And
a little something that I’d typed up last night, extensively reedited in the
morning light sans (mostly) the influence of alcohol.
******
Did
you know that cabinet members responsible for “defense” was a relatively new
invention? Take a look at the current permanent members of the UN Security
Council for example.
1. USSR:
People's Commissar for Defence (1934–1946)
2. UK:
Minister for Coordination of Defence (1936-1940)
3. France:
Minister of National Defence (1944–1974)
4. Republic
of China: Minister of National Defence (1946-)
People’s Republic of China: Minister of
National Defense of the People's Republic of China (1954-)
5. United
States: Secretary of Defense (1949-)
(Germany,
with its ReichsWEHRministerium
(1919-1935) preceded all of them. Note the years of origin—and end.)
Before
this, cabinet ministers were typically responsible for “war” and/or individual branches
“army” or “navy.” But war becoming increasingly less acceptable as the
continuation of diplomacy by other means. That said, it’s hard to stop at pure
defense…or in Manchuria…or in Poland…or in Afghanistan…
And
while we’re on this subject, note that in most if not all competitive sports, substitution
of war by other means, you play both offense and defense. Even in track and field,
ski and snowboarding, figure skating and gymnastics, and others where you do
not directly engage your opponents but instead play against the clock or
geometric measurements, or stage what are essentially beauty contests, there
are elements of offense and defense with an eye on opponents at play.
Okay,
now back to work.
1 comment:
Generally the "secretary of war" or "minister of war" was in charge of the army and the "sec of the navy" of "navy minister" of the navy (this in the days before independent air forces, though in the 1930s you started to see some "minister of the air"). In the US Sec Def was the title of the person who headed the Dept of Defense, created after the Dept of the Army, Dept of the Navy were incorporated under the umbrella of the Defense Dept and an independent Air Force was established
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