Karl von Clausewitz, famous Prussian general and military
strategist, in his masterpiece,
”
On War,
”
argued that although most conflicts tend toward total war in the
abstract, the
”
friction
”
of reality keeps war limited, unpredictable and dangerous. At
the same time, he stressed the need to strive for the most complete
military victories possible.
Karl von Clausewitz, famous Prussian general and military strategist, in his masterpiece, “On War,” argued that although most conflicts tend toward total war in the abstract, the “friction” of reality keeps war limited, unpredictable and dangerous. At the same time, he stressed the need to strive for the most complete military victories possible.
Recently, I viewed several old black and white John Wayne movies, “Flying Tigers,” “The Sands of Iwo Jima,” “They Were Expendable.” The patriotism was most pronounced. In fact, in “They Were Expendable,” the soldiers were left on Bataan and Corregidor to fight until death. What courage that took.
I remember the day when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. As I remember, every person was patriotic in the 1940s.
I remember the war years; the nightly war news on the radio about the war in the Pacific and the war in Europe.
Addressing the subject of war, Ernest Hemingway, profoundly maintained, “There are worse things than war; and all of them come with defeat. The more you hate war, the more you know that once you are forced into it, for whatever reason it may be, you have to win it.”
We were still patriotic by 1950 when the Korean War began. However, at the end of World War II, the allies had divided the Japanese province of Korea at the 38th parallel and gave the northern portion to the Russians.
Patriotically, many of us quickly joined the military services. WWII was over. It had passed us by. We young men wanted our turn at war.
Specifically, the North Koreans drove across the border into South Korea on June 25, 1950. This gave us our chance. After boot camp and basic training, we went to Korea.
Patriotism was still in vogue. But, most citizens scarcely knew where Korea was. In fact, a girlfriend at Oklahoma University, who may have voiced the average citizens sentiments, wrote, “I’m glad you don’t feel like you are wasting your time in Korea. I don’t quite understand it all, but then I suppose no one does.”
Yet, this was a short war.
Peruse the length of time of our wars:
Revolutionary War – April 19,1775 to Sept. 3, 1783 (8 years, 5 months).
Mexican War – May 3, 1846 to March 1848 (1 year, 10 months).
Civil War – April 12, 1861 to May 10, 1865 (4 years, 1 month).
Spanish-American War – Jan. 25, 1898 to Aug. 9, 1898 (less than 9 months).
World War I – April 2, 1917 to Nov. 11, 1918 (1 year, 7 months).
World War II – Dec. 8, 1941 to Sept. 2, 1945 (3 years, 10 months).
Korean War – June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953 (3 years, 1 month).
Vietnam War – supplies 1955 to 1961 (6 years); conflict 1961 to April 29,1975 (14 years).
Gulf War – 1991 to 1991 (2 months)
Operation Iraqi Freedom – March 19, 2003 to February 2009 (6 years, official end).
Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan ) – October 10, 2001 to present (9 years and continuing)
Note that from the Revolution to Vietnam, most wars lasted less than three years.
Apparently, the public gets tired of a long-term war. Look at the general consternation over the almost never ending Vietnam conflict.
But, examining that war, we find the reasons were the same as the Korean War, “The Forgotten War.” We wanted to contain communism.
Although the war in Korea was supposedly a United Nations endeavor, the war came to a stalemate and Congress didn’t want to pursue it any longer. So, an armistice was signed and continues to this day.
The Vietnam War was begun for the same reason. The French managed these provinces, but the communists invaded.
We attempted to stop the thrust of communism over many, many years. By 1974, we were beating the communists back. Their General Giap feared defeat.
However, media celebrities such as Walter Cronkite convinced most of our country that we were losing. And, our citizens and legislators wanted out.
The wars since have involved stopping the incessant attacks of Muslim nations. And, these wars have been long and hard fought.
Although von Clausewitz argued that a nation “should strive for the most complete military victory possible.” And, Hemingway maintained that “you have to win it.”
The fact is that this nation’s citizens tire of long protracted wars.
A better use of Obama’s stimulus would be to pay a betrayer whatever millions it takes for the whereabouts of bin Laden, then send in drones.
Our citizens would be most happy and, perhaps, less divisive.
Are you listening, Washington?
Burton Anderson is a Purple Heart Korean War Marine veteran and the author of “We Claim The Title – Korean War Marines.” He can be reached at ba****@*ol.com.
