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Politics Foreign Affairs Culture Fellows Program

1949 This Is Not

While some view these calls by retired military officers as a “revolt of the Generals” and a challenge to civilian control of the military, this episode pales in comparison to the 1949 revolt of the Admirals. ~Lawrence Korb, Time As Mr. Korb’s article outlines, this 1949 episode was a far more intense public opposition to […]

While some view these calls by retired military officers as a “revolt of the Generals” and a challenge to civilian control of the military, this episode pales in comparison to the 1949 revolt of the Admirals. ~Lawrence Korb, Time

As Mr. Korb’s article outlines, this 1949 episode was a far more intense public opposition to civilian leadership over a matter of policy. In that episode, officers on active duty openly supported the critics (which is not even what Gen. Newbold has called for officers to do now), ultimately to no avail. But the civilian leadership was never really “undermined”–the civilian leadership ultimately got its way on the matter under dispute.

As Mr. Korb also notes, the man the officers wanted out was responsible for the unpreparedness of our forces in Korea. In other words, the officers happened to be right that he wasn’t getting the job done. A confident and secure leadership could take that criticism and make the necessary decisions without having to be afraid that it would appear weak. Mr. Bush, alas, puts forth all of the bravado of someone who always appears absolutely certain about everything because he associates inflexibility with strength. When adopted all of the time, it is, in fact, a sign of paralysis.

The fears of creeping military influence on political life are pretty much baseless. It is, of course, something always to be borne in mind, and yet another reason why there should not be a large standing army or a hyperactive interventionist foreign policy, both of which tend to encourage the politicisation of the military, but it is not the major problem of our time. The problem we do face is that of a largely gutless opposition party, a servile Congress, a meek media and an ignorant and disengaged populace. For five years real discourse and dissent have been stifled or pushed to the margins, and the desire to shut up these retired generals is part of this same climate of intimidating and shouting down dissent. Modern America has seen “worse” cases of military dissent against the government, and the government, for good or ill, has survived intact.

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