"One death is a tragedy, one million is a statistic"- Joseph Stalin. Yes the man was a ruthless person, but he has a point. How can one person comprehend one million death, let alone one thousand. A few deaths are a crime a few thousand are war . The american civil war is the largest conflict on american soil, half of all the causality's america has faced in war has come from the civil war . Estimated 600,000 people lost there lives in the conflict( 1.5 million if you include missing paralyzed and captured or imprisoned. And death by disease) I believe the american civil war is a very important part of world history because it concerned the most powerful nation in the world and its darkest of days. The legacy of the civil war is very important, it is necessary we start to preserve battlefields and relics now. Many groups such as the civil war trust help preserve battlefields for future generations to learn about the building blocks of their nation. over a 150 fifty years ago the civil war took place. For many the civil war is just a series of old black and white photographs and it is very boring to some. But the civil war is much more than that, the problem is it has never been truly brought to life. There is so much to it from the battles themselves to the planning of battles, the horrors of war and the glory of fighting for your country. Now imagine being in a 13 year old kid at the time, instead of going to school you are going to war. This is so for young Edward black, a drummer boy for the union had lost his arm due to an exploding shell. Can you imagine your grade 6 or 7 self in that situation? It is strange how people still think that its old its boring. They just haven't seen how terrifying and action packed the war really was. There are a few good representations of the war but very few, for example Ridley scotts documentary and reenactment of Gettysburg was a very gritty and non boring account of the greatest battle on American soil. Where 50,000 people lost their lives over the course of 3 days. And with today's effects and technology various movies and video games could created and based of the war to give a more real understanding and experience countless soldiers face in those dreadful years of 1861-1865. The you tube link is the documentary on Gettysburg created by Ridley Scott and the history channel. it provides and good insight and accurate representation of the war.
2 Comments
"The road to power is paved with hypocrisy. And casualties."- Francis Underwood. House of cards, a show about the american political system. It follows the life of a democratic congress man of south Carolina's 5 regional district. Francis is a ruthless man and will go by any means to get his way. And so will his equally conniving wife who aids him in his various fights, such as the passing of the education bill. Which required many favours that led him to tie up loose ends. The congress man is all about power and how to control not be control. He hunts, and never wants to be hunted. "Such a waste of talent. He chose money over power. In this town, a mistake nearly everyone makes. Money is the Mc-mansion in Sarasota that starts falling apart after 10 years. Power is the old stone building that stands for centuries. I cannot respect someone who doesn't see the difference."- Francis Underwood. This shows that he believes power over every thing and he whom thinks otherwise is a fool. Those who aid him tend to become useless in the end of things, his belief friends make the worst enemies is valid because they know his motives and his lust for power. They can cripple his plans the easiest. In the end you become a loose end in the scheme of power.
I may seem to repeat my self on the aspect of power but isn't that what politics is about? Climb to the top o f the food chain and do not let anything get in your way. Blackmail, gets you what you want. To screw over a valuable asset takes a very cold hearted person. I personally do not think i could be a Politician, sure the show is fictional but it provides a mirror of some sort to the American political system were the term hunt or be hunted is in full effect. The battle between Republican and Democrat lives on in real life and the show. And it leaves you open to the question what is right and wrong? Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (aka the red baron) was one of the greatest flying aces in the great war, if not the greatest. The young fighter pilot was credited with 80+ confirmed kills. Back in world war one having 5 kills under your belt would grant you the title of flying ace and you would receive a medal of honor. there were over eighteen hundred flying aces in the great war. with Manfred being the most successful, with twenty times the stated "hero" amount. Richthofen had a interest in flying since a young age, and when the war broke out across Europe he joined many fighter squadrons and quickly moved his way up the ranks. at his peak he was commander of the Jagdgeschwader or flying circus. The red baron and his flying circus were feared by many fighter pilots, and had a notable reputation in Germany as a hero and was widely know by his enemy's. The barons death is still under speculation. various members of the entente ( allies ) still argue of who killed the pilot. The RAF pilot of Canadian origin , Roy brown is said to have killed him, but the Australian and British anti air crews also claim they shot him down. One other theory is he died from the head trauma he was experience before his last flight in 1918. Almost one hundred years later there is still mystery on how he died. his body was buried with full respects by his enemy's, which is strange considering how appalling savage the great war was. During the war a pilots average life expectancy was six weeks, which is good considering front line infantry could be less then six days. The red baron has made appearance in popular culture in many ways. For example a fact based movie call the red baron was created in name of his legacy (although there were many historical inaccuracy's, such as the types of planes and the ages of people at the time. overall the dogfights were great and the entire the film was visually great) his name is also used in a popular pizza chain in the united states. Another example are many games for phones or computer, featuring his iconic Fokker triplane. one other note is a common misconception that world war one Germans where Nazis, this is wrong the Nazi party did not come into power until 1933. This means Germany was just like any other empire at the time and was just fighting to defend there country and expand their empire. almost one hundred years later the Richthofen legacy still lives on as one of the greatest flying aces in history. north Korea a young prosperous state has revealed many achievements about its leaders and people. for example in Kim jong ils biography it states he has invented the hamburger and scored a perfect score in a round of golf. these claims are so outlandish, its sad how the people believe these so called facts. It's sad that the people of this nation think these so called facts are real. Its outrageous, their leaders need an intervention. How can they be allowed to spew garbage media to their people. this is a disgrace to the meaning of communism, its not equality its full military control dictatorship filling the air with lies and ruining the lives of countless people in the nation. are they just trying to prove a point the the Wests hypocrisy? i think so because they know we will just sit a watch. As they continue these atrocity's against their own people. do you think these claims are outlandish or good for the people?
One reason could be that the Kim family does it to feel better about them selves because they realize that they have failed as leaders. And maybe they feel the need to mess their country up even more than it already is. The real question is what would you do if you were born into a dictator ship possibly in a citizens shoes or even kims place. its a very open and endless to possibiltys. "All wars are civil wars, because all men are brothers."— Francois Fenelon. This is a very powerful quote by the former prime minster of France. War is something that has affected man since the dawn of time. As long as there is man there will be conflict. Since its independence as a nation the united states has lost 1.2 million in conflicts. six hundred thousand of that was in the american civil war alone. The union wanted central government for all, the confederacy wanted more independent state government. Slavery was only one reason and a misconception on why the war went on. but still that was one reason on why the union fought. Something to push them to victory. fifty years later in the great war was either side really right? A war of empires fighting for piles of mud destroyed by the savage weapons both sides had came up with and one might ask was it worth it? Was this war justified? then world war two comes along one of the most savage man in human history Adolf Hitler(along with the aid of his political party) creates one of the biggest atrocity's in human history. The holocaust, 6 million Jewish people and another 6 million minority such as gypsy's or romani people. This is why we fight. because of crimes like this, and people who are in charge of these crimes. Sometimes people know facts about history but don't understand history. Those who don't learn it are doomed to repeat it. In a way we can only fight guns with guns and that's why we fight wars and conflict not pro war, but there are times were it is justified to stop something even more horrific. |
Archives
April 2015
CategoriesAuthorI'm William Taylor and i am interested in history politics and war. I am not pro war but it is a interesting and controversial topic that needs to be discussed. |