PARALLELS IN HISTORY?

PARALLELS IN HISTORY?

British Policies, 1860-1880, and their 2nd Afghan War 1879

US Policies, 1950-2004, and their War on Terror 2002-2004

A Quiz on which era the following occur in: (answers at bottom)

The Cold War:

1.)

Who said "We need to create a buffer against Russian expansion."

a.)

Britain in Afghanistan, 1870's, against Tsarist Russia

b.)

US in Iran, 1950's, against the Soviet Empire

2.)

Who policy is this describing: "The liberal's non-expansionist policy in the area was described as futile, and faulted as stationary, defensive, and negative, in the face of the expanding Russian juggernaut…"

a.)

Liberals in British Parliament, 1860's, just before the 2nd Afghan War

b.)

Liberals in US Congress, late 1940's, just before the height of the Cold War

3.)

Who said "Should Russia, in future years, attempt to conquer Afghanistan, we should have a better chance of attaching the Afghans to our interests if we avoid interference with them in the meantime…"

a.)

Britain, 1870's, 2nd Afghan War

b.)

US, 1950's, Cold War

Vietnam:

4.)

Who said "The web of policy so carefully and patiently woven has been rudely shattered; we have to weave a wider web from weaker material…"

a.)

Britain, 1870's, Lord Lytton, Viceroy of India to Parliament, 2nd Afghan War

b.)

US, 1960's, McNamara to Johnson, Vietnam War

5.)

Who does this describe: "His sartorial tastes ran to velvet jackets, bell-bottoms, silk cravats, and jeweled rings."

a.)

1877, Lord Lytton, Viceroy of India, during 2nd Afghan War

b.)

1967, Ringo Starr, the Beatle's drummer, during Vietnam War

6.)

Who is this: "His bolder verse touched the limits of his society's propriety."

a.)

1870's, Britain, Lord Lytton, Viceroy of India, 2nd Afghan War

b.)

US, 1960's, Alan Ginsberg

7.)

Which Country, Time, & War: "Men were simply being murdered… which prompted an outcry from radicals at home…"

a.)

Britain, 1870's, 2nd Afghan War

b.)

US, 1960's, Vietnam

8.)

Who thought "So long as the public thought there was "Peace With Honor", the Government would be popular."

a.)

Benjamin Disraeli, 1870's, 2nd Afghan War

b.)

Richard Nixon, 1970's, Vietnam War

Russian Occupation of Afghanistan, 1980's:

9.)

Who said "We are thoroughly hated and not enough feared."

a.)

Major Sir Charles MacGregor, Britain, 1870's, 2nd Afghan War

b.)

Advisor to President Reagan, US, 1980's

10.)

Which country "started a war to counter Russian influence in Kabul (Afghanistan)…"

a.)

Britain, 1870's

b.)

US, 1980's

11.)

"As Afghanistan's new leader tilted toward the Russians, intervention seemed likely..."

a.)

Britain, 1870's, Afghanistan

b.)

US, 1980's, Afghanistan

12.)

Who said "If Afghanistan accepts our advice, we will help them stave off the Russians with money, arms, and troops…" (but the majority of the liberals rejected this as too interventionist...)

a.)

Benjamin Disraeli, Prime Minister, Britain, 1870's

b.)

Ronald Reagan, President, The US, 1980's

Desert Storm:

13.)

Which General "was a Godsend to politicians and was admired by war's end. He grasped the influence of the press and the camera, and took care to cultivate war correspondents…"

a.)

British General Sir Frederick Roberts, 1879, 2nd Afghan War

b.)

US General 'Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf, 1991, Desert Storm

1990's Under Clinton:

14.)

"After a chaotic civil war that lasted several years Afghanistan was somewhat unified by…" Pick One:

a.)

Warlord Sher Ali, 1860's, just before the 2nd Afghan War

b.)

the Taliban, 1990's, just before US War on Terror

15.)

Who said "They misunderstand our present inaction…"

a.)

Sir Bartle Frere, Britain, 1874, concerning Central Asians

b.)

Advisor to Clinton, US, 1990's, concerning Terrorists

War on Terror- Goodbye Taliban, See ya Later Osama, Al Qaeda on the Run:

16.)

When did "Afghan leaders fear that posting foreign troops in Afghanistan would be so offensive to Afghans that harm would befall the foreign troops…"

a.)

British troops, 1870's, 2nd Afghan War

b.)

US troops, 2000's, War on World Terror

17.)

Who said "The less they see of us, the less they'll dislike us."

a.)

British General Roberts, 1879, Afghanistan

b.)

US General Tommy Franks, War on World Terror

18.)

Who was "a stereotypical Afghanistan warlord, he tried with limited success to unify Afghanistan's discordant amalgam of feudal duchies and incendiary tribes…"

a.)

Afghan Warlord, 1860

b.)

Afghan Warlord, 2004

War on Terror- Goodbye Saddam & Sons, Hello Again Loud Liberal Hypocricy:

19.)

Which Conservatives "were anxious for a quick end to an unpopular war…"

a.)

The Conservatives, Britain, 1870's, 2nd Afghan War and Zulu War

b.)

The Conservatives, US, 2003, Iraq War

20.)

Who said "What happened after the initial victory could not have been anticipated by any human being…"

a.)

Lord Lytton, 1879, 2nd Afghan War

b.)

Donald Rumsfeld, 2003, Iraq War

21.)

"The War had a divisive effect at home" in which country:

a.)

Britain, 1870's, 2nd Afghan War

b.)

US, 2002-2004, Iraq War

22.)

Which Liberals "spoke of thousands killed, and reminded the voters that the sanctity of all lives that are as valuable as yours…"

a.)

Liberals, Britain, 1879, 2nd Afghan War

b.)

Liberals, US, 2003, Iraq War

23.)

Which Conservatives "had defeated the Liberals in the previous elections…"

a.)

Britain, 1870's, just before the 2nd Afghan War

b.)

US, 2000-2002, just before the War on Terror

24.)

Who concluded "that even their good public works done for the occupied country were a swindle…"

a.)

Wilfred Scawen Blunt, Britain in India, 1880

b.)

Liberals, on US's rebuilding of Iraq, 2003

2004 US Presidential Election:

25.)

Which Liberal leaders "attacked the Conservative's foreign policy, and made it central to their campaign."

a.)

Britain, 1870's, Liberal Party, 2nd Afghan War

b.)

US, 2004, Democratic Party, Iraq War

26.)

Which Conservatives " countered the Liberal platitudes, turning the election into a plebiscite on imperial wars."

a.)

British Conservatives, 1880 Parliamentary Elections

b.)

US Conservatives, 2004 Presidential Election

Bonus: WWI Analogy:

27.)

Bonus: Which Congress "ruthlessly reduced the US military to little more than a corporal's guard…"

a.)

US, 1920's, post World War I, contributing to emboldening of tyrants around the world and eventually World War II.

b.)

US, 1990's, post Cold War, contributing to the emboldening of tyrants around the world and eventually the War on Terror.

ANSWERS:

Both answers are correct for all questions except 10) the US did not start a war in Afghanistan to preclude Soviet expansion; 17) Tommy Franks never said that, 26) Only a fool would equate spreading freedom with Imperialism.

CONCLUSION:
If you still think bellbottoms, radicals, pushing social norms, an unpopular and divisive war, Conservatives, Liberals, containing Russian expansion, aiding Afghan rebels, non-expansionist policies, the use of the press, the use of cameras, the use of war correspondents, questionable country-building public works contracts, insensitivity to other cultures, military cuts with dire world consequences, and anti-war election themes are all unique to late 20th century America, then you've failed this history lesson.

Resource: Article "Standoff in Afghanistan", by Karl E. Meyer, from MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History / Autumn 2002; which was adapted from Tournament of Shadows: Race for Empire in Southeast Asia (Counterpoint, 1999), by Karl E. Meyer and Shareen Blair Brysac.