Father really did know best Alexander was a great military mind who expanded his empire and Greek influence further than anyone could have imagined. He was brilliant, charismatic, and aggressive; however, he owes his success to his father. Without a visionary father, Alexander would not have enjoyed the overwhelming success that defines him. While the…
All posts by R.F.M. Williams
About R.F.M. Williams
What were Spartan Motives in the Peloponnesian War?
Fear. Honor. Interest. While multiple incidents drove the Spartans to declare war on Athens, the fear of Athenian power was undoubtedly not the driving force behind Sparta’s decision. A mighty Athens presented a clear and present danger to the economic and political sovereignty of the Peloponnesian League and required a response. Athens displayed strong empirical…
The Impact of the Post 9/11 GI Bill
Education is life Education saves lives. Education gives life. United States military veterans are fortunate enough to receive one of the most comprehensive benefit packages ever conceived — the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Unfortunately, far too many veterans elect not to take advantage of it. Only thirteen percent of Post 9/11 veterans use education benefits, according…
Effectiveness of U.S. Paratroopers in Operation Overlord: Debate and Analysis
A Dialectical Debate Throughout the Second World War, most belligerents used some form of airborne operations to achieve effects on the battlefield. Costly trench warfare was a universal experience during World War I and fostered experimentations with paratroopers during the interwar period. In studying the Soviets interwar tests and early German operations, many American planners…
The United States and Guatemala
After anti-immigrant rhetoric culminated in a mass shooting in El Paso, it’s increasingly important to remember one of the reasons we’ve arrived at this point. History is not well suited for predicting the future, but it is perfect for explaining how we got to where we are. Regarding central American immigration, the United States’s influence…
Rethinking Preemptive War and Terrorism
When is it okay to strike first? The most commonly accepted paradigm for waging morally permissible, or just, war is in a war of self-defense. However, waiting until you are attacked is not the only manner in which to justify waging war. Most just war theorists agree that it is also morally permissible for a…
Rethinking the Moral Distinctiveness of Terrorism
Is it unique or just another form of warfare? Terrorism, while morally impermissible, is no more or less distinctive than many other acts of war. History is rife with many examples of tactics that directly kill non-combatants but would not be considered terrorism. Therefore, I disagree with philosopher Samuel Scheffler’s assertion that terrorism is morally…
The Irony of the “State’s Rights” Confederacy
The secessionists who attempted to create a “state’s rights confederacy” in 1861 were a hypocritical bunch. Despite calling for rebellion on account of federal overreach and a refusal to accept the results of the 1860 election, the rebel cause enhanced its power during the American Civil War by nationalizing its army, its economy and enacting…
The United States and Guatemala in the first half of the 20th Century
After anti-immigrant rhetoric culminated in a mass shooting in El Paso, it’s increasingly important to remember one of the reasons we’ve arrived at this point. History is not well suited for predicting the future, but it is perfect for explaining how we got to where we are. Regarding central American immigration, the United States’s influence…
The Demise of the Sioux
The Sioux Nation was a proud and independent people that subsided on hunting and gathering for their entire existence until the Euro-American invasion of their traditional lands. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, until contact with Euro-American settlers, the Sioux enjoyed a nomadic sustenance lifestyle, hunting bison and gathering what they needed. The Sioux could…