Military adventurism as a term has been used frequently in recent years to refer to much of the foreign policy of the United States of America, but as an idea and a set of behaviors it has been around since ancient times. Global powers have manufactured conflicts throughout history, often for less than noble aims, in parts of the world where there is something that they would like to acquire. This can be military influence, natural resources, including people, or territory.
Despite its close association with the USA, the term could be applied to a host of other nations, possibly dating back to ancient times. The US may have been involved in bloody wars in Iraq and Afghanistan recently, but similar conflicts were being manufactured by the world's imperial powers in the late 19th century. France, Italy, Germany, Great Britain and others could all, with some justification, be accused of military adventurism during this era.
Africa was the continent were much of this colonial activity was focused in the late 1800s. Various European nations indulged in what later became termed the 'Scramble for Africa', as they divided up the continent between themselves, with little regard or empathy for the native peoples living there. This era lasted roughly from 1881 until the outbreak of World War One, in 1914, when the European powers began fighting among themselves.
While Britain and France had begun holding colonies in Africa many years before this, this period was also marked by an upsurge in German colonial activity. By 1890, the drive for an overseas German empire had begun to grow. Kaiser Wilhelm II was a proponent of 'Weltpolitik, a doctrine which insisted that German colonial activity was vital to the nation's development.
Another young country who joined in the scramble for Africa was Italy, which had only been founded as a unified state in 1870. One of their east African campaigns ended in humiliating defeat though, when they were defeated in Ethiopia in the war of 1895-96. Victory in this war saw Ethiopia become the only African state to retain its independence during this period of colonial history.
The drive for more Italian colonies was not halted by that embarrassing setback though, and the young nation did manage to secure control of Somaliland and Eritrea, both also in east Africa, by 1890. They conquered what is now Libya in 1911, after a war with the Ottoman Empire, now known as Turkey.
An awful crime against humanity occurred as a result of the personal colonial adventuring of one man, King Leopold II of Belgium. This monarch, acting as a private individual, ruled the Congo Free State as a personal colony, separate from his country, enslaved and brutalized huge numbers of people as he exploited the central African country's natural resources for entirely personal gain. By 1908, he had been removed from control, and Congo was ruled by Belgium itself, rather than just its monarch alone.
Military adventurism is therefore not a new concept at all. It occurred on many occasions in the late 19th century, and in eras before that too, dating back a long time. Many would argue that global politics today is still shaped to a distressing extent by the concept.
Despite its close association with the USA, the term could be applied to a host of other nations, possibly dating back to ancient times. The US may have been involved in bloody wars in Iraq and Afghanistan recently, but similar conflicts were being manufactured by the world's imperial powers in the late 19th century. France, Italy, Germany, Great Britain and others could all, with some justification, be accused of military adventurism during this era.
Africa was the continent were much of this colonial activity was focused in the late 1800s. Various European nations indulged in what later became termed the 'Scramble for Africa', as they divided up the continent between themselves, with little regard or empathy for the native peoples living there. This era lasted roughly from 1881 until the outbreak of World War One, in 1914, when the European powers began fighting among themselves.
While Britain and France had begun holding colonies in Africa many years before this, this period was also marked by an upsurge in German colonial activity. By 1890, the drive for an overseas German empire had begun to grow. Kaiser Wilhelm II was a proponent of 'Weltpolitik, a doctrine which insisted that German colonial activity was vital to the nation's development.
Another young country who joined in the scramble for Africa was Italy, which had only been founded as a unified state in 1870. One of their east African campaigns ended in humiliating defeat though, when they were defeated in Ethiopia in the war of 1895-96. Victory in this war saw Ethiopia become the only African state to retain its independence during this period of colonial history.
The drive for more Italian colonies was not halted by that embarrassing setback though, and the young nation did manage to secure control of Somaliland and Eritrea, both also in east Africa, by 1890. They conquered what is now Libya in 1911, after a war with the Ottoman Empire, now known as Turkey.
An awful crime against humanity occurred as a result of the personal colonial adventuring of one man, King Leopold II of Belgium. This monarch, acting as a private individual, ruled the Congo Free State as a personal colony, separate from his country, enslaved and brutalized huge numbers of people as he exploited the central African country's natural resources for entirely personal gain. By 1908, he had been removed from control, and Congo was ruled by Belgium itself, rather than just its monarch alone.
Military adventurism is therefore not a new concept at all. It occurred on many occasions in the late 19th century, and in eras before that too, dating back a long time. Many would argue that global politics today is still shaped to a distressing extent by the concept.
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