Joachim Remak (1920–2001)

The brilliant English title did not survive the translation into German ("Brotherly tryst not fratricide"). The valuable outside view of an American professor on Switzerland's small war in contrast to the big American Civil War highlights the differences and similarities. Both wars were about power shifting from agricultural to industrial elites, masked by religion (in Switzerland) and slavery (in the United States). The stakes were low in Switzerland, whereas the value of the human chattel (capital stock) made a peaceful resolution and transfer of power unlikely. Before the outbreak of hostility, we see in both nations, a status of quasi-war and vigilantes (with bloody Kansas and John Brown on one continent and the mob vigilante invasions, the Freischarenzüge, on the other), an element Remak fails to compare (at least in the German version).

The big difference between the two wars was due to the strategic insight of the Swiss commander, Henri Dufour. He made certain to have an overwhelming advantage in the size of his army and he kept it concentrated. Given the huge disparity in force, his adversaries accepted that resistance would be futile. Lincoln, however, only called for 75,000 volunteers, a number easily matched by the Southerners. If he had called on 300,000 and then marched 200,000 of them to Richmond, the Anaconda might have strangulated the traitors earlier. Dufour also understood the element of "with malice toward none", preventing most of the bloodshed and tragedies of war. The display of power (carrying a big stick) and not using it, offering an open hand to the errant sons helped forge a national unity which did not exist beforehand in Switzerland. The hard hand of war of the US Federal forces only split the country further. Unfortunately, the US officers were too preoccupied with the Mexican–American War to learn from the Swiss example.

A great book about a small war which exactly because of its bloodlessness deserves to be studied. The opposite of shock and awe is a winning strategy. Unfortunately, the book is already out of print. Highly recommended if you manage to find a copy.… (more)

3738. The Origins of World War I 1871-1914, by Joachim Remak (read 29 Apr 2003) No, this is not what I read on Apr 10, but it is an even better slight book on the same subject, published in 1967 by a University of California (at Santa Barbara) professor whose grasp of the subject is impeccable. This is an excellent book on an endlessly fascinating subject and I am really glad I read it. My computer tells me I have read 39 books with "1914" in their title. It was a momentous year, not least of all since it was the year my folks were married!… (more)