Who was Responsible for the Dardanelles Naval Fiasco?*

In 1916 the Dardanelles Royal Commission was convened to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Dardanelles naval fiasco of the previous year. Lords Fisher and Kitchener, former heads of the Royal Navy and British Army respectively, were ultimately found to have been culpable, in having failed to adequately warn the Cabinet War Council of the dangers implicit within the naval operation. Winston Churchill, the political head of the Royal Navy was also admonished, though to a lesser degree. It is the contention of this paper that the findings of the Dardanelles Commission were seriously flawed and that Fisher and Kitchener were unjustly castigated, as convenient scapegoats. This proposition will be tested against all of the relevant evidence available, including hitherto‐neglected primary sources, in order to determine who in fact was responsible for that disaster.     

《大陆强国与海上制衡:1888-1914年德国的海军扩张》(顾全著)出版

《大陆强国与海上制衡:1888—1914年德国的海军扩张》(上海人民出版社2020年1月版)是顾全博士的新著。作者在这部著作中,对“是什么原因或机制导致一个大陆强国选择扩张海上军事实力来制衡头等海洋强国”问题进行了研究。他的答案是:“头等海洋强国在大陆强国当地局部水域的战略弱点”、“头等海洋强国与大陆强国的矛盾大小和利益冲突程度”、“对头等海洋强国怀有敌意且主动扩军的派别在大陆强国海军内的支配程度”、“大陆强国国内政府文职部门对军方压力的敏感程度”这四个因素,会影响大陆强国扩张海军制衡海洋强国的概率。     

Emerging Infectious Disease Surveillance in Southeast Asia: Cambodia,Indonesia, and the US Naval Area Medical Research Unit 2

Abstract

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) pose international security threats. What cultural, political, and economic challenges stand in the way of setting up EID Surveillance infrastructure? Are there general principles that might guide engagement with developing countries and support such infrastructure? Using the US Naval Area Medical Research Unit 2 as a common denominator, this study compares barriers to EID surveillance in Cambodia and Indonesia and presents key factors that constrain disease surveillance systems. As extensive interviews revealed, low levels of development in general are the main impediments to building EID surveillance infrastructure and are perhaps beyond the scope of health and scientific agencies at this point. Ultimately, political economy matters and promoting greater understanding of these issues is a critical first step in mitigating negative outcomes.