CHAPTER TEN

MILITARY

We have covered the armies of ancient times in earlier chapters, and found that they were conquerors and guards for their rulers when not at war. The primary intention of military training was not aggression, but to defend territory, except for ”just” wars approved by religious leaders. Military training is a relatively recent phenomenon.
In those times, kings led their troops into battles, compared to modern times when generals conduct the war behind the lines to plan strategy, while volunteer troops or inductees fight and die in battle,
The purpose of the following brief history is to emphasize that military academies originated less than 200 hundred years ago. It should not be difficult to retrain cadets for peacetime activity. There is a crisis facing the planet and these institutions must create entirely new training and equipment, as well as a whole new philosophy of co-existence in peace and nonviolence.
The first military academy was formed in Russia by Peter I in 1698. The first cadet corps was founded in 1732. They were reorganized in 1863 as military gymnasia, and again revised in 1882. Their first naval academy was founded in 1827. On the eve of World War I, Russia had 6,000 cadets in training. In 1918 after the Communist revolution, the first Soviet military academy was founded in Moscow. They had the highest number of military academies in modern history.
Great Britain established a military academy at Woolwich in 1741 and in Dartmouth in 1863, and later at Sandhurst The combined strength of the Royal Military Academy at the beginning of the 1960s was nearly 1,000 cadets, the average age 17-20. The Royal Air Force College was formed in 1920. By the start of World War II more than 1,000 officers passed through it and 400 were left on the active list by the end of the war.
In 1802 Napoleon founded the Ecole Speciale Militaire which was transferred to Saint-Cyr near Versailles in 1808. From its foundation until 1957, 510,000 graduated of which 11,000 were killed in action. Its air force academy was formed in Versailles in 1935 and was transferred to Salon-de-Provence in 1937, too late to defend against the German onslaught in World War II.
The general military academy was founded in Spain in 1882 at the Alcazar of Toledo which was instrumental in the civil war in the 20th century. Naval and air academies are recent. They train 60 and 75 respectively, for a period of five years.
Italy trains 600 yearly from ages 17 to 27. It has a naval and air force academy, both offering 4-year courses. Germany revived its training after 1952, which was curtailed as a condition of surrender in World War II. Now it has a naval and air force academy as well.
The Koninklijke Militarie Academy in the Netherlands was founded in Breda in 1828. Their naval academy was founded in 1854. In Belgium the Brussels Ecole Royale Militaire trains officers for arm, navy and air, and gendarme nationale.
West Point Military Academy in New York state, was established as part of the corps of engineers in 1802. It was the first engineering school. In 1812 by act of Congress it became a military training facility so that the new country would not need to rely on foreign military technicians as they did in the Revolution. It is now under the supervision of the department of the army. The naval academy at Annapolis, Maryland, in 1845 under secretary of the Navy, George Bancroft became a major training center. The president, vice president and members of Congress may nominate candidates for entrance. All must take exams and undergo over-all evaluation. An additional number can be appointed each year from the regular navy and marine corps from reserves and for sons of service personnel and special sources, all by competitive exams.
The Coast Guard Academy, located at New London, Connecticut, was founded by an act of congress in 1876. Prior to World War II, it had a corps of 200-300 cadets which now numbers about 500-600. The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy was founded in 1938 when lend-lease started, shipping supplies to England after the start of World War II.
The Air Force Academy was authorized by Congress in 1954 at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver. In 1958 Its permanent site was constructed near Colorado Springs. The full authorized strength was 1,512 cadets. Congressional nominees fill 85 percent of the vacancies of each class.
Long-time hatred between Christians, Jews, Arabs and new Islamic fundamentalists against all other religions, are always ready to unleash blows against each other, contrary to basic Hebrew Scriptures which they agree upon that says, "Thou shalt not kill."
Troops are engaged in battle in Iraq, Afghanistan, with a cease-fire in 2006 between Israel and the Hezbollah as an underground militia in Lebanon. Since then there have been continuing hostilities, bent on the destruction of Israel by the Hamas, Fattah and Hezbollah factions of the PLO, as well as the president of Iran.
There have been few periods of peace in the region since 1948. Africa has been at war for decades. More troops are deployed in areas throughout the world to prevent outbreaks of war, as in Bosnia, and Turkey. Navy vessels patrol the high seas ready to answer a battle call. Weapons manufacturers and arsenals are busy with preparations for the future wars.
Now we must "turn swords into plowshares" or there will be nothing left to protect or defend. It is clear that the United Nations will not and cannot stop the madness. Assuming that it is agreed by the majority of citizens throughout the world that a planetary/continental system shall be a new peaceful way of living, all panels must immediately be formed to establish global authority.
A dramatic end to the practice of war that has impeded an utopian existence throughout the history of mankind, would be the gathering and disposal of all weapons of mass destruction under the domain of planetary and continental panels. Arsenals could be retained on the continents for conventional weapons and equipment in the event of insurrection, terrorist attacks or a plot to install a dictatorship in any region on earth. Most important would be control of all surveillance equipment and satellites to monitor potential dangerous activity.
Control would rest with planetary and continental panels who would change personnel and rotate positions so as to prevent attempts by any individual or groups from seizing power. Periodic inspections would be televised so that all citizens would know that they are safe.
The ultimate goal would be destruction of all weapons of mass destruction so that never again would there be war on the planet.
It is understood that those currently in power will do all they can to prevent a new system, but they are in relatively small numbers compared to global population. Only with one voice can their intervention be overcome.
A military panel consisting of retired generals, officers and combat troops who have experienced the horrors of war must be the first arm of the panels proposed here. They must rely on all military departments of every nation to come together to implement a cease-fire everywhere on the planet. If the United Nations shows determination to participate in the change, they could be an important asset in paving the way for change. If they do not cooperate, it would be mandatory for the first panel to take possession of United Nations headquarters for the new system supported by the planetary military.
All military operating funds from all nations must be placed in the planetary bank, with allocations of funds to carry out the gathering of arms, as the first budget item.
This will seem impossible to accomplish, but after all, funds are kept in banks and banks are run by people. They must be assured that all depositors have agreed to the transfers to the new planetary bank.
The next immediate transfer of funds would be from owners and producers of natural resource facilities. Private organizations will be compensated for releasing funds and turning over production to the appropriate planetary department. If taking over assets can be accomplished by war, certainly the same can be accomplished for peace.
The military should be renamed “peacekeepers” which would have even greater importance in peaceful times. Their first duty would be to gather weapons, then transporting funds to banking facilities, and guarding valuable property from various sites, to begin functions throughout the world. They would carry out any other designated security programs, either permanent or temporary assignments.
They would be deployed on every continent and their primary role would be the intelligence force that would man satellite vigilance of any activity on the planet that warns of violence.
A very high priority would be to find cells of terrorists whose beliefs have caused death and destruction to those who do not follow their interpretation of the Koran These fundamentalists are well-funded, surprisingly highly educated in the use of sophisticated electronic technology, have many believers ready to self-destruct for their cause, and are training thousands of the very young to hate all those who oppose them. There is no question, unless the world unites, that would be greatest threat.
Military (peacekeepers), would be called upon to be auxiliary police in the event of any crisis that threatens the peace, no matter where it occurs.
Their next priority would be as immediate rescuers in natural disasters throughout the world. It would also be their responsibility to maintain depots of supplies to handle any emergency on any continent. It would be organized as networks of transport when needed for evacuation, distribution of food and medical supplies and personnel where needed. They would be guards for any public facilities under construction and repair.
They would also be assigned to various law-enforcement agencies as needed in times of crisis or to control criminal activity. A major goal would be to eradicate drug production. They would also be responsible for guarding penal villages established by a new judicial system.
They could be good-will ambassadors, changing continents frequently so that citizens would not become fearful of their power or duties. They could be valuable in assisting in catastrophes from fire-fighting to teaching, to caring for the dislocated. This would not be unusual, as we have volunteer fire-fighters and good Samaritans in communities throughout the world, engaging in social causes, as well as professional duties.
Arsenals will be guarded by rotating peace-keepers from different regions to prevent attempts to seize control. Arsenals would be protected so that they could not to be opened unless an emergency is declared and the planetary and continental panels activate security devices.
Re-training of combat troops to learn skills needed for peacekeeping would be natural to troops who befriended children and people in countries where they were deployed as combatants and as security forces. They would have a key role in maintaining nonviolence in the new system.
There would be no commander in chief. A planetary panel would be the overseer of continental peacekeeping departments. Each continent would be responsible for creating departments led by executive officers educated and trained for the purpose of maintaining sufficient programs and equipment to accomplish peacekeeping activities.