The Importance of History for Decision Makers

Columnist Lt Col (Retd) MUHAMMAD ZAMAN MALIK discusses why sound knowledge of history is important for leaders

The Construction of History

For as long as there have been human beings on earth, there has been history. In the pre-historic days, Homo Sapiens had told what had happened the last day. It has been passed on from generation to generation, by word of mouth, by song, dance or drawings which forms a record, a narrative of the past that serves as part of the context. It becomes a myth, an explanation of why things are the way they are. It is more than a mere catalogue of past actions; it helps to explain why it happened. By extension, it serves to dictate how the present should be ordered; it explains how things should happen. The record of history though is charged with 'Whys' and 'Hows' of long ago. The facts do not speak for themselves; we speak for the facts. History should not be distorted by the politicians/rulers because to the coming generations it is the historian, not the past which does the dictation to history. The decision maker is faced with a dilemma before the 'lessons' of history can even begin to be learned: which rendering of the past be taken as definitive, from which should lessons be drawn - the eye witness, official history or a revisionist rewriting? Whose history be picked - of the victor or that of the vanquished's version. Dangers do plague the learning process of leaders who use history.

Military History

The military history is normally based on the reports of eye-witnesses, which at the time can not be subjected to criticism and that the atmosphere of the battle is so tremulous with excitement that those who have breathed it are frequently at a loss to reproduce it even in memory, after the battle has ended, and as time lapses, its influence is rapidly forgotten. The object of the study of history is to prepare us for the next war, consequently all the ephemeral details should be passed over lightly, and attention concentrated on what is of permanent value in war. As said earlier, 'Whys' and 'Hows' of success and failure in a series of campaigns, and not microscopic knowledge of any one campaign.

Methods of Examining Military History

To understand the nature of war, and it is its nature, which determines its procedures, a clear grasp of the causes of the war is essential, and especially in modern times. These causes are difficult to discover, since military historians generally confuse pretexts with causes, and in general a historian knowing so little about war, normally considers its outbreak as he would, a cataclysm, an earthquake or a flood. In examining the causes of war the details of the peace treaty that was concluded at the end of the last war, in all its forms - military, economic, and ethical should be carefully studied. For example:

'The Furer passed, noticing a great block nearby, he strode over to take a look at it ... I remember how he reacted after reading this inscription in French, which was also translated to him.... 'HERE ON THE ELEVENTH OF NOVEMBER 1918 SUCCUMBED THE CRIMINAL PRIDE OF THE GERMAN ENEMY EMPIRE - VANQUISHED BY THE FREE PEOPLES WHICH IT TRIED TO ENSLAVE'.

Hitler's face was afire with scorn, anger, hate, revenge, triumph. With his gesture of defiance, of burning contempt for this place now and all that it has stood for in the 22 years since it witnessed the humbling of German empire ... The French men looked shattered ... they had been purposely humiliated. In turn by Hitler'. (The rise and fall of third Reich, by William L Shirer - an American Journalist).

Morals

The natural morals and characteristics of each nation differ. Indians, Pakistanis, Chinese, Japanese or Koreans, British, Germans, French or Americans, all differ vastly if you come to study of it. We must therefore know who we are going to fight against. Military moral is not much different but we must examine the doctrine of discipline in each case. We must know about the mental and physical machinery used to convert the man into soldier. Discipline should accentuate the virile national characteristics, and tone down the effeminate ones.

Leadership

We have roughly known the factors which animate the armies, and so, we can now turn to the mental sphere of force which controls the instrument. Here the main problem is the Chiefs. Are they free agents or shackled by political control. What are the reasons for their various moves and do these reasons display originality and imaginations?

Conditions

We must examine the conditions the war was fought under. How far did each side appreciate the nature of conditions, before the campaign started and whilest the war was in progress? The conditions of war having been analysed, correlated and surrounded by an atmosphere of reality, as far as in our imaginations, can recreate the atmosphere which existed at the time the campaign was fought, we should next shovel our ten little elementary heaps into one heap and place it in position on the map. Now, as to those principles of war, we should pretend, at first, that the contending commanders had no knowledge of the principles of war at all.

Economical Expenditure

We must, for a moment imagine that the most economical expenditure means, the plan that requires the least number of soldiers, equipment and weapons, to be completed also within shortest possible time. Normally it is concentrating strength that economy is effected, for a big military balance enables us to expend this strength economically at a decisive point.

Security and Counter Intelligence

If one asks me what is the most important requirement, for the defence, peace and prosperity both in war and peace, I would say, its the vital aspect of the Security and Defence. We are in a new era of technological culminations, for gaining what was gained by nations, through other means, in the past. If the colonial powers had this scale of ascendancy over the Empires they had conquered through other superior means, comparatively, they would have done so with a most great ease. Now also, the technological advantage, that few can imagine, can get them, as it indeed is already, with comparative ease/far less losses, in every respect, within the shortest possible time. A most reliable espionage network to be effective under most trying conditions is to be organised, but to be used against the enemy not mostly, against political opponents. How can you digest the thought that the enemy satellites are watching every movement 24 hours?

Conclusion

This article has told us precisely the approach to history that yields the most fruit. The objective study of the past leads us to formulate questions that apply to the present. It is therefore vital that we must challenge and interrogate it in order to draw correct lessons from it, for future guidance. The historian must keep this point in mind that it is he who would be held responsible for guiding/misguiding the posterity, which will also include his nearest kins. The tragic aspect that overwhelms our national character today is, that we can't see anything better than those who are own kins, 'biradry' or those who can offer a better bargain! This unbridled greed has blinded our culture for which our children would be suffering for a long long time, and by then the world would have gone beyond Mars. Then, why on God's earth did the German Generalship allow Hitler to dictate not only how to do but when and where to do what! The Mum Dummies of German Generalship, was mainly the cause of the disgrace and humiliation that the generations of that brilliant nation had to suffer. For us, however, the unforgettable and unforgivable crime was committed by our then civil as well as military leadership, in handing over East Pakistan to the Indian Armed Forces. That must always be kept in front!