- Archaeological and geological evidence shows the Mycenaean Greeks took down the Minoan civilization in Crete after the Minoans were devastated by the eruption at Santorini and the resulting tsunami.
- The Philistines kept picking on the Israelites because the Israelites, despite their victories over the Canaanites at places like Jericho and Hai, could not compete militarily with the newcomers.
- After the First Punic war, when the Carthaginians were distracted by a revolt of their own mercenary army -- because the Carthaginians tried to cheat them out of their pay -- the Roman Republic helped itself to Carthiginian Sardinia. The Roman seizure of Sardinia helped fuel the anger of the Barcids in starting the Second Punic War, but the Barcids were also encouraged by the weak Roman response to their own seizure of Saguntum, in northern Spain.
- For all the complaining by the German tribes about the Romans invading their territory, when the the Romans would withdraw their legions from the Rhine the Germans rarely missed a chance to attack, especially under the emperors Gratian and Honorius.
- Ditto in the east with the Sassanid Persians.
- Both William, Duke of Normandy (later William the Conqueror or (King William I of England) and Harald III Sigurdsson (Harald Hardrada) were encouraged to invade England by the military and political weakness of the Anglo-Saxon King Harold II Godwinson.
- After it was permanently weakened by the defeat at Manzikert, the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire was constantly facing nibbling attacks on its territory, culminating in the Fourth Crusade, which conquered and sacked a defenseless Constantinople. The Eastern Roman Empire was eventually restored, but the damage had been done.
- Western weakness in the face of Hitler's provocations encouraged him in the drive to World War II.
- The Arab states attack Israel when they perceive it to be weak.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Our military weakness may cause the next Korean war
My study of military history has taught me that, with very few exceptions, military weakness causes war. The pacifist case for foreign policy is flat-out wrong and to follow it to any significant degree is extremely dangerous. The examples of it are too numerous to mention in their entirety, but I can think of a few prominent examples.
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