Hey all,
Yesterday I got an email from my thesis director. He wants to know what the topic for my final thesis will be. He made the caveat that I should send it in soon so he can kick it back a few times so that I can refine it. So here is what I have.....
Being the eternal student I am half way through another Masters Degree. This one in Military History. If things improve and my kids actually get out on their own, I may even pursue a PhD in Early American history (Mayflower to pre-civil war).
Anyway, my final thesis is in June. By mid October I need to come up with a "Why" question about military history. The problem I run into is I can't really narrow it down...or find a starting point actually. So I am asking you my friends to be my muse and make a few possible suggestions. This will allow me to use the hat rack on my shoulders to narrow it down to something feasible.
I am thinking something in the time frame of the American Revolution. But the topic is open for anything at anytime between 500 b.c. and the first Gulf War. The only restrictions are: it is not a political science class, so no policy questions. Nothing about Patton vs. Rommel or Grant vs. Lee.
My papers so far have been:
1. Historiography of the Mormon Battalion March West and the opening of the American Southwest.
2. The conflicts between Europe and Islam between the Crusades and Vienna in 1683
3. Guerrilla Warfare from the American Revolution thru Vietnam
4. Comparisons of modern North Korean military posturing in relation to teachings of the ancient masters, Sun Tzu, T'ai Kung, et al.
I'm open to any suggestions of any military topic (not just American) that any of you would care to see a 50 page historiographic essay written on and then possibly published in a historical journal. Feel free to make multiple suggestions if you wish. My brain hurts too much right now to even contemplate it.
Professor Alan
10 comments:
How about the feasibility of resurrecting the Knights Templar to save America.
can you phrase that as a "why" question....and remember, it can not be a policy question, it's history, not politics.
I think I like where you are going with that though.
Why was the 1804-1806 exploration of the Missouri River drainage and the Columbia River to the Pacific by Captain's Lewis & Clark appropriated by Congress (at the urging of Jefferson) as a military mission?
I realize that involves 'policy' to an extent - but anything 'military' throughout history is a result of "policy". I don't understand how can you separate policy and war; maybe you should give an example?
FYI - the only reason for the topic above is I'm currently reading Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose (the author of Band of Brothers). Fascinating read. I love history and soak up all I can. Do you read any Jeff Shaara?
How about a Why DON'T?
Why DON'T western military leaders revolt against faulty or misled administrations. South and Central America are of course on the other course. They go rogue at the drop of a sombrero or camo boonie hat!
But I digress.
America is bad enough, Canada worse still, but how in the HELL do the Brit, French, Swedes, EU et al, men in uniform keep from storming Parliament?! How do you protect a cuntry that is being destroyed from the highest levels of government. Listen, I thought things were bad under Ol' Peanut Head Carter. My son is hearing outright treasonous / mutinous talk in the NAV right now.
He says it's scary how vocal the younger squids and grunts are. And the loose talk is not being squelched by NCOs and Officers.
I've re-thought my premise. Turn it around.
Why military leaders stay loyal, IN SPITE of ineffectual, or sometimes detrimental, leadership from D.C, Ottawa, London, etc.
OT
I need smart people to help me too, I'm looking for a word.
I have the definition, but can't remember the word. Here's the way it would be defined.
You see / hear a word new to you. It can be a term, name, etc. Over the next few days or some short period of time, you see the term again and again and again. (I'm not talking about "talking points" that are aimed at any listeners)
It's when you read a new (history or any) book and the word "???" is in the book. Three days later, you watch a movie; Wham, there it is again. You get out instructions for building a widget; third time is a charm.
Different situations but that word pops up again, and again. There IS a word for when that occurs, but I don't remember it.
HELP!!
It's 2 words:
"freaking coincidence"
uh...THAT ONE I had.
Seriously there is a word for this. By the way an Anon, answers like yours, are called asshooligans.
You can guess what the one who speaks them is called!
alan
FUCK THE DEGREES LEARN HOW TO RELOAD
Slap, Pull, observe, release, tap...Shoot.
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