Rhyming History (Part I)

  The quote, “Those that cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it,” attributed the most to Spanish philosopher George Sentayana, has never rang quite true to me.  I’ve always been more of a fan of Mark Twain’s, “History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.”  As a history teacher, I always try to find the present day equivalents for the historical events we teach.  But more recently, in an attempt to make some sense of what seems like an increasingly unstable time period, I’ve been using the process in reverse, trying to find a time period that rhymes with the one we are living in.  In my humble opinion, a good (but far from perfect) case can be made for the 1950’s-1970’s.

     The most glaring comparison, to me, is the involvement in Vietnam and the involvement in Afghanistan.  Similarity #1, US involvement in each was based on a legitimate fear.  For Vietnam, it was the spread of communism (which had already taken hold of the Soviet Union, China, North Korea, and eventually Cuba).  For Afghanistan, it was the fear of terrorism, and a direct counterstrike for 9-11.  Similarity #2, each led to a questionable expansion into a neighboring country.  For Vietnam, it was the secret forays into Cambodia, which was allowing North Vietnam to supply the Viet Cong along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and a sanctuary for the enemy to cross into when retreating.  For Afghanistan, a case could be made for the invasion of Iraq, because of suspected Weapons of Mass Destruction and our history with Saddam Hussein, or Pakistan, where special forces secretly moved in to kill Osama bin Laden.   Similarity #3, the eroding public support for both wars.  Whether it was the length of time our soldiers were there, the escalation, the lack of an achievable goal, the lack of measurable progress, or the fact that we were fighting an enemy that used guerilla tactics and refused to give up regardless of conditions, the US public was sick of it.  History dictates that any war without its public support is unwinnable.  Similarity #4, the waste of money on a corrupt government.  Whether it was the puppet government in South Vietnam under Diem, or the Karzai administration in Afghanistan, incredible amounts of money were sent by the US to create infrastructure and take care of humanitarian needs that were sucked in by corrupt officials like a black hole. Without oversight or enforcement, the money was lost, and with it, the support of US citizens and citizens of these countries that trusted their elected officials.  Similarity #5, the withdrawal of each was a disaster.  The images of diplomats and refugees and diplomats boarding helicopters on the roof of the US embassy in Saigon are startling when compared to the images of refugees scrambling to board airplanes at the Kabul airport.  

     History and time has given us a perspective on Vietnam.  It will eventually do the same for Afghanistan.  The main difference between the two events, as far as I’m concerned, is the treatment of returning soldiers to the US.  Where Vietnam vets were often ridiculed mercilessly by anti-war protestors, or for those who blamed them for “losing” the war, the treatment of military members present day is much more respectful, regardless of how people think about the mission.

     Another imperfect comparison of the two time periods is civil rights.  The 1950’s and 1960’s had major civil rights events, including the March on Washington, race riots in major cities, and the Mississippi Burning case. It led to major legislation signed into law by Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson, like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965.  The time period also experienced the assassination of key civil rights figures such as John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X. The trauma led to protests, riots, national and global attention, and political and social change.  

     Our present day conditions do not include the traumatic deaths of famous figures, but instead every day people who have become globally known because of the way they died.  Names like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Trayvon Martin are ubiquitous now, and have given a shot of adrenaline to the calls for more reform and minority rights.  Memorials to George Floyd are not just found in Houston and Minneapolis, but also Great Britain, Italy, Israel, Syria, Kenya, Pakistan, and Venezuela.  The new found momentum got the full attention of politicians, especially the Democratic candidates running for president, and may very well have influenced the outcome of the 2020 election.  Time will tell if major legislative action will follow.

     These first two comparisons are a heavy lift, but far from the only similarities.  In two weeks, part II will continue this discussion over whether or not history tends to rhyme.