Introduction
The research will refer to the themes of ethics and technological progress during the American Civil War and World War II. In particular, it will deal with the transformation of the Marine Corps within the period between the Civil War and World War II. American Civil War (1861—1865) is one of the most influential wars in U.S. history. It has changed the overall structure of American society and became the first step to the acceptance of equality for people of all ancestries. World War II, in its turn, is the greatest and the most devastating war that humanity has ever seen. It is difficult to overestimate its significance in human history. The literature reviewed in this paper allows us to compare the ethical and technological paradigms of the two wars and the transformation of the Marine Corps.
Ethics
The first article that can serve as material for further research on the two wars is an article by McMaster (2021). It is devoted to the corrosion of warrior ethos revealing the changes in the perception of war that have been experienced by combatants throughout the centuries. The author notes that postmodernism has influenced people’s values greatly. The feeling of sacredness that has been connected to military actions from ancient times has transformed in the twentieth century. Besides, the article reveals the shifts in the models of mobilization. Previously, mass mobilization was more common, whereas nowadays volunteer armed forces are involved in combats. Earlier, people knew what do they stand for and they were more committed to their fatherland. Nowadays many soldiers get paid according to contracts and make military actions their profession, without being interested in the reasons for war. Such an approach was practiced earlier as well, but nowadays it is becoming more common.
The advantage of the article for the given research is in its diachronic approach since it allows for analyzing the shift of paradigms throughout a certain period of history. Jensen & Jentry (2017) have researched the question concerning the doctrines that influenced the Marine Corps after World War I and Vietnam. The publication describes external and internal pressure on the troops caused by the development of new doctrines. For example, it refers to the “Tentative Landing Operations Manual” that clarified the role of the Marine Corps in the national defense. Besides, it considered the issues of training, leadership, and other military issues important for the formation of a soldier’s morale.
Technology
In the 20th century, technological progress rocketed due to the tension between the states and the need to invent effective weapons. However, during the Civil War, some new military inventions were first applied. The article “Civil War technology” (2018) describes the weapons that were used during the war. For example, repeating rifles replaced muskets, which increased the chances to kill the enemy. Some inventions that were not exclusively military were also introduced, for example, railroads and the telegraph. They increased the tempo of war and created the basis for better communication between different parts of the country.
As for the Marine Corps during the Civil War, their state is revealed in the article by Donnely (1959). The article refers to the fact that in some sources Confederate Marine Corps were called “pitifully small” and at the time were not considered as important as other branches of service. The author disapproves of this point of view and proves that there was a high demand for that kind of troops during the Civil War. However, he notes that there were not enough people in that branch of service to fulfill all the needs of the Confederate army. The article also describes the operations that the marine troops were involved in and the budget for these operations. Thus, the source represents a multilateral view of the state of the Marine Corps during the Civil War.
World War II, became the catalyst for technological progress. The article “The scientific and technological advances of World War II” reveals the technological innovations that were introduced during that war. For example, it covers the field of medicine, meteorology, nuclear weapons, and radar technologies. By the time of this war, Marine Corps engaged up to 600,000 American soldiers. Thus, the role of the Marine Corps was much more significant during World War II because it was involved in several theatres and had multiple missions.
Conclusion
The sources described above allow us to analyze the evolution of the Marine Corps from a small branch to a full-scale set of troops that was defending the interests of the U.S. in different countries. From the point of view of ethics, the researchers reveal that in modern times the warrior values erode. However, it is not the case in World War II, as it was the peak of patriotism and willingness to gain victory over Nazism. As for the Civil War, the ethical background was different for the different sides of the conflict, as some were fighting for freedom and equality, and others were defending conservative values and their capital. The articles also allow us to estimate the technological progress that was made during both wars, as they became a powerful catalyst for science.
References
Civil War technology (2018). History. Web.
Donnelly, R. W. (1959). Battle Honors and Services of Confederate Marines. Military Affairs, 23(1), 37–40. Web.
Jensen, R. W., & Gentry, K. (2017). Identity crisis between the wars: How doctrine shaped the marine corps after World War I and Vietnam. Marine Corps University Journal, 8(1), 62–81. Web.
McMaster, H. R. (2021, November 15). The corrosion of the warrior ethos: Necessary restorative work belongs to us all. National Review, 73(21), 22.
The scientific and technological advances of World War II. The National WWII Museum of New Orleans. Web.