Most of the countries today have a military unit as a result of previous wars. When they emerged as survivors, these nations made sure to document what happened during those times, along with the strategies that allowed them to succeed in battle.
panoramic shot of patriotic soldier in military uniform holding american flag while standing in field
The US has a rich military history. If you’re planning to join the army, you should study this course to equip you in your career as a soldier. Institutions like Norwich University allow you to take the degree online. You can learn more about their program by visiting their official website.
Here are the benefits that you’ll gain when you study military history:
- Be Aware Of Past Mistakes To Avoid Them
The saying, “History repeats itself,” implies that some mistakes can be prevented if only people took to heart the lessons they learned from their past. When you study military history, you can find a pattern on most human behavior.
Often, wars can be sparked by something as trivial as a leader’s misinterpretation of another’s message. Those who aren’t aware of this won’t be conscious of how critical it is to establish good relations with the head of foreign countries. As an aspiring soldier, you should study military history so that you can spot potential problems before these issues blow up into gigantic and uncontrollable proportions.
No matter how hard humans try, there will always be a possibility of war. The best thing that you can do is to learn from past mistakes and avoid repeating history.
- Enrich Yourself With Knowledge On Various Strategies
You’ll also learn about how to conduct a successful military operation when you study history. For instance, with D-Day, you’ll see how American, British, and Canadian forces orchestrated an elaborate deception on the Nazis about the invasion target.
These strategies can equip you with the necessary knowledge to help your superiors when wartime comes. Moreover, you’ll also learn how to think critically and analyze why these strategies worked over the losing nation’s tactics.
- Know The Stories Of Previous Commanders
More than studying the strategies of successful military operations in the past, you can also get to know the characters of previous commanders. These leaders embody the values and traits of a reputable and credible soldier. To emulate them, you should be familiar with their personalities and how they dealt with pressure, as well as with their subordinates.
- Prepare For Your Career
Joining the army is, in itself, an honorable feat. However, if you want to make a difference in the lives of Americans, you can do more by aiming to become a five-star general. Studying military history is one way of achieving this goal. You can apply the same strategies as previous successful commanders when they had to step up their leadership amidst conflict.
Aside from being a part of the military, you also open yourself up to new job opportunities, such as:
Teacher – If you’ve always had a fascination with the army and history, you can merge those interests and imbue others with the same passion for learning about strategies and other military tactics. You aren’t just limited to college students; you can teach history to those in high school as well.
Researcher – Some military history graduates can also work for government agencies as researchers. This job entails getting the details of previous national events and using those pieces of data to provide context for current policies.
Military Analyst – The US Department of Justice and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) also employ graduates of this course to analyze global military history and provide their input to leaders regarding security and diplomacy.
Writer – You can become a fiction writer as well and focus on the military genre. Writers typically imagine characters and scenarios through research. With your expertise in the history of the army, you can write with authority and bring readers into your world.
- Gain New Perspectives
Learning about history also entails opening your mind and looking at historical events from different perspectives. Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes allows you to take things in context. It can boost your critical thinking skills, which is valuable as you join and start your career in the army.
Conclusion
Aspiring soldiers should study military history so that they can prevent history from repeating itself. Learning from the mistakes of people in the past can help avoid unnecessary deaths due to wars.
When you take this course, you become knowledgeable about winning strategies, as well as the commanders who implemented them. Military history can also prepare you for your army career and expand your job horizon. Lastly, you can look at previous wars from the perspectives of the winners and losers, which can boost your critical thinking skills.