Physics War Strategy 7: Kennedy Blows It Again
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From: OsherD on 10 Dec 2009 09:47 From Osher Doctorow Richard Overy of Exeter University U.K. (formerly Cambridge University U.K. and Kings College U.K.) and Donald Kagan of Yale University USA are arguably the two greatest Strategists in Military History. Kagan agrees with the analysis of Kennedy's mistakes in the previous Section (Physics War Strategy 6) in his "On the Origins of War and the Preservation of Peace," Anchor Books/Random House: N.Y. 1995, specifically with regard to the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. He differs from Goldwater on the subsequent Cuban Missile Crisis, though he recognizes that Khrushchev was emboldened by Kennedy's cowardice to create the Missile Crisis and that the long-run effects were very bad for the world regarding the USA as (in my words) a "Paper Tiger". Once again, however, it was not Kennedy himself who showed the slightest Strategic ability in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Goldwater, however (see the previous reference) who was also completely briefed on the Cuban Missile Crisis, correctly described Kennedy as having over-reaction, a totally Emotional response to his previous failure at the Bay of Pigs. In addition, lies and two-faced "leaks" to the Public and even lies with Secretary McNamara telling the Public one "Strategy" while the Strategies were still under debate were further evidence that Kennedy was not thinking soundly (as Goldwater said in fact). What rescued Kennedy in the Cuban Missile Crisis was, according to Kagan, Congress and the Military through the Joint Chiefs of Staff and their relationship to Congress. They remained cool-headed throughout, and Khrushshev who had though that only the President's Cowardice would dictate USA policy, backed down when he realized that the Congress and Military exercised independent influence in this case. However, he and his successors, and Enemy nations ever since, have "pressed the Cowardice button" of the USA and the Cowardice of the USA Public, and they have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams - in Vietnam, in the 2006 Congressional Elections, in the 2008 Presidential Election. From the viewpoint of Physics, major underlying Variables should have been sought. Instead, Historians and International Relations "experts" and Political Scientists and Think Tanks tended to content themselves with minor variables, especially non-Psychological and non- Physical variables. COWARDICE is really a Psychological variable and a Physical variable. YOUTH and INEXPERIENCE are similar, especially Inexperience in Military Strategy - that is what distinguished George Washington from JFK (John F. Kennedy) and those who succeeded JFK in his style of Emotionality. Osher Doctorow |