A tiny ember with enough time and fuel can cause even the greatest forests to be destroyed. All people in the world are made to not to like to lose… its human nature, none of us like to lose or fail in a task that we set out and are determined to finish. And like many people totally humiliated by defeat, the ire and the hope of vengeance grows with every succeeding day and like a cornered tiger become willing to fight with nothing to lose. Is it then not better then to destroy your enemy before they have a chance of revenge?
In Chinese history, there is a woman who was part of the royal harem of the emperor. She was Wu Chao. Fearing for her position and life of pleasure, she quickly did what she could to make sure she gained favor from the son of the emperor. Though, following Chinese law, after the death of the emperor she was sent to a convent for supposedly the rest of her life. She smart though and was able to keep in contact with the emperor’s son, the new emperor. After returning to the palace, she quickly made friends with the emperor’s wife while still sleeping with the emperor in which she bore a son. During of the empresses’ visits, Wu Chao smothered the chills and blamed the murder on the empress in whish led to the execution of the empress and the instatement of Chao as empress. With the emperor being accustomed to a life of leisure, he instated her with all imperial power. Later again, with her fearing that the emperor had favor on her niece, she poisoned her niece’s food. Then as her sons grew older, she either killed or had them exiled one-by-one, securing her place of power long after the death of the emperor.
Wu was able to keep her power for so long because she had no mercy for anyone that might threaten her position. She destroyed her enemies as soon as she suspected a threat, giving them no time to retaliate. She was ruthless and cunning.
Is that also not how we are supposed to act in the face of opposition? To prevent future aggression against us, we have to destroy the source of the aggression before it get to strong, not just physically, but psychologically. All hope must be taken away from them and destroyed. Is that not the smarter action? To crush your enemies totally?
Gabby Locsin
Hi 18 K
Well, first of all, the law sounds morbid and comes off the tongue like embers from a blacksmith's forge. However merciless it may be, this law applies to history's most brutal wars.
ReplyDeleteWorld War II introduced a concept new to the history of warfare. Something worse than pillage and ovens, total war affected EVERYONE in a country. Mostly evident in the USSR's scorched earth policy - meaning, the ground they lost should be razed so that no benefit can be raised for the occupying enemy - total war puts a country's whole economy to ruin MERCILESSLY. Everything is then affected - culture, demographics, health, food, innocent lives.
Germany dominated the first stages of the war because they never stopped charging forward. The Allies won because the German economy staggered from daily bombings.
Mercy? The slightest outlook of that is usually just a pretension for the political arena.
Dylan Valerio
Hi18L
through out history also, many conquering armies also used their own way of destroying enemies morality and will to fight back.. like destroying live stock, public executions and other vile acts like rape...
ReplyDeletei agree with the morbidity of the law, but its still a fact of life that practices of it are still done in contemporary warfare...
there are still many people who did not follow this law and at certain stand stills searched for peace, or at least a temporary treaty... though i still believe that crushing your enemy is really the ultimate goal of any battle, as can be seen from the other laws, mercy is also a good way to manipulate those defeated
Gabby Locsin
Hi 18 K
I don't agree with this law. I'm sorry but it's just too evil. haha
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think that a person hungry for power will do anything just to keep that power his but destroying any threat is not the only way to keep it. What about what the Bible teaches us? To love one another inspite of looks, character etc. ?
Clarice Manuel
Hi18K
It is evil, but it totally makes sense. If you crush an enemy half way, you give them the opportunity to rise up again and fight. It's like how the Egyptians had to conquer Syria 18 times for 18 years; because they couldn't fully conquer them (since they always had to go back to Egypt), Syria was always back up the next year to fight again. That's why you have to crush them totally.
ReplyDeleteIt's the same as in boxing; if you want to win, you have to hit your opponent so hard that they can't get up anymore. If you keep on just throwing half jabs, your opponent is going to last longer. In the long run, you'll end up using up more resources to defeat him or her. You'll also leave yourself open to retaliation.
Ria Rigoroso
Hi 18 - K
to ria:
ReplyDeleteexactly!! you cant leave them with the chance that they can get back at you! cause if you leave them as is, they'll just rebuild their forces, stronger and more prepared to counter yours
when going into any war(though basically anything can be war), you have to go in prepared to do whatever it takes to destroy your enemy...
Following on what clarice said, I see where she's going. I think this law does not mean the "physical beatdown" sort only. The Philippine islands were colonized (and crushed!) not only by guns but also with ideologies (the Bible, yes).
ReplyDeleteCrushing an enemy should leave him/her with no choice but to capitulate. That can be achieved now through other means than beatdown... Think again of FREE MARKET, for example.
Dylan Valerio
Hi18L
the law itself will disallow any kind of rehabilitation that may occur between enemies. By crushing your enemies totally, you would be led into crushing people who might not even be that much of a danger to you. People who adhere to this law may be susceptible to paranoia, megalomania and If they survive their reign at all would ironically never find security because they know that no one trusts, loves or likes them.
ReplyDeletethat Wu Chao was crazy. She must've really thought she had the skills to rule if she really did do that to her heirs. A male heir in those days could've secured her power for as long as she lived. I wonder if she ever got any sleep over her crimes.
monica ang, L
to monica ang
ReplyDeletenot necessarily... it doesnt say that you should perceive everyone as your enemy... rather that once you identify your enemy, to destroy them and give them no chance of retaliation... cause if she really wanted power right away and saw everyone as a threat, he would have also gotten rid of the emperor and all his concubines of fear of a successor, but no... she wait for when an enemy actually revealed themselves...
yes, the bible was also a good way of morally crippling us... as can be seen from many other historical events, religion is a good way of controlling the fearful masses... and many great empires made sure to always have the church on their side
ReplyDeletePerhaps it's crushing your enemy totally mentally. Waging a physical battle would only result in both your armies thinning, maybe after winning the mental war one gains a friend instead of destroying an enemy. A little more spears won't hurt, unless you're new friend double-crosses you. XD
ReplyDelete-Denis Flores
Hi 18K
Having mercy is like committing suicide, if you let your opponent live he is sure to come back at you stronger than ever after his last defeat. I believe this law would be extremely useful to both Israel and the United States in order to quell the Arab extremist. When you have an enemy that will keep on fighting no matter what and will use any means at their disposal, mercy should be left behind as it is sure your opponent will show you none that is until you are dead.
ReplyDeleteAaron Chan Hi18L
i would just like to give a possible example if this law WERE NOT FOLLOWED:
ReplyDeleteHarry Potter 3. i would just like to point out that what he did was not what the law dictates. that's all. :)
although i am not a violent person or anything for that matter, i just want say that this law is logical if you think about it.
-Philip Albert T. Verde
Hi18 K
The law totally is logical; it's even practical. I mean seriously, who wants to conquer a country 18 times for 18 years?
ReplyDeleteI agree with the idea that this law is not only physical though. Imagine crushing your enemy mentally. You break their spirit and morale so badly that they surrender.
The main point of the law is to NOT give your enemy a chance. Not following this law is like punching a guy as hard as you can in the face, then putting your hands up and closing your eyes.
Ria Rigoroso
Hi 18 - K
to Denis Flores
ReplyDeletei guess it could also be seen as that, though i think that more of a contemporary circumstance though, like in the world of business and the like... but think of it this way, wouldnt it be hard to crush your enemy mentally if he KNEW that he could crush you physically?
Gabby Locsin
hi 18 K
to Aaron Chan
ReplyDeleteits true that that would work as well and is a very good plan... but the reason that the it is not done(at least publicly or in wide scale) is the political reasons behind that action... if they would commit genocide on the entire muslim race, how would they be any better than the nazi with the jews? that and that sort of wide scale massacre is watched over by the UN(since its establishment as a result to WWII) and the whole world would take action against the US if they would demonstrate their power like that, because if they could wipe out and entire race that is well funded and armed as the islamic people... what would make them stop against the rest of the world?
to Philip Albert T. Verde
ReplyDeleteand look how that ended :))
gabby locsin
hi 18 K
to Ria Rigoroso
ReplyDeletei like your analogy :)) i agree and there are certain ways armies use as psychological warfare against their enemy designed for that specific reason
gabby locsin
hi 18 K
This law makes perfect sense. Yes, it does sound "morbid" and "cruel", but I think it's foolish to not completely destroy your enemy.
ReplyDeleteI'll give a simple example:
Say your house was infested with 100 rats. You choose to exterminate 98% of the rats. Give it a month and those 2 rats will bear offspring to dozens more rats, and before you know it, you'll have another 100 rats to kill. If you got rid of all the rats in the first place, you wouldn't have to deal with the same problem twice.
The same can be said with opponents. Leave them without any chance of retaliation and they won't retaliate, because they cannot.
Chio Cebrero
Hi 18 L
"crush your enemy totally" makes perfect sense! like what others have already said, why would you give them another chance of getting back at you? i don't believe that there's such a thing as pity for your enemy. if you want power, you'd have to go all the way.
ReplyDeleteKriska Rivadillo
Hi18 K
To Kit:
ReplyDeleteExactly my thoughts, Kit!
Crushcrushcrush is what should be done. Why would you want to waste a chance like this? Why give your enemy (of all people) a second chance when you've got the handles already? Think twice about totally pulverizing someone to dust, and you'll be making the biggest mistake of your life. If you let pity overpower you, you'll be the one sorry in the end. This you'll realize when it's already YOU who's been crushed.
Mercy and power are two factors that definitely clash. You can't have everything so it's really either of the two. Sacrifice is inevitable in this situation.
Krizia Javate
Hi18-K
I cannot agree with this law more. It is definitely important to crush your enemy totally and completely. By not doing so, you are giving them time to assemble their armies once again and gain strength for another round of battle. Why not hit your enemies when they are at their weakest? Don't you think it's careless if you don't grab the opportunity of annihilating your enemy?
ReplyDeleteIn the case of Hannibal Barca, it was his inability to totally crush the Romans that lead his downfall and defeat. If I remember correctly from the movie we watched of him (that was historically based), the war in Italy caused Hannibal to go in a stalemate. The time he used up by not doing anything (in the realm of battle) was a sufficient amount of time for the Romans to reassemble and strengthen their army with the help of Fabius. They were able to find Hannibal's weaknesses. In fact, at the Battle of Zama, Scipio proved how he was able to use Hannibals guerilla tactics for the latter's defeat.
Teri Marcelo
Hi 18-K
I totally agree with this law. During Dessert Storm, the coalition forces failed to totally crush the Iraqis. When they left Iraq, Saddam Hussain still was the leader of the Iraqies. Years later, the United States of America still had to come back again to Iraq because they did not finish the job the first time. This is similar to the story of Hannibal because he spared Rome, he ultimately lost the war.
ReplyDeleteSean Co
Hi18 K
this law is right, you can't let your enemy be able to recover, a change of heart in them is highly improbable. letting them regroup could cause a lot of mishaps for you.
ReplyDeletepity is for the weak. just kidding. but i really think letting them go is just giving them a chance to get back at you.
remember...
"prevention is better than cure"
JR Resma
Hi18 K
This reminded me of Hannibal's story... Bad move on his part was he didn't crush Rome when he had the chance to...(I still think his ultimate downfall though was the betrayal of his council, but that's another story)... Remember that whatever does not kill you, will only make you stronger, which was the scenario of Rome.
ReplyDeleteGail Lim
Hi 18-K
Man. All I can think about is the documentary we watched today. If Hannibal had just agreed to crush Rome after the battle at Cannae, then history would have been different. He gave Rome time to recuperate their forces and destroy his. Grrr grrr grrr.
ReplyDeletePeep Warren
Hi18-L
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Peep! haha Hannibal could've really taken Rome down... but then again, he was too... naive, maybe? but then again, his loss wasn't only due to that...
ReplyDeleteI don't know about how the law is 'evil' at all, given that how I see it is that to "crush your enemy totally" means to eliminate all possible means of recovery/counterattack... I guess what would make it evil is how it is always associated with brutality and humiliation...
Jame Say
Hi18-K
can't really disagree with this law. it's the safest way to defend yourself and it's definitely what you're working for in a war: to win. in a war, where it's all about power and a win-lose situation, then of course you'll have to do this.
ReplyDeletekristina tan
hi18 k
I'm not sure I can keep up with total aggression. Although this seems very effective as complete destruction leaves no mercy and poses total control. I think this thing works on those who want to power very much because it is a reason for them to take part in such brutality. It's like fighting for your own life because you don't have a choice so you kill the opponent. Hurting the opponent would only leave a time for healing but killing makes the worries vanish. Crushing the enemies totally provides a guarantee of success.
ReplyDeleteCzarina Kathryne Masagca
Hi18-L
Reminds me of Hannibal's mistake when he didn't crush the Romans completely when he had the chance. This law may sound very harsh, but I think this is very essential in fights. When you don't crush the enemy totally, you give them the chance to think of plans of crushing you. Mercy won't come in here anymore if you really want to win.
ReplyDeletePC Magnaye,
Hi18-K
lol the Bible... If someone is hungry for power he will ignore it.. BTW Not everyone is catholic, there are lot of religions, an atheist seeking for power doesn't have problem applying this law.
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