Apologies, there is no war. I just wanted to try out a sensationalist headline (which I'm sue I've NEVER done before...), so I hope I didn't scare you. Martians are not actually invading, that's just Orson Welles on the radio. BUT, war is the theme of today's digest.
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As always, happy Wednesday and happy reading.
This Day in History
1961 - President John F. Kennedy orders an escalation of US troops in Vietnam, sending more special forces and advisers to assist the South Vietnamese. Hindsight is 20/20, but JFK also authorized the Bay of Pigs Invasion, so the decision to escalate our involvement in Vietnam was not the only poor one he made to use military force. Yesterday's Cold War has been replaced by today's War on Terror, and there are valuable lessons to be learned from our failure to build the foundations for sustainable global prosperity during and after the Cold War.
All We Have to Fear
Perhaps because we define ourselves in opposition to each other - I am only white if there is someone else to be black or brown or purple, etc - we are also vigilantly on the look out for the other who poses the greatest threat to us.
But sometimes when we look into the world and see enemies, we are projecting our own fears. Despite seeing threats in many places, in fact the United States is strong, and much of what we fear is fear itself (from the Boston Globe).
It is important that we always remain vigilant, but we must also act from a position of strength to promote our values and the well-being of others rather than overreacting in fear to enemies we imagine as scarier than they actually are. Otherwise we may find ourselves chasing Communists in Vietnam or terrorists in Iraq.
America at War: In Charts
War is a broad and vague, term, but legally it has the strict requirement of having to be declared by Congress. This chart, among many interesting others, shows how infrequently America has been at war compared to how frequently we have been involved in military conflict (from Medium).
I found these graphics to be insightful and thought-provoking, and I would definitely recommend checking out the link. Analyzing the various charts is helpful context for how American foreign policy and military involvement have evolved over time, and can help determine where to use our military resources most effectively to build and sustain future peace.
Future Priorities
If you looked at the previous charts, you may have noticed that past American military involvement - while global - has predominantly occurred in Europe. This can be explained primarily by the sheer magnitude of the two World Wars, but basing our future planning around those past conflicts - and the Cold War that grew out of them - seems unwise. Where then, does the future of American military intervention lie; where we will decide our strategic priorities will be (from Medium)?
I believe that it is important for America to remain a strong country in order to promote and protect world peace, and while I admit that our track record is uneven, it is undeniably true that the US has been a global force for good in many situations. How and when we use our military must be decided with utmost prudence, intelligence, and caution, but if America can ensure our uses of power match our stated values, I believe we can continue to improve the world.
Weapons and their Names
If Ever wonder where one of the world's most iconic - and inexpensive - weapons got its name? It's an interesting story set in Finland circa 1939, a bad year for Europe (from Strategy Bridge). The Molotov Cocktail is named for Russia's foreign minister at the start of WWII, a man whose deceit and cooperation with the Nazis has now been immortalized by the flaming bottles of alcohol that bear his name.
P-P-P-Penny and the Jets
You can get a feel for how fast Penny is by seeing how muddy she got on her last romp through the mud. Normally Penny, who lives with her human Ginny in Austin, TX, is much fluffier than she appears here, but who doesn't love a day in the great outdoors discovering nature, and covering oneself in mud!? If a dog can't do that, then what's the point!? Of course, when you're not responsible for bathing yourself, it's easier to take these liberties...big thanks to Ginny for sharing - and cleaning - Penny!
Will's Weekly Trivia!
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TRIVIA!
Last Week:
1. Donald Trump is now the "presumptive Republican nominee," how many Republican candidates began the race? ONE POINT
2. How many Democratic candidates began the race (were in the first debate)? ONE POINT
3. Hillary Clinton would be the first female president in America. Who was Britain's first female prime minister? What was her nickname? ONE POINT APIECE
4. Bernie Sanders would be the first Jewish president in America. Who was Britain's first Jewish prime minister? TWO POINTS
Answer: 1. There were initially 17 Republican candidates
2. There were initially 5 Democratic candidates
3. Margaret "the Iron Lady" Thatcher was Britains first female PM
4. Benjamin Disraeli was Britain's first Jewish PM
This Week: 1. "The point of war isn't to die for your country, it's to make the other poor bastard die for his," is a quote from which famous US general (hint WWII era)? TWO POINTS
2. Who was the last president to have been a GENERAL in the United States Army? ONE POINT
3. In which war did more Americans die than in any other? ONE POINT
4. President Obama will soon become the first sitting American president to visit one of the Japanese cities where America dropped an atomic weapon: Hiroshima. What was the other city? In addition to those bombings, America infamously firebombed a German city in WWII, that was later the topic of the book Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, which German city was firebombed? ONE POINT APIECE
LEADER BOARD The race for first is tightening! Check your spot on the leader board HERE on Willful Intent.
