War & Peace Thursday: Part 2, Chapter 10

[osprey_archer]

We've reached the first war section in War and Peace, and my progress has slowed down accordingly: I have never been all that interested in battles.

Despite this, I once got in an argument with my classmates in grad school that military history, despite being terribly out of fashion, might actually be important. We would all be living in a different world if the Confederacy had won the Civil War! Wouldn't we? Wouldn't we? Mightn't military victories and defeats have some hand in shaping social trends?

They did not seem impressed, although I'm not sure if they were philosophically opposed to this line of reasoning, or if they just didn't want to be railroaded into spending the rest of their lives analyzing the battle dynamics at Gettysburg. Which, you know, fair enough. Neither do I.

...But just because I don't want to do it myself doesn't mean that military history isn't important.

Now, getting back to the book. The Austrian general Metz has lost his army; the Russians are on their own, and in retreat before the French forces. I predict they soon will be rueing the day that they got involved in this war at all.

Comments

[lycoris.livejournal.com]

Although I haven't read the book myself, my Mum was very firm that War and Peace very much needs the war sections to be meaningful. But unfortunately, I can't remember why!

I agree with your argument though, I think that military history is definietely important. Why and what wars a country fought can shape the entire history of the country! I mean, I can't say that it's my favourite part of history but it's definietely important.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I'm sure they are thematically very important! Just, you know, there's also a bunch of military strategy stuff that makes my eyes glaze over.