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IN THIS ISSUE
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* New Year Message

* Who was James K. Polk?

* From Megiddo to Mazar-i-Sharif, the "M" Battles

* Killing the Messenger in Ancient Persia

* Historical Quote

* What's Happening at eHistory.com

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WELCOME TO THE NEW YEAR
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All of the staff here at eHistory wish you a peaceful and fun 2002. We promise you that we will continue to work hard on our mission: providing you with informative and comprehensive history across the span of time.

Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Happy New Year!

Larry Gormley, Editor
historyexplorer@ehistory.com

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WHO WAS JAMES K. POLK? [By Thomas Long]
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When historians are asked whom they believe have been the best or most effective American presidents in history, James K. Polk usually makes the top ten. But who was Polk?

James Knox Polk was one of the most important American presidents of the 19th Century. He was born just south of Charlotte, North Carolina in Mecklenburg County but grew up in Tennessee and later attended college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In the early 1820s, Polk entered state politics in Tennessee, and in 1825, he was elected to the U. S. Congress. Ten years later, Polk served as the Speaker of the House (he is the only president to ever hold that office), and in 1839, the people of Tennessee elected him governor.

In 1840, he sought the vice-presidential nomination for the Democratic ticket but lost. In 1844, he again ran for the vice-presidential nomination but was nominated as the Presidential candidate over Martin Van Buren instead. Polk defeated Whig Henry Clay and Liberty candidate James G. Birney, winning 170 out of 275 electoral votes, becoming the 11th U. S. President.

As President, Polk oversaw a vast expansion of the territory of the United States (known as "Manifest Destiny"), presiding over the annexation of Texas, and adding Oregon, California, and the area that would become Arizona and New Mexico to American control. In the realm of foreign affairs, Polk settled the Oregon crisis without going to war with Great Britain but went to war with Mexico to ensure Texas would remain with the United States and extending its border to the Rio Grande. He declined to run for a second term and left office in March 1848. He died three months later, leaving a legacy of great territorial gain for the United States. He is buried in Nashville, Tennessee.

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FROM MEGIDDO TO MAZAR-I-SHARIF, THE "M" BATTLES
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Two "M" battles are the current bookends in the historical record of conflict. While the recent Battle of Mazar-i-Sharif is known to many the Battle of Megiddo is a bit more obscure.

The Battle of Megiddo, fought in 1479 bc, is one of the earliest battles recorded in history. (It was also prophesized to be the location of the end of the world conflict referred to as Armageddon -- Armageddon means "the mount of Megiddo".) Megiddo at that time was an important center of administration in Canaan (Palestine or Israel after 1948). Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III marched into Canaan to put down a revolt of the Canaan city-states led by the king of the Syrian city of Kadesh. The Egyptians made a surprise dawn attack and forced the rebels to flee into the city. Thutmose laid siege and after seven months he captured the city. The victory at Megiddo reestablished Egyptian dominance of Canaan.

The Battle of Mazar-i-Sharif, fought in November 2001, was a victory for the Afghanistan Northern Alliance (led by General Abdulrashid Dostum) over Taliban forces. Backed by strong U.S. airstrikes, Dostum was able to capture the strategic Taliban stronghold during the latest Afghanistan conflict. Because Mazar-i-Sharif was an important transportation junction (the main road to Uzbekistan runs through the city plus it contains an important river crossing) its fall was a key reason for the swift destruction of the Taliban.

Between the bookends of Megiddo and Mazar-i-Sharif lie other decisive "M" battles such as Marathon, Metarus River, Mexico City, Mukden, Marne and Midway but that's a story for another issue.

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KILLING THE MESSENGER IN ANCIENT PERSIA [By Preston Chesser]
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Darius III had only been king of Persia for three years when he faced Alexander the Great. Alexander headed toward Tarsus on his way to conquer Babylon, the greatest power in the world at the time. As Memnon, Babylon's greatest military commander, maneuvered to defeat Alexander he fell ill and died. This was a stroke of luck for the Greeks. The best qualified man to replace Memnon, Charidemos, argued that only Greek mercenaries would be able to stand up to the approaching forces. His low opinion of Persian troops so angered Darius that he had Charidemos executed. This act of hubris meant that Darius had to lead his troops himself - another point Charidemos had warned against.

The Persians met the Greeks at the Battle of Issus in November of 333 BC. Alexander took his troop through a narrow gap in the Amans Mountains hoping to draw Darius into an area where he could not use his superior numbers to a Persian advantage. Darius managed to send troops around the mountains, cutting off any possibility of retreat for the Greeks and capturing Alexander's camp.

Still Alexander had both the restricted battlefield and the initiative he desired. Avoiding the better trained Greek mercenaries, Alexander led the charge in person taking the Macedonian cavalry through a weak point in the Persian lines. His advance was so rapid that Alexander and Darius soon found themselves nearly face to face. Darius's personal guard, kinsman and even his own chariot horses began to succumb. Darius was forced to take a fresh horse and flee the battlefield. He left behind his personal camp with his family and royal trappings. Alexander had captured the Queen Mother, Darius's wife, six year old son and two teenage daughters.

When the battle was over and Alexander entered Darius's royal tent filled with rich furnishings he reportedly uttered the famous phrase, "So this is what it is like to be king". Darius's mother immediately fell on her knees before Hephastion and begged for mercy, assuming the tallest and most regal looking Macedonian to be Alexander. But Alexander was not offended and merely said, "Don't worry mother. He too is Alexander". By all reports, and especially given the practices of the day, Alexander treated his hostages extremely well.

Greek historians seem to have unfairly portrayed Darius as a completely incompetent commander. It is very likely he was not nearly as bad as the victors made out. But Charidemos had been right. The Greek mercenaries always held out much better against Alexander's troops than the Persians. There just weren't enough of them. And having the King on the battlefield made him too easy a target. He couldn't lead very well and flee at the same time. If Darius had listened to Charidemos instead of killing him for his advice, perhaps Alexander would not have conquered the entire known world after all.

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HISTORICAL QUOTE
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"All history becomes subjective; in other words there is properly no history, only biography."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

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WHAT'S HAPPENING AT EHISTORY.COM
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* NEW: Vietnam War Online Course
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Thanks to this weeks contributor(s):
Preston Chesser
Thomas Long

Larry Gormley, Editor
historyexplorer@ehistory.com

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