General Emory Upton-The army’s Mahan review

General Emory Upton-The army’s Mahan review

As many people may perceive, history is molded by individuals who work hard to accomplish a better future for the generations to come. Among such pioneers of history is General Emory Upton, who made a significant contribution in shaping the modern United States’ military army. This is described by Brown (1953) in his article “General Emory Upton-The army’s Mahan.” This paper provides a critical review of Brown’s article by examining his analysis on the work and life of General Upton.

Brown begins his article by describing the early life of General Upton. Upton graduated in May 1861 at Oberlin College and was viewed as an exemplary student. Later, he was appointed as a Lieutenant at West Point, where he trained troops and fought in his first battle during the war of Bull Run. Even though he was injured during this war, he became prominent for his wise contribution of effective tactics during wars that aided in defeating the rivals.

According to Brown (1953), Upton’s fame for his work rose during the civil war. It was during this time that his ideas emerged to be significant in the military. His main contributions included his concept of implementing a full-time and robust army and a National Volunteer Army to be used during wartime to solidify the power of the regular army. He also proposed a model whereby a militia would execute and administer laws of the land. Unfortunately, Upton did not get a chance to complete his final piece of work on ‘The Military Policy of the US’ because of ailment, which resulted in his death. However, this piece of work was later published, and it has been a source of reference to the formation and implementation of policies in the US army.

Upton’s work is not only influential in today’s’ US military force, but it was also significant during the civil war. According to Brown (1953), Upton’s techniques were essential in winning the war against the ‘Mule Shoe’ at Spotsylvania Court House. His tactics were also admired by Ulysses S. Grant who implemented them and resulted in his victory over the Confederacy in the American Civil War. General Upton’s work also led to the portray of the flaws and shortcomings of the old tactics of managing the military.

Brown provides captivating ideas on the life and historical legacy of General Upton. His use of references from other authors enhances the credibility of his article and provides a platform for research on the same topic. The use of references also offers more insight on the topic under study.

The structure of the article is well executed in such a way that it is easy to follow and understand the ideas presented, which makes it enjoyable for readers. The author was also able to capture and connect Upton’s concepts to the laws and acts that came after his death.

However, more research could have been carried out on the impact of Upton’s tactics on the civil war. It seems that Brown did not find it essential to include such material in his article. However, it would have been interesting to learn how his early life in the military influenced his ideas and opinions.

On this note, it is worth saying that even though Brown’s article does not fill in some historical gaps in the works of General Upton during his early life, the piece is well done and commendable. The structure of ideas is faultless, and the arguments brought forward are convincing for other scholars to undertake further research on the work of General Upton.