Great Captains: Napoleon, Ulysses Grant, and Frederick the Great - Essay Example

Wars have been fought since the beginning of the human race. Whether wars were fought for land, money, or as a means of settling disputes, they were fought, nonetheless. Some of the greatest people in history utilized fabulous strategies, as it pertains to war. These individuals conquered lands, built outstanding empires, and they were well-to-do. These men were so great that their great feats were recorded in history, and it is these spectacular accomplishments that many historians, and even military professionals, laud. A number of individuals from many walks of life find it quite fascinating to study war strategy over the past several thousand years and how the same strategies have been employed, despite the fact that warfare has changed dramatically overtime. Being that warfare has changed over the past one hundred fifty years, the study of captains, such as Napoleon, Ulysses Grant, and Frederick the Great are still valid for a modern military professional, as it is these three individuals who have contributed largely in shaping our civilization and making it what it is today. One reason that the study of captains, such as Napoleon, Ulysses Grant, and Frederick the Great are still valid for a modern military professional is that a military professional can learn a great deal from these individuals. For instance, from the study of these great individuals, a modern military professional can learn to be an effective leader. The modern military can study the art of war from all three of these great captains and possibly employ some of these strategies in today's modern war fair. Some may challenge that learning the strategies of these captains is useless for a modern military professional, since war fair has changed so much since these men were alive. Those supporting this argument state that the weapons during the time of these captains were not as sophisticated as they are today, and wars are fought on a much larger scale than in times past. These captains did not deal with the challenges that we do now. Though these arguments are true and valid, the reasons for engaging in war are the same as they were since the beginning of humankind, and because of this, the study of such captains is relevant, as such study helps the future leader in deciding what he should and should not do to see to it that his outcomes are successful. If these three captains have employed a particular strategy that brought them a plethora of success, then there is no problem at all making use of that same strategy today. In regards to this, Paret and Clausewitz state that the purpose of war has always stayed the same, even though we now use more sophisticated weapons. Not to mention, the tactic to attack the enemy with the utmost force, to concentrate on what allows the enemy to resist and do away with it so the enemy can resist no longer and the desire to annihilate the enemy has been the same. Furthermore, the definition of war has also stayed the same, as war is merely a way for us to force the enemy to do our will and see to it that it is carried out (Chapter One, Book One). Another reason that the study of these great captains is valid for a modern military professional is that a great deal can be learned from their use of intelligence. On the subject of intelligence as it pertains to war, Paret and Clausewitz state that those who are savages normally fight solely motivated by passion. There is no real intelligence on their part, as they are going to do whatever it takes to destroy their enemy. On the other hand, civilized peoples actually take the time out to sit and strategize how they will attack their enemy, defeat them, and successfully conquer them, if conquering is part of the reason that the war is being fought (Chapter One, Book One). These three great captains, no doubt, took the time to intelligently strategize how they would advance upon their enemies. Surely, they did feel some passion of hatred for their enemy, hence the reason they would attack them in the first place, as one would not attack someone they love, this was not the sole motivation for the wars that they waged. They used their intelligence to think about all of the reasons that they would wage war on their enemies, such as the fact that they would be able to expand their empires. They would also be able to gain more money for themselves, as well as land. Not to mention, they used war as a means to exert their power. Unlike the savage peoples, everything was clearly thought out, and of course because this was so, these great captains benefitted immensely. The same can be done for a modern military professional today. If he sits down and uses his intelligence to clearly think about why he wishes to wage war and how he will do it, the outcome will, no doubt, be much better compared to if he does not take the time to think about such things. These great captains set a fine example as to how it should be done. These great captains may have lived well over a century ago, when technology was not as sophisticated as it is now; however, their art of intelligence can still be applied to today's wars. The final reason that the study of these captains is valid for modern military professionals is that they can learn how to utilize their resources. For instance, modern military professionals will examine the resources that their country can extend in a war, such as how many soldiers they have to participate, which will enable them to determine how many they can deploy at a time. Modern military professionals can also learn from these three captains how to make good use of other resources, like weapons, food rations, and whatever else is needed to engage in the war successfully (Chapter One, Book One). This is, no doubt, important for a modern military professional to know and understand, as if they do not possess such skills, the war can bring about disastrous results. These great captains might have lived in the past, when technology was not as sophisticated, however, so much of what these great captains have done is quite relevant to today's wars. It is the intelligence and strategies of these captains that have not only made our country what it is today, since military professionals do apply them to a degree when modern wars come about, they have contributed to our success. If modern military professionals continue to study the art of war from these great captains, we will, no doubt, continue to have success and remain a strong and stable world power, hence the importance of modern military professionals studying these great captains. Work Cited Paret, Peter. "Clausewitz", Makers of Modern Strategy. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1986, 186-213 (Student Purchase) Read More