Book Review - Lone Survivor

This was the first book I've read about the war in Afghanistan, and it has definitely set the bar high for my future selections. Luttrell does a great job of helping us comprehend why SEALs have such a tight bond with each other. He accomplishes this by giving us a glimpse into the rigorous training required to earn the right to be called a Navy SEAL. Soldiers always believe their unit/branch is the best there ever was, and the best there ever will be - Luttrell is no different. He's very boastful about his skills and those of his team, however, at times he is also self-deprecating. These reality checks that Luttrell exposes himself to, further illustrate the importance that SEALs place on teamwork. It's those bonds and a unified, teamwork-mentality that allowed Marcus to return home.

 

When Operation Redwing is put into motion and the bullets start flying, so do the pages. While Luttrell and his team are in deep cover, three goat herders stumble on to their position. They are faced with an extremely difficult decision - let them go, eliminate the threat or hold them prisoner. Instead of eliminating the threat, and facing possible prosecution at home, the four SEALs vote to let them go free. Soon after, Luttrell's team is encircled by 100-150 Taliban fighters. He provides a gripping narrative of their lopsided battle that ultimately took the lives of his three teammates, and sixteen of their would be rescuers. Once the realization sets in that he is alone on an Afghan mountain, Marcus sets off on an emotional roller coaster encountering bouts of fear, grief, self-pity, helplessness, anger and determination - all of which play a role in keeping him alive.

 

Throughout the book Luttrell voices his opinions about the "liberal media." I'm a Republican, and even I could have done without his political rants. With that said however, it does not take away from his story. I would strongly suggest that you not let his political views deter you from enjoying this book and just enjoy the ride. After all, I think he's earned the right to vent a little frustration.

 

AE

Interpreting the Atlantic Slave Trade

Looks like this is the topic for module two of my Historical Interpretation class.  The book for this section is The Atlantic Slave Trade, edited by David Northrup.  Looks like I don't have a paper due for a few weeks either.  I'm kind of looking forward to the break.  I say break, but of course there's still work.  However, reading and then having good class discussions is hardly work.  Adios for now... Still recovering from my fantasy football draft last night...

AE

Off we go... again.

Last Monday was the first day of school for me - again.  I just finished up at a local community college with an Associate in Arts degree; now I'm at a local university setting off on a path that will hopefully take me to my desired destination, which is essentially unknown.  The subject of History will be my focal point.  My first class is about historical interpretation, and although it's required for History majors, I'm sure that I would've taken the class anyway.  I'm considering this the last educational hurdle before beginning the classes that actually involve historical research.  I figure a class titled Historical Interpretation will be a great precursor to the more research-based classes required for a History degree.

Our first module in class deals with a short introduction to what history is (and isn't) and whether the subject is an art or a science.  In our first paper we have to take a position and defend it using John H. Arnold's, History: A Very Short Introduction.  In our first class, the overwhelming majority of students, including myself, argued that history was an art.  The defense of our position was that historians have to sift through never-ending amounts of documents, photos, interviews etc. and attempt to piece them together.  There is a certain degree of interpretation involved; whereas science is more definitive.

After starting Arnold's book, however, I eventually changed my position. I started to see many similarities between science and history.  History can be definitive.  We know that Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Martin Luther King was shot and there was a hurricane in New Orleans.  Science can also be definitive.  Diamonds are harder than talcum and water boils at 100 degrees C.  However, both can have areas in which people may have differing opinions.  Global warming is happening, but scientists argue as to what is causing it.  Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, but there are many reasons why it occurred.  History and science can also be used to learn about the past; what happened before our time on Earth, and also to guide us in our future endeavors.

Despite those very few examples, I have changed my mind yet again.  My new position that History is an art is based primarily on the few (but major) differences and not the many similarities between science and history.  The differences between science and history have to do with causation, effects and repetition.  The similarities between art and history also cannot be overlooked.  Both involve a certain degree of interpretation to understand and their content is always influenced by the author/artist's biases.  I will touch on all of this supporting evidence, and more, in my essay which you can look for on Labor Day.  That's all for now, thanks for reading.

AE

Why study the Holocaust?

An easy answer to this question is that the Holocaust is worth learning about so that something like it never happens again. I totally agree with that line of thinking. However, I also think that is the most important reason to learn about all facets of history. To better our lives and the lives of those around us, we must be willing to learn from our mistakes as well as the mistakes of others.

With all that said, I think there is another important reason for studying the Holocaust and other atrocities of its magnitude. By studying the Holocaust we are able to put our lives into perspective. This will probably seem like a comical example, but I will tell it anyway. A few weeks back we received over 4 inches of rain in just over 24 hours. Earlier this summer we had a bonfire patio installed at the edge of a steep hill. Five large retaining boulders were placed along the back edge of the patio to retain it. During the rain storm we lost two boulders down the hill and our patio started to sink due to a major washout. This all happened while I was reading All But My Life. At first I was extremely upset about what had happened, but I couldn't help but relate my situation to Gerda's. The situations obviously didn't compare and I soon realized how much young Gerda would have loved to be dealing with a lost boulder or two instead of her own predicament. I soon realized that things could be a lot worse in life.

So let the Holocaust serve as a reminder about how inhumane political extremists can influence a nation into an era of genocide, but let it also be a tool used to show us how to treat others and how to put our own lives into perspective. Think about the victims of the Holocaust the next time your car breaks down or the next time you are rude to someone else. The next time you are angry, stop and think about the Holocaust and ask yourself, is this really worth getting angry about?

John Adams

Good afternoon everyone. I cannot just simply read a book; one of my many faults. I'll read a passage and earmark it for a later date so that I can copy some of my favorite quotes into a Word document that I have started. I also have to log any important dates/events into a timeline spreadsheet that I have. I think I'm subconsciously preparing myself for my future position as a history teacher. I will also become inspired rather easily and attempt to pass on said inspiration to my, most-often-disinterested, wife (love her to death though :)). Now that I have a blog I have a secondary outlet to voice some of my thoughts. Most of the inspiration I'm talking about comes from real life characters from America's past. I'm a firm believer that there should be an increasing amount of emphasis put on history in the classroom. Not just the "learn-the-facts-and-dates history" but, an emphasis should be put on how we can use history to our advantage. Learning from our mistakes as well as other's, and being able to provide factual evidence to back up an argument. Not to mention simply having the knowledge of where we came from and who got us here.

With that rant I suppose I'll finally get into the subject of this post. It has to do with John Adams. I'm currently reading Rise To Rebellion by Jeff Shaara. A diamond in the rough if you ask me. It is based on actual events but written like a novel. I'm about 25% of the way through it and have already developed a new gratification for John Adams' place in history. A farmer and a lawyer who daringly took on the case to defend Thomas Preston and his men after The Boston Massacre. He knew that his cousin, Sam Adams, and the other Sons of Liberty might peg him as a loyalist to the King. But his dedication to the principles of law, American law, motivated him to do what he thought was right. In the end Preston was acquitted. Adams not only saved the life of an innocent man, he also demonstrated the ability of the colonies to conduct a fair and proper trial. He used that case as ammunition when England took away America's power to appoint it's own judges after the burning of the Gaspee. Jeff Shaara as John Adams, "Whether you agreed or disagreed with the acquittal of Captain Thomas Preston, the most important message that came out of that courtroom is that we are a people who rely on the law. We have proven that we can judge ourselves. There is justice in our courts" (106).

Events and stories like this are worth telling. These are stories that help explain why America is the way it is. Why defendants are innocent until proven guilty. What taxation without representation means. Why power in politics will be given back to the Iraqi people. Why America will always prosper.

Works Cited
Shaara, Jeff. Rise To Rebellion. New York: Ballantine Publishing Group, 2001.