The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-17
SHORT WARS.

Short wars, very bitter and savage
while they lasted, but soon over, have
been the rule of modern times The
modern spirit will not brook delay in
anything, least of all in military oper-
ations. When the present war broke
out the entire nation was clamorous for
| the immediate invasion of Cuba; thou
sands fully expected that the stars and
stripes would be raised over the Ha-
vaCa Moro within a week, and were
! disappointed that this result was not
achieved. Disregarding the fact that
this country was utterly unprepared
for war, people expected impossible
| ties. The government was compelled
to create and equip an army, and, to
do the administration justice, the work
! has been done with wonderful celebrity;
but the fact that it was not instantly
accomplished was to many a cause of
annoyance and complaint. Yet, in three
months two Spanish fleets have been
! destroyed. the victorious American
arms have been carried into the two
| Spanish possessions in the West In
dies and a formidable force has been
sent half round the world to fight for
freedom on the Asiatic islands. Spain
has had enough, and if the war does
not speedily end it will constitute re-
markable exception to the wars of our
age. .....
The only other exceptions to the rule
prevalent in this century have been
civil conflicts waged among the people
of the same country A civil war differs
in many important respects from a
conflict between independent states. 1t
is characterized by greater bitterness,
and, being carried on by the people
rather than by the armies, RACES in ev-
cry country town and neighborhoOd
and is protracted by the personal ami
mosities of the people themselves. Our
civil war lasted four years; the last
insurrection in Cuba continued ten
years; the last Carlist var in Spain
was carried on for a period of four
years; a previous insurrection among
the Basques continued from 1880 to 1910,
While the civil strife in the same re-
gion, following the pacifcation else
where after the downfall of Napoleon,
continued seven years. These are the
longest wars of this century; the re-
mainder were seldom protracted be-
yond the second campaign.
The war between China and Japan
lasted less thar a year, for the signal
success Of thu Japanese on sea and
land resulted in the complete collapse
of the Chinese military system, and
overtureS of peace were made as soon
as the fact was clearly apprehended
in Pekin. The next serious conflict be-
fore that was the war between Turkey
and Russia which began early in the
spring of 1877 and lasted through the
summer Military operations were sus-
pended during the winter, and in the
following spring peace was concluded
before the season for campaigning be-
gan. The passage of the Danube, the
heroic defense of Plevna, the bloody
struggle for the Shipka passes, the ma
val operations on the Black sea, the
sieges of Batoum and Kars, the Bull
garian massacres, the complete defeat
and dispersion of the army of Suleiman
Pasha, the interference Of the British
government the passage of the Oar
danelles by the ironclads, all were
crowded into a period of less than a
year.
The tremendous war between France
and Prussia lasted only one year. War
was declared in midsummer, and be-
fore the following spring the conflict
was over. Gravelotte and Sedan, the
sieges of Metz and Paris, the occupa-
ton Of all northern and central France
by the German hosts, the horrors of
the commune and the suppression of
the instruction by the troops of the |
line in the streets of Paris crowded |
upon each other like the incidents of a |
and before the astonished |
world fully realized the actual state of |
the case France was PROSTATE and |
united Germany, consolidated into an !
empire, was the leading state of central |
Europe.
The war of 1866 between Austria and |
Prussia is known in history as the |
seven weeks war. War was proclaimed |
June Is, the battle of Koeniggratz fol-
lowed in few days, and the decisive /
overthrow of the Austrian arms on that |