Thucydides: On Leadership (King Archidamus) 8/9/17

King Archidamus: ruler, strategist, statesman, orator.* The seminal book by Thucydides on the Peloponnesian war, 431-404 BCE, teaches: the civil military nexus, joint and combined operations and other valuable concepts. Thucydides also teaches about leadership throughout his history of the war. In the last few weeks we looked at Brasidas, Cleon, and Pericles. The two central figures at the start of the conflict are Pericles the "Strategos" of Athens and King Archidamus of Sparta. Thucydides record of the pre-conflict speeches of these two rulers frame the history of the war that follows, what Wilson (see below) calls "net assessment." Today King Archidamus would be considered a realist since he warns the Spartans that, should they choose to go to war, they would "bequeath this to their children." He warns that, as a Soldier who has participated in many wars, that wars cause tremendous suffering and are unpredictable. He also cautions the Spartans about their strategic limitations; a weak naval force and uncertain allies, and about the dynamism of the Athenian empire, and the difficulty in ending a war, once begun. Alas, King Archidamus is unable to persuade the Spartans to postpone the war, and though against it, as king he would nevertheless lead the invasion. So the elephant (lumbering but powerful on land) went to war with the whale (dynamic and powerful on the water, and along its coastal provinces, but helpless on land).* The result was a war that would last for 27 years and ultimately destroy both Athens and Sparta. Of the leaders we learn about from Thucydides, King Archidamus is one of the most brilliant yet troubled. The king warns the Spartans of danger, nevertheless "fear, honor and self-interest" lead them to tactical/operational victory followed by strategic defeat. Thucydides explains that his history is intended as a "possession for all time" and implies that the lessons learned from his history can help strategic leaders make better decisions. The lesson of King Archidamus seems to be that careful assessment and wise judgement must precede a decision to risk war since the seeds of destruction can be found even in success.** Army Leadership Doctrine: Net assessment is important to decision making. ADRP 6-22 5-6, 7, 8 describe the qualities of sound judgement. It is instructive that 6-22 says that this comes from experience (trial and error) and by observing others. Thucydides is an excellent teacher who can still teach leaders today. * See Wilson below. **This reflection is based on my own personal reading of Thucydides, see The Landmark Thucydides: A Comprehensive Guide to the Peloponnesian War, Robert B. Strassler ed. or The Peloponnesian War: Oxford World's Classics, Rhodes and Hammon Trans., The Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan; The Great Courses, Masters of War: History's Greatest Strategic Thinkers by Andrew R. Wilson, lecture 2 and 3. *** For a religious thought consider Luke 14:25-34. From a human and spiritual perspective (non-theistic) consider self-knowledge as taught by the Dali Lama including his book "How to See Yourself as You Really Are."