2008-08-06

Was there a military revolution?

Well, some historains dispute if there was a Scientific Revolution so imagine a military one! Here are some recaps and resources you may or may not agree with.

As a result of new military technologies like the musket and canon, countries and towns had to find new ways to defend themselves. One method devised has come to be known as Trace Italianne. It makes sense that Italy would become "defensive" in its military approach given the amount of times it had been invaded through the centuries since the fall of Rome in 476 ad. A fact that was not lost on Machiavelli who lamented Italy's fragmented existence and frail reliance on mercenaries.

Perhaps this explains why, in part, Italian soccer has taken the character it has: notably one that appreciates defensive qualities and obsesses over tactics.

2 comments:

  1. Hard to say if it was a revolution or evolution. Personally I would go with the later.

    Stating a 'Revolution' seems to denote a drastic change or something that is spontaneous. I find that the change in technology, such as the trace d'Italienne (star forts) was gradual, and didn't happen all at once. It took many years for these new forts to catch on, and it was all because of the canon, which was an evolution on projectile weapons such as bow-and-arrow and spears.

    Too me it was a gradual movement over time which culminated in varying weaponry that capitalized on what resources and capacity a society could improve. (Although to state that new technology is an improvement is a little teleological on my behalf.. haha).

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  2. I tend to lean on the evolution side too.

    Some historians assert that the changes in military technology were so abrupt that they added up to a revolution.

    But it is amazing to observe how societies and humans adjust and react.

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