The similarities between The Mongol Regime and Hitler’s Nazi Regime

The Mongol Empire through using methods of brutality through its quick expansion resembles the Hitler Nazi Regime in Europe in the 1900s. The Mongol Empire was known as the largest empire in history expanding its influence by conquering parts of central Asia, China, and attempting to taking Europe. The Mongol empire was able to accomplish vast expansion because of Genghis Khan’s leadership in which he united the steppe people into a cohesive group that became an unstoppable force. For the first time, the steppe peoples identities were broken down, and instead shifted into a new identity of the Mongol people. Through the new Mongolian national identity that was created, there was a sense of pride that coupled with loyalty. Genghis Khan’s strong force of supporters “swore a personal oath of loyalty” or otherwise known as a “blood oath”. Adolf Hitler who led the Nazi Regime, resembles Genghis Khan’s mentality, possessing similar characteristics and aggressive goals. In 1939, in a speech to his armed commanders he says, “Our strength is in our quickness and our brutality. Genghis Khan had millions of women and children killed by his own will and a gay heart”(Brietman), showing that Hitler looked highly upon the tactics of Genghis Khan, adopting the mentality to his own philosophy. Adolf Hitler was successful because he garnered large masses of supporters who were devoted to his ideologies, and willing to do anything he said because of the trust and allegiance to both him as a leader and his party. Similar to Genghis Khan who unified the steppes people into a single identity, one of Hitler’s main goals was to unify the German state and create a “lebensraum” or German living state. He convinced the German people with “appealing ideas of a Utopian world along with frightful images of enemies it deemed threats to those dreams”. Hitler and Genghis Khan both were charismatic leaders who enjoyed loyal support by employing incentives to their people, allowing them to both quickly and efficiently achieve their goals.

They were able to rapidly expand without heavy opposition because of their superior military forces and tactics which they employed on conquering states. Genghis Khan made improvements to Persian and Chinese weapons including new technology such as an array of developed bows and an exceptional calvary, demonstrating both the strength and capabilities of the Mongols as a fighting force. Types of bows included the composite bow, which was twice the range of the prominent English bow. Some bows were methods to not kill but instill fear in their enemies such as one which made a deafening whistling noise and another which was meant to just impel wounds. These mechanisms exhibited the Mongol’s intention to inflict suffering. The Mongol army also used trickery to exaggerate the size of the army, depicting their willingness to use any tactic that would give them an advantage over their enemy. Besides making new technological advancements on dangerous weapons such as toxic gases, the Nazi’s also used trickery as a means of power, as Adolf Hitler used deception within his propaganda. He used treachery to condone his propaganda of war and mass murder to his own people. More significantly, he lied to other European countries about his intentions to expand, hiding both his capabilities and resolve. An example of this was when Britain and France attempted to use the policy of Appeasement as a peace offering, but Hitler saw it as a plug to bolster his power and invaded Rhineland instead.

Both the Mongols and the Nazi’s used methods of torture to achieve their goals, demonstrating their brutality. The Mongols not only conquered lands and looted cities, but slew women and children as well as taking prisoners. Not taking into account of humanity, the Nazi’s also treated their enemies in the same manner, as Jews and inferiors were treated as animals such as in concentration camps. Both regimes depict their ability to assert their dominance and superiority through methods of brutality in the expansion

-Caroline Foley

Word Count:600

https://www.ushmm.org/information/exhibitions/traveling-exhibitions/state-of-deception

Breitman, Richard. “Hitler and Genghis Khan.” Journal of Contemporary History, vol. 25, no. 2/3, 1990, pp. 337–351. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/260736.

Ancient and Modern Confucianism

Confucianism heavily influenced the formation of Chinese government and bureaucracy beginning in 500 B.C.E. when Kong Fuzi created a set of philosophies- otherwise known as Confucianism- that advocated for acceptance of “men of jen” (Spodek, 209) into the leading parts of society. He believed that these values of Confucianism, emphasizing the importance of education, could better the Chinese government and lead to future prosperity at the hands of scholar leaders. Qin Shi Huangdi, although predating Confucius, was the first to alter his government to highlight the importance of education. Confucius later when touching on the importance of education noted in his Analects that “To study without thinking is futile. To think without studying is dangerous” (2.15). Previous to his rule, government officials were chosen based on personal or familial ties, but Qin’s decision to elect officials based on merit revolutionized the Chinese government. Idealistically this shift to a government inhabited by those whose proved worth was determined by score on a literacy test would lead to more informed and thought-through decisions being made, and ultimately a more competent virtuous council.

Ruling by Confucian scholars has its advantages. Confucianism preaches the inherent goodness of education and virtuousness. Those who lead should be moral, and should look out for the best interests of the society which they are in charge of. This serves to combat the tyranny of selfish kings, and prevents the neglect of certain classes or groups of people by a government who is supposed to take care of them. The emphasis of education as well is vital to the popularity and successfulness of Confucian thought in that those with higher education levels typically are more capable of ruling over a dynasty, and are able to fix problems efficiently, and foresee potential future crises that can be resolved before they occur. In chapter two of Confucius’ Analects, he states, “The Master said: He who rules by virtue is like the polestar which remains unmoving in its mansion while all the other stars revolve respectfully around it” (2.1). This further illustrates the authority one receives from not only being in a position of power, but also from being widely respected.

Although Confucianism is typically associated with Ancient China, it contains many values and ideas that carry on and are seen in modern society. Many American institutions today value merit-based government structures that Confucianism preaches the value of. Our very government is relatively Confucianist, in that those voted into office are seen by the people as virtuous and intelligent, and capable of acting in the country’s best interest always. Officials who lack virtuousness and selflessness in regards to the country, are rarely voted into office. Although the United States does not have tests based specifically on Confucianism, Confucianism encompasses many aspects of contemporary life, especially in formal structures of government and businesses.

–Molly Gillcrist

Word Count: 411

Tolerance in the Great Empires

In less than a century, the Mongols managed to create one of the largest empires to ever exist. Their brutal tactics and nomadic style allowed them to continue expanding at an extraordinary rate which was unlike any seen before. This can also be compared to the United States of America and their rise to power.

The Mongols used superior tactics and firepower to completely eradicate everyone in their way and struck fear into the hearts of many. This was emphasized in The Perfect History, where they were compared to the Antichrist and determined to be worse than them. It was mentioned how the Mongols massacred everyone in their way to a point that not even the Antichrist would. The Mongols were also compared to Alexander the Great, and were noted to have even better efficiency and tactics than him and his empire, resulting in achieving a much larger empire in a tenth of the time. (Athir, 13.1b) However, they were also able to rule their empire with tolerance and allowed the territory under their command to have essentially complete self rule. The Pax Mongolica was shown to have tolerance of foreign religions as a primary point and to allow for intermingling of cultures to occur. Apart from paying a tax to the Mongols, life in the area proceeded as usual.

This combined mixture of absolute military superiority and hgh levels of cultural tolerance can also be seen in the rise of the United States. The United States can be considered as a melting pot of cultures, with no laws banning certain religions or establishing others as a designated state religion. Furthermore, the United States grew on immigrants coming from all around the world to form its diverse culture that we have today. However, the expansion of the United States is primarily based on its ability to be dominant over other countries and Native Americans. The primary method of expansion for the Americans was winning wars against weaker countries. Through America’s ability to win wars effectively against other countries and the Native American population, they were able to expand. The American treatment of the Natives was brutal and often inhumane. They saw them as barbarians and treated them as such. They forcibly removed them from areas that they lived in, showing cases of brutality with wars against them. However, once these lands were cleared, Americans allowed people to live on them with relatively general religious freedom.

The differences between the great, brutal but tolerant Mongolian empire and the United States of America with its militaristic methods of expansion while maintaining its symbol as the melting pot of the world are very slim. These two different empires have a large amount of similarities in their characteristics and can be compared very well.

-Eugene Om

Word Count-459

The Mongols Compared to Indian Removal

The Mongol Empire at its height stretched from Eastern Europe all the way to China’s coast on the Sea of Japan. Starting under Genghis Khan in 1206, the Mongolian Empire began its rapid expansion. At the Empire’s peak, the Empire was one of the largest in history. Even more impressive, the Mongols were able to achieve one of the largest empires in history in less than 100 years. The Mongols were able to achieve such an expansive empire in a short period for two key reasons: swift conquering and brutality. The Mongols would speed of attack was a defining characteristic of the Empire. The Mongols would “[remain] only for so long as their march required”, showing the speed of the campaigning Mongols. The Mongols were also known for their brutality when conquering. When attacking a village or city, the Mongols would “[destroy] them to the full.” The Mongolian destruction entailed plundering the village of any valuable items and killing all residents or the village. The swift speed of the Mongols and destruction of entire villages led to the empire’s success and fear throughout Europe and Asia.

Similar to the Mongols in speed and effectiveness, the American Government’s removal of Native Americans displays similar traits to the Mongols’ conquest of Asia and Europe. America tried to claim Native American land since the time when America was only a British Colony. Often, the disputes and seizing of land by America was only minor and unorganized. The dynamic changed in the early 19^th century when President Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal act. Much like the Mongols’ conquest of Asia and Europe, the American Government’s removal of the Native Americans was swift and effective. Under Jackson’s Indian Removal act, the majority of Native Americans were relocated from their native lands in the eastern United States to the Indian Reservation lands in modern day Oklahoma in 15 years. Another similarity to the Mongols was the use of brutality in the relocation of the American Indians. While the American Government did not slaughter entire Indian tribes like the Mongols, the forced removal did use the United States Army as a threatening force, and many Native American died during the journey from the eastern United States to the Indian Reservation lands. Although the American Government did not intend to use brutality to remove the Native Americans from the eastern United States, ultimately the use of brutality allowed for the rapid expansion of Americans into new lands.

The Mongols and United States shared a few key similarities in their rapid conquest of land. Both used speed and brutality in order to strike fear into their enemies and quickly claim land. Overall, the comparison of American and the Mongols shows the Machiavelli principle of the ends justify the means. Although both showed a lack of regard towards human decency, ultimately the territorial expansion was still successful, leading to a successful campaign.

Mark Rogerson

475

The Inevitable Spread of Christianity

The Roman Empire adopted the Hellenistic pagan beliefs of the Greeks, what we call “Greek mythology.” The pagan beliefs that people held in the Roman Empire were varied, with most people favoring a single god, or treating it as a tradition. Roman mythology was not a religion that inspired the people of an empire to stand united, but Christianity was. Although Constantine helped Christianity spread through the empire greatly, the spread of Christianity was inevitable due to its universal appeal.

The polytheistic beliefs that the Romans had were not universal in nature. The Romans all worshiped different gods from their mythology so there was no strong unity in beliefs and values. It also did not have a strong structure or scripture as the stories of Roman mythology were usually passed down orally through generations. Christianity on the other hand, had a holy book which allowed people to adhere to a clear doctrine that people could use to guide their morals. Because of the Bible, people claimed they could interpret the book in a superior way and this led to church officials, such as bishops, popes, etc.

The doctrine of Christianity itself appeals strongly to the poor, as it promotes kindness towards them and charity, the Bible even says, “Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the Lord will take up their case and will exact life for life.” (Proverbs 22:22-23) In addition, Christianity explicitly states in the Bible to “preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) This verse encouraged missionaries to spread the religion to anybody and everybody, a practice that is utilized to this day by Christians and something that Roman mythology lacked.

The Battle of Milvian Bridge was one of the first events that helped spread Christianity in the Roman Empire. As Constantine was preparing for battle with his army he claimed that he saw a “trophy of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, and bearing the inscription, Conquer by this,” (Eusebius 28) and this was the first step in the spread of the religion. Furthermore, the Edict of Milan, which made Christianity a legal religion, and the founding of Constantinople, a Christian city, helped cement the religion in the Roman Empire. However, Constantine was not the primary reason that Christianity “won.” Christianity spread like a plague and its growth was unmatched by any religion up to that point in Rome. Julian the Apostate, emperor after Constantine’s son lost in battle to him, tried to bring Hellenistic pagan beliefs to take the place of Christianity by stripping Christian’s rights and reopening pagan temples. Ultimately, the pagan beliefs did not have the compelling universal appeal that Christianity had, which gives evidence that the spread of Christianity was inevitable.

-Kevin Smith

Word Count: 409

Mongols vs. Nazi Germany

The Mongols were an unmatched fighting force that spread very rapidly with an unprecedented amount of brutality. Most people cannot comprehend how a group of people would be able to come together over such a terrible idea such as the mass slaughtering of cities. One society, that is a lot closer in history to us then the Mongols, that matched the Mongols in speed and brutality is Nazi Germany. Nazi Germany used tactics such as concentration camps and Blitzkrieg in order to rapidly spread throughout most of Europe with extreme ease. These methods were unprecedented and brutal towards the people that the Nazi’s used them on.

Some would say that the Mongol Empire was a much more extreme take over than Nazi Germany was. They would reference how the Mongols managed to capture the most land by almost any empire ever in the world second to only the British Empire in the nineteen twenties. Although this is true, the Germans still managed to capture all of Europe during what could arguably be a much harder time to do so with the technology at the time. Also the two countries were extremely similar in the amount of brutality that they showed towards people.

The Mongols managed to remain feared by making people feel thing such as “For even the Antichrist will spare such as follow him, though he destroy those who oppose him; but these spared none, slaying women and men and children, ripping open pregnant women and killing unborn babes.” (Ibn al-Athir, c. 1225) They were extremely violent and because of it they were able to take entire cities just by the mind games that they played. The Nazis also played mind games in order to help them conquer most of Europe. Hitler was an extremely motivational speaker and was able to rally a lot of people behind a common enemy, the Jews. Through making a common enemy Hitler was able to join groups who may not have had much in common before, but because of this new enemy, they could work together. As a result of the mind games that the Nazis played Concentration camps started to appear. These camps were extremely brutal towards the Jews and at the height of their power killed 15,000 people per day. “In fact, roughly 25 percent of all Holocaust victims were murdered from August to October 1942, which is quite likely the deadliest three months in Human history.” (Doyle Rice)

Not only were the Nazis brutal like the Mongols, but they also employed quick attacking tactics against their enemies as well. The Nazis used an attack tactic called Blitzkrieg which means flash war in English. They would attack people by using a concentration of armored and motorized formations with close air support which would break through opponents by powerful attacks. Like the Mongols the Germans were successful in taking over land in large amounts.

Although Nazi Germany was not as large as the Mongol Empire they were still able to match the Mongols speed and brutality within warfare. Through the tactics such as concentration camps and Blitzkrieg the Nazis were able to rapidly spread throughout most of Europe with extreme ease.

— Andrew Beck

Word Count: 529

Blog #5: Confucian Bureaucracies and the SAT

Throughout many of the ancient Chinese dynasties, Confucianism was the dominant philosophy and positions in the bureaucracies were determined by literacy tests on the Confucian classics. While this practice allowed for continuity of culture and the theoretical possibility for anyone to advance in the bureaucracy, in reality it limited participation in government to the middle and upper classes. In this, we can see ties to the modern use of standardized testing in American college admissions.

Confucian values were very effective as a governing philosophy as they focused on unity, loyalty, and piety. For example, under Confucianism, the principles of li and jen shaped how people lived their lives. These ideas emphasized order and harmony, which supported the organized, efficient nature of the bureaucracy. As well, the obedience emphasized by Confucianism supported the bureaucracy and stability of the dynasty, as it encouraged all subjects to be loyal to their leader. As Confucius said “A man who respects his parents and his elders would hardly be inclined to defy his superiors. A man who is not inclined to defy his superiors will never foment a rebellion” (Confucius 1.2). In this, the principles of Confucianism supported the idea of and efficiency of the bureaucracy.

While Confucian values supported the bureaucracy, the method of requiring people to be educated in Confucian teachings had both positive and negative effects on the success of the bureaucracy. In theory, only requiring knowledge of Confucian teachings opens up the bureaucracy to anyone, which encourages participation in government and opens up the potential talent pool. In reality, it restricted participation in the bureaucracy to the upper classes who were able to get education, as the poorer peasants did not have the time or money to get educated on Confucian ideas in order to take the tests. Therefore, this caused resentment among the lower classes, which destabilized the dynasties with Confucian bureaucracies.

In the alleged social mobility through education, we can see connections to modern life. The SAT—one of the most common college admission tests—is designed to only require basic knowledge and focus on testing thinking and reasoning skills in order to “open doors to college” (College Board). Yet, for students with the financial means available to pay for it, coaching can help improve SAT scores (The Washington Post). In this, upper-class students have an advantage on the SAT and therefore in getting into higher education.

In both the Confucian bureaucracies of early imperial China and in the college admission system of modern America, we can see that using education as a pathway to desired positions in society is fair and inclusive in theory, it gives a distinct advantage to the upper classes in reality.

-Hanna Prince

Word Count: 415

Works Cited

Confucius. The Analects. Translated by Simon Leys; edited by Michael Nylan. Norton Critical Editions. New York: W. W. Norton, 2014.

“The SAT Suit of Assessments: Benefits.” College Board. Accessed 04/01/2019. https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/about/benefits.

Strauss, Valerie. “Can coaching truly boost SAT scores? For years, the College Board said no. Now it says yes.” The Washington Post. 05/09/2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/05/09/can-coaching-truly-boost-sat-scores-for-years-the-college-board-said-no-now-it-says-yes/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.df311b090f96.

The Similarities between America and the Mongols

The Similarities between America and the Mongols

The Mongol Empire is often viewed as an extremely tolerant regime- to their own people- that came up extremely quickly. However, if one was unlucky enough to not be Mongolian, or stand in the way of their expansion, then they would face an almost certain death, as the Mongol regime left no human left alive during their expansion conquests. The way of the Mongolian Empire is rather rare, with the likes of this contradiction between being tolerant or brutal a hard line to rule on. There is one regime, contrary to the popular Western belief, that has followed in a similar manner: the United States of America. At first, the idea of the United States being similar sounds ridiculous as we have always been taught that the United States was founded off of the principles of democracy and freedom, but when taking a deeper look into our history, some correlation can be seen.

The United States has been around for 243 years which sounds like a substantial amount of time, but, compared to other regimes, this is miniscule. In the short time the US has been around, the US surged to becoming a world power as early as 1919 and has held that spot since. Similar to the Mongols, the US spread rapidly and has grown exponentially.

Furthermore, the Mongols, when viewed by other people, are described as the antiChrist for their tolerance and the way in which their brutal fighting ways terrorized different areas of Asia, “ … the various nationalities which dwell in that region, and plundered, slew, and destroyed them to the full” (“The Perfect History” 200). Similarly, the US preaches the freedoms offered within the country, but, to some around the world, these freedoms are viewed as horrific. For example, within radical Islamic organizations, the teachings of the US are spoken down upon and, quite frankly, frighten these people. This is one of the many cases that view the United States’ tolerance poorly as other societies do so as well. However, the brutality of the United States is most paralleled to the Mongols. How can a country that preaches freedom and peace have been involved in slavery, atomic bombings, police brutality, and many more instances of destruction? Let us examine the atomic bombings, for instance.

Although there are mixed views on if the atomic bombs should have been dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the United States often teaches the bombings to have been good, as it forced Japan to surrender, ending World War II. This is similar in the way that the Mongolian people describe their acts of brutality, “Appointed by mighty Heaven and escorted by Mother Earth, we made man’s enemy, the people of the Merkits, empty their breasts and tore their livers in half” (“The Secret History” 198). Both regimes do not hide their brutality but, instead, make it seem acceptable and show their positive views on the situation. But, in reality, both regimes caused mass destruction. When the atomic bombings are taught around the world, they are viewed down upon. Many countries do not see any good in what the bombs brought, as they only caused more casualties than needed. Just like the Mongols, who other countries viewed poorly for their lack of care of human life.

The idea that the United States shares similarities to the Mongols may sound absurd, but, after further analysis, the mix of brutality and tolerance between the two are closer than previously believed.

https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1-ssu0bY4aiZdSevCi3nfAj7mYlCKuPly

Pablo Loza

Word Count: 522

Genghis Khan: One of a Kind or Alexander Copycat?

One of the first things I learned about Genghis Khan is that approximately 0.5% of men on the entire planet are his descendents. Considering how big the world is, this speaks bounds to how prolific the Mongol Empire grew in both power and area under his leadership. On the surface, the Mongols and their rise to power are merely a freak historical anomaly. However, history tends to repeat itself in one form or another. The Mongolian expansion across Asia and into Europe is not so different from Alexander the Great’s conquests nearly a millennium prior in the 4th Century, CE.

Both great empires rose from similar political situations with the unification of warring tribes and city states to form large, unified forces. The Macedonian phalanx was an extremely lethal and innovative fighting strategy initiated by Alexander’s father Philip. The Mongols also fought with the technological breakthroughs of the composite bow and siege weapons. Having the most advanced military capabilities of their time made each military a lethal force which could conquer massive swaths of land in relatively little time. In Ibn al-Athir’s The Perfect History, he compares the Mongolian invasions to Alexander when he “conquered the world”(al-Athir). Both Alexander and the Mongols were also viewed as possessing supernatural characteristics. Alexander was considered a demi-god and was frequently depicted with horns in his head, relating him to Zeus. Those who were victims of the Mongolian conquest feared that even God could not stop the merciless horde which descended upon them (al-Athir). These divine interpretations gave both conquerors a sort of supernatural aura to their campaigns.

Unlike many other massive conquests throughout history, neither one specifically intended to spread their culture onto their conquered people. The Mongols were known for their tolerance, however not only was Alexander tolerant of the culture of those he conquered, he even adopted many aspects of Persian culture. After Alexander conquered the Persian Empire, he proceeded to adopt the traditional clothing and customs of a Persian ruler, while still maintaining some of his own cultural practices. His adoption of Persian customs went so far that his fellow Macedonians began to oppose “his vision of a bicultural future” (Demand).

These striking similarities of military innovations, revolutionary regional unifications, and transcontinental conquests coupled with cultural tolerance prove that the Mongolian Invasion was not an isolated phenomenon. These similarities are just another example of the idea that history tends to repeat itself in one way or another. This leads you to question: is any great leader or conquest truly original?

-Ben Stanish

Word Count: 422

Sources:

Demand Ch. 15

Ibn al-Athir, The Perfect History

The Mongols vs. ISIS

The Mongol Empire parallels the modern Islamic State (ISIS) in various ways, including in the high level of terror that they instilled, their militaristic and expansionist tendencies, and their lack of an official “home”. Prior to their expansion, the Mongols existed to the north of China. They were nomads, separated into different tribes but ultimately united by Genghis Khan, who hurdled them into a crusade of conquest throughout the Asian continent. Still, though they were united, they remained highly mobile, which enabled them to not only move and attack quickly, but also build and maintain a widespread presence. This mobility ultimately enabled them to launch brutal attacks for expansion. The terror they instilled is epitomized in Ibn al-Athir’s “The Perfect History”, in which he describes the Mongolian period of expansion as “the greatest catastrophe and the most dire calamity… which befell all men generally”. In his eyes, the Mongol reign is the worst thing to have happened up to that point. In these attacks, as described by al-Athir, they were not only quick, but also extremely violent, slaughtering whole civilizations. In addition to being quick and violent, they were highly efficient. They employed trickery in their invasions, feigning withdrawals and then launching a surprise attack, using hostages as human shields, and exaggerating the size of their armies with dummies on horseback. This trickery, in addition to their speed, instilled terror in the people they conquered, which was only furthered by Genghis Khan’s clear desire to continue expanding (his desire to conquer is one of the main reasons why the Mongols were able to be so successful in their expansions).

Similarly, the modern terrorist organization ISIS is clearly militaristic, with expansionist visions and no clear bounds of functioning, paralleling the Mongol Empire. Although not technically a regime, ISIS functions and identifies as a state, with one of their ultimate goals being to establish a recognized Islamic State known as a caliphate. However, ISIS lacks an official “home”, as did the Mongols, which is one of the main reasons why they were able to be successful. Neither regime was tied down to defending specific land because their people moved continuously as they expanded, which put them at an advantage to other stationary empires. This also allows ISIS (and the Mongols) to be highly mobile. This mobility, similarly to the Mongols, enables ISIS to instill widespread fear because they have no boundaries- they commit acts worldwide, so nobody truly feels “safe” from them. Additionally, ISIS has a similar expansionist mindset. Although they don’t necessarily want to conquer all of the Middle East, they do want to push other governments and national boundaries so that they can establish their own state. Furthermore, the means by which they achieve their goals, similar to the Mongols, is through acts of violence. The same way the Mongols were able to use terror to their advantage in their attacks by throwing bodies into cities before they attacked and by using hostages as shields, things that contributed to their inability to be stopped by an outside force, ISIS launches violent attacks in varying places in order to show what they are capable of and to establish themselves as a threat. The terror from these militaristic and violent acts alone is enough to shake entire nations to the core. Although these militaristic acts aren’t in efforts to conquer, they have psychological effects that parallel the Mongolian physical gains.

Overall, although ISIS doesn’t exercise the same tolerance as the Mongols and hasn’t conquered vast amounts of land, they do instill the same degree of terror as a result of their mobility and militaristic, violent acts which enables them to establish a firm global presence.

–Katie Mackle

Word count: 600

Sources:

The Perfect History by Ibn al-Athir (I used the copy from our primary sources from last week)

Spodek ch. 12