As we were looking at all the conflicts in class, we came across some really interesting points. The biggest ones were Conflict with the Gods, Conflict within the Trojan Empire, Conflict within the Achaeans, and Conflicts between the Gods and Mortals. The one that I thought was the most interesting was the Conflict within the Achaeans and also within in the walls of Troy. In Troy the conflict was with two brothers, Paris and Hector. If you were to look at Hector and Paris side by side, they would be the exact opposite. Now Hector did not want this war, but he loved him brother and understood why he took Helen. Also there is doubt with the people of Troy, wondering why they are fighting for this kid’s love? What really differs from the Trojans and the Achaeans was that the Trojans are fighting for there homeland and it was one city vs. independent massed together. With the Achaeans, it is a bunch of small independent providences that were concurred by Agamemnon and by defeat are forced to aid the Achaeans whenever they are call upon. So with a lack of central power and unification of the army, there is much diversity among the soldiers. As time goes on and they saw less and less progression the men start to wonder why they are here and what good does it do to fight a battle that has lasted for the last seven years. When Agamemnon tested the soldiers to see if they truly believed in him and wanted to fight, he was surprised to see the men flee to the ships. The only people that really have any leadership skills and the respect of the soldiers are Odysseus and Achilles. I was wondering if today it was the same way with the soldiers. Do most of them question why we are fighting in the Middle East? Is there a true leader who has the soldiers respect and can trust that person? Also does much doubt and lack of respect and trust happen in modern times? I believe that the revolution on war has changed the mindset of it. Also it is the organization and structure of our military it does not allow one person to be command of everyone. So as we see in the Iliad every army in a war was conflict within that army and how they handle it could determine who the winner is.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 comments:
Regarding your assertions regarding our present-day military, I tend to disagree. There is obviously a sense of stucture and power system is implemented into controlling the soldiers. If, like you say, the organization of the military has changed, why are there still ranks?
When Sean says that one person is not allowed to be in command of everyone, what about the commander-in-chief. Clearly there are some limitations on what the President can or cannot do but is he not the one person who has command over everyone else?
I agree with Will's point that if there is no sense of structure/power in our military then what is the point of having ranks within the military.
Sean you asked about whether or not soldiers in the Middle East have a true leader. I think General Patreaus is their leader. Also, i believe that the present day military obviously still has structure and a power system. Like Acton said, ranks of command definately still exist in the military.
Regarding your question "Also does much doubt and lack of respect and trust happen in modern times?"
Of course soldiers are going to doubt the decisions made by their surperiors. When someone tells you that there is a mission in which it is probable that you will die, it is natural to have doubts. However, the reason people enlist in the army is to protect things that they are willing to die for. So while there is still doubt within modern armies, I don't think there is any lack of respect like you describe the armies in the Iliad.
The point about the mindset of soldiers in the Middle East is pretty interesting. You asked "Do most of them question why we are fighting in the Middle East?" I ten to think they are questioning it, but I wanted to ask, how much does that matter?
Because of the way war has changed over the years, it seems logical that the concept of morale would be very important, however, I think that while it does matter, it is still limited.
To your question, "Is there a true leader who has the soldiers respect and can trust that person," I think there has to be. In a war that has been going on for several years, like the one we are in now, there has to be a leader who can focus the minds of others on missions/ tasks at hand. When we talked about leadership in class, we discussed the importance of wisdom, honesty, and the right mentality. I don't know extensively the morale of U.S. soldiers, but I have to believe that somehow, they believe this war is still worth fighting. Now, whether their superior is helping them maintain that mindset or not, something has to be said for them wanting to fight in this war. It would be in the best interest of the superior to make sure his battle troop wants to fight by his side.
I agree with all the comments I've read that say there is some power structure in the modern military. however I disagree with them and agree with Sean on the point that just because someone is wearing the "leader" hat, soldiers are more likely to follow them. Odysseus is a leader because the people can relate to him and like him, Achilles is a leader because people are scared of him and think he can kill anyone. The real leaders are the ones who soldiers would be willing to desert with, not merely follow.
I think you make a very good point here that is often overlooked. The Trojans know exactly what they are fighting for; their survival. This easily motivates them to fight with all their strength. The Achaeans however, aren't even a unified country; just a bunch of city-states acting as mercenaries. Because they are not unified, there is much more room for conflict within the Achaeans than within the Trojans.
I don't think many soldiers question the justification for being in the Middle East because they see the turmoil that is present there and know that it would be unjust to leave without fixing the mess we made. Plus, many (not all) soldiers volunteered knowing what they were getting into.
Internal conflict is, however, a very important theme in the Iliad and in war because it can destroy moral and impede one sides chances of winning.
Comparing the internal conflict to present day is an interesting point. I often wonder what it is like for a soldier in our armed forces who is fighting in the Middle East as a job and nothing else? Also, soldiers today are far more informed than soldiers during the Trojan War simply because of modern media. Does that make them question their presence further? Surely there are people who wish they could simply "sit out" like Achilles but they can't.
Post a Comment