens were going through very similar problems in that they were both trying to figure out how to deal with allowing citizenship to foreigners. The largest difference between the two attempts at making policy is that America wants people to benefit from their country and Athens wants to keep their country pure blooded Athenian. This difference is why making policy to address the issue in the two countries is so different.

Andrew Beck

Word Count: 544

The points used to argue in favor of the American Republic form of democracy was well thought out. The main points being: tyranny by majority, minority representation, and longevity. There were a few points in regards to these arguments that could have been used to increase their effectiveness.

In the second body paragraph an image of the United States to the Athenian empire could have been useful addition to the argument direct democracy drowns out voices. The geographic and logistical limitations of direct democracy are massive. A large number of Americans do not vote on the one day a year they really need to, if they personally had to vote on every bill they would never be represented.

The last paragraph on longevity successfully made a powerful comparison to the age of the two countries in favor of a republic. The use of other republican democracies longevities could have been an interesting addition to the proof of concept outside of the United States. The decline of Athens is almost directly responsible to their direct democracy. The people wanted an easier life where they got paid to go to festivals. This may have been the will of the people, but it was not what the country needed to stay strong. That is why Athens became easy pickings to be conquered. The will of the majority is not allows put in perspective, and the time republican form of government gives people to really decide if they want something is a major advantage as well.

• Robert Hatfield

Word Count: 252

The overall message of this blog is accurate. When an absolute autocrat is in charge of a country they need a reliable heir to take over rule when they die. A few of the connections between Alexander the Great and Kim Jong-Un could have have been elaborated on for greater effect.

At the very start of this post is written, “to claim connection to divinity are all mortal”. The fact Alexander claimed to be a descendent of a god and the Kims are literally worshipped in North Korea is a major connection that could be been capitalized on. Alexander solidified power over his Persian territories with his divine status and the Kim dynasty in North Korea has different context, but in a similar way solidified power with the cult like devotion that is instilled in the North Korean people at a young age.

The other major difference to be made was the actual process by which these men took over and gained recognition from other nations. Alexander had to fight and secure Greece upon his father’s death. Kim Jong-Un did not have to fight to gain power. To gain recognition or attention Alexander conquered most of the known world. Kim has made lots of threats, but is the leader of a country that has not been in active war since the 1950s. In an essence Alexander’s power was established more through his own action while Kim’s power could be argued came more from the work of others.  

• Robert Hatfield

Word Count: 248

Pericles’ Glorious Reign vs Maduro’s Failing Dictatorship

Currently in Venezuela, there is a presidential crisis occurring due to the claimed “invalidity” of Nicholas Maduro’s reelection.  On the 10^th of January, the National Assembly of Venezuela, which is in opposition of Nicholas Maduro, stated that Juan Guaido was to be the temporary president while this conflict was resolved. Under the rule of Nicholas Maduro, Venezuela has undergone a “socioeconomic crisis” dating back to the beginning of his election to office in 2010. Crime, hyperinflation, and wide-spread poverty and suffering increased dramatically, causing the discontentment of many citizens, leading to a call for change in government authorities to combat the latter situations. Maduro, after being replaced by Juan Guaido as an interim president, refused to leave presidential office, and accused the United States of America of secretly supporting and fueling a coup against his presidency. Maduro referred to Guaido as being controlled by a “well-written script from Washington”, and claimed that the U.S. intends to create another Vietnam from Venezuela.

            Nicholas Maduro’s rule is in some ways the antithesis of Pericles’ rule, yet is similar in terms of influence and power. During Maduro’s term as president, he managed to combine enough governmental powers to be considered the de facto dictator of Venezuela. Pericles, although loved by his constituents, ruled basically as a tyrant in a pre 5^th century sense. His power was acknowledged and addressed by Thucydides, when he stated, “For what you possess, to speak plainly, is a tyranny. It may have been wrong to acquire your empire, but it would be folly to give it up.” (Thucydides 2.63). Maduro’s presidency in this way mirrors that of Pericles, since both Venezuela and Athens at the time, are variations of democracy. Slowly however their power began to build, either because of popularity, in the case of Pericles, or due to scheming and underlying motives like those of Maduro. While there is much opposition to Maduro as president mainly due to the suffering due to Venezuela’s socioeconomic crisis, Pericles in comparison, was loved and adored by those he reigned over. He was the singular character credited with the ushering in of a new era, known as the Athenian Golden Age. Maduro on the other hand, is blamed for Venezuela’s problems, as they were first born under the rule of Hugo Chavez who was president before him and have only grown bigger during his term.

This major difference illustrates the importance of catering to what is best for your constituency, which is generally just tied to constitutional ruling. Back in Ancient Athens, it may have been more effective to have most of the power held by one person because the populous were not as informed as those today. This can be attributed to the ease of access to information nowadays, and the laws set requiring education of citizens as children. Having the power of a country residing in one person in contemporary society by comparison is likely to be a lot less effective in that the increased amount of aware educated people who are able to participate in democracy and congress generally leads to better more informed decisions. Socrates, and Ancient Greek philosopher expressed similar concerns with democracy that through public school systems, are slightly remedied: “who would you ideally want deciding who was in charge of the vessel, just anyone, or people educated in the rules and demands of seafaring?” (Socrates, VI).  As people as a whole have become more educated, their involvement in politics trends towards better outcomes as a result of the latter. Maduro did a poor job in governing Venezuela, and was incapable of providing relief for the humanitarian crisis occurring causing an attempt to change leadership. This was not a problem for Pericles in that he was successful in his legislature and execution, which lead to the contentment of Athenians.

–Molly Gillcrist

Word Count: 577

The Roman Empire was reaching new heights under Caesar. He was popular amongst the people, made reforms to solve problems that had been plaguing the Romans, and forgave his enemies. He was charismatic, strategic, and powerful. Yet, the Senate decided that he was too powerful, and ended up assassinating him, leaving no children and the only relation being a great-nephew that was still only in his teens. Caesar’s rivals saw this as an opportunity, to either seize power or to take advantage of the new, possibly easily swayed heir. Yet, Augustus proved to be more than they expected, being absolutely brilliant as a politician and a leader and establishing himself as one that could not be taken advantage of.

Similarly, when Kim Jong-il died, it was at first, unclear who would take full power. Kim Jong-un was named the heir, but what his exact role was unknown. Due to his inexperience, it was assumed to Kim Jong-un would have a regent to rule for him. Yet he was able to fill the shoes of his father and to solidify his position as the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. He even went as far as to eliminate the competition for his position and to any dissenters through purges. His uncle, who was assumed to fill the position of regent was arrested and executed for treachery. His very existence was attempted to be erased, as his close and extended family were also executed. Multiple political purges happened, resulting in the deaths of different members that could threaten Kim’s position as the Supreme Leader.

When Caesar’s great nephew, Octavian, first came to power, other members of the Senate assumed that they could take advantage of him and attempted to do so. Yet he quickly proved his competence by forming the Second Triumvirate with Mark Antony and Lepidus, which was an official alliance between the three that made the most of their military, political, social, and monetary power. He then proceeded to take revenge against those that stood against Caesar, through actions such as driving them “into exile, punishing their crime through the proper-law courts, and afterwards, when they made war on the state, defeated them twice in battle.” (Augustus 2.1) He was nicknamed the Teenage Tyrant as a result of his willingness to exact revenge on those involved in the plot against Caesar through various executions and murders.

Kim Jong-un followed in very similar footsteps to Augustus following the death of their predecessors. Their ability to rule was questioned and attempted to be taken advantage of, and their retaliated with quick and brutal methods that showed their competence and how much they deserved the throne. The quick power struggle which is involved in new rulers proving themselves able to fill the shoes of those before them can be seen as a rite of passage, to ensure that these people are capable of leading the country to greatness. Through our experiences of the past, we can use it to test these leaders and see the strength of these heirs through the trials that they are put through.

-Eugene Om

Word Count-492

The similarities between the Athenian laws on Metics and slaves becoming citizens and America’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy (DACA) are overwhelmingly clear. In ancient Athens, Metics and slaves were originally not allowed to become citizens based solely off of their heritage. If they weren’t full-blooded Athenian, they were denied citizenship. No “half-bloods” allowed. Also, slaves were not able to be considered citizens because they were property to the Athenian people and lacked legal rights. Slaves were also unable to control the path of their life.  Although the laws of modern America are not as severe, they are still comparable. In America, you must be born on American soil or live in the country using a green card or VISA for 5 years to gain citizenship. In both cases, where you originate from is a key determining factor in whether you are granted citizenship or not.

One prime example of the unfairness of this rule in Athens was of Lysias. Even after all the good deeds and benefits he brought to Athens, he was still not granted a spot to vote in the assembly. His fate was ultimately determined by his heritage and where he came from, which he obviously could not control. In ancient Athens, if you weren’t a citizen, you couldn’t vote in assemblies or political matters. This was grossly unfair to the slaves and Metics, as they lived in Athens but couldn’t vote for matters that would affect them directly.

In modern America, the DACA is a step in the right direction to correct the unfair nature of immigration laws. Like Lysias, the children that were brought to America illegally and raised in America were put in this situation beyond their control. The logical train of thought would be to let the DACA protected children gain citizenship as long as they do not demonstrate traits that are detrimental to the country such as terrorism and crime. However, in my opinion, there should be a line. For example, if the child is directly related to a known terrorist or something of the sort, he may not be allowed into the country. Another alternative is to place them in a program that would assimilate them into American society smoothly.

Ancient Athens and modern America have many similarities concerning their immigration laws. The black and white citizenship policies in Athens restricted many types of people, including slaves and Metics. In America, if you weren’t born on American soil, you cannot become a citizen until 5 years of residency. Both of these policies are unfair in the sense that the person cannot control whether they become citizens or not. It is not a merit-based policy.

-Peter Lohrbach

Word Count- 446

Sources:

https://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/Print/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartH.html

https://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/Print/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartH.html

The fight for citizenship for slaves and metics in the Athenian assemblies has a closely linked struggle to the children fighting for citizenship in the United States through the Deferred Action for Childhood (DACA) program. Although one should not over generalize and identify children that are living in the United States illegally as slaves (as in ancient Greece), we can still make a close comparison between the citizenship struggles of the two.

In ancient Athens, metics and slaves were not considered citizens. There was controversy over this fact through Athens’ existence; however, no matter how much legislation was presented, metics and slaves remained non citizens due to their nature. Metics were non-Athenians who found living in Athens more appealing than their own hometowns. Likewise, slaves were property of their owners and were not given citizenship rights. “This was not the treatment that we deserved at the city’s hands… when we showed ourselves men of orderly life, and performed every duty laid upon us; when we had made not a single enemy, but had ransomed many Athenians from the foe” (Lysias 12.20). This quote refers to the struggle that slaves and metics felt. After proving themselves, in war as rowers and civilized counter parts of Athenian citizens, they were still struggling for citizenship. Even though metics and slaves may have functioned much like legitimate Athenian citizens, they were never classified as such because of the fixed definition of an Athenian citizen: one coming from two Athenian parents.

In the United States, children of immigrants have a similar story to metics and slaves in Athens. Dreamers are not necessarily brought to the United States because of the appeal as metics are brought to Athens; however, as a result of their parents or guardians, they are brought to the United States illegally most likely in hopes of a better future. This is a program that provided amnesty to children that came to the United States under the age of 16. In 2016, DACA  faced major opposition from President Trump, much like the metics and slaves did in ancient Athens. President Trump argued (Schallhorn).

Both illegally immigrated children, metics, and slaves have similar issues regarding citizenship among their nation. As a result of predetermined traits, these groups of people have been denied citizenship due to the very definition of what it means to be an American or Athenian. The debates we had in class opened my eyes to the dedication and work that slaves and metics put into the namesake of Athens. Whether they contributed to the Athenian economy or served in wars, they were an integral part of the Athenian society. This is also typical of most illegal immigrants. They want to work, raise a family, and contribute to American society just as everyone else does.

Word count: 463

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/what-is-daca-and-what-does-the-trump-administration-want-to-do-with-it