Seminar Introduction: Information Technology Goes to War! Technology and 20th Century Warfare Randy H. Katz CS Division, EECS Dept. University of California, Berkeley [email protected] Spring 2010Administrativia • 2 Units, Pass/Fall (show up and you will pass!) • Discussion, Videos, Games—Participation is crucial to learning • 1 Group Insurgency Project (mid-March), 1 (short) research report (end of semester) • Mission: Have fun, explore the topic, learn • Course Web Site:http://www.cs.Berkeley.edu/~randy/Courses/CS39K.S10 • Course FB Group:http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=226981897731Your Background and Experience • Discussion of your back-ground and experience – Who are you? – Why are you interested in this class? – What, if anything, do you know about military affairs? – Do you know someone in the military, a relative or school friend?Why Study War? • Why do we fight? • http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9219858826421983682Images from Popular Culture • The Horror of Modern Warfare: Screening of "Saving Private Ryan", opening Omaha Beach sequenceOutline • Universal Conscription vs. the All-Volunteer Army“The Army We Have” • “To fight today’s wars with an all-volunteer force, the U.S. Army needs more quick-thinking, strong, highly disciplined soldiers. But creating warriors out of the softest, least-willing populace in generations has required sweeping changes in basic training.” – Brian Mockenhaupt, Atlantic Monthly Magazine, June 2007: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200706/mockenhaupt-armyFour Wars You (May) Have Never Heard Of • Spanish-American War, April-August 1898 • Reconquest of the Sudan/Battle of Omdurman, 1898 • Boer War, 1898-1902 • Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905• USA vs. Spain in Cuba, Philippines, Puerto Rico • US supports Cuban “freedom fighters” • Sinking of the Maine in Havana Bay • Weak Spanish Empire and strong expansionist sentiments in USA • USA gains a Pacific empire, and the Filipinos were not happy Spanish-American WarReconquest of the Soudan • Anglo-Egyptian Forces vs. Mahdist Sudanese • Industrial-era weaponry vs. swords and spears • Battle of Omdurman: Mahdist losses--10,000 killed, 13,000 wounded, 5,000 taken prisoner; British--48 killed, 382 wounded • British control of Cape-to-Cairo railroadBoer War • Britain vs. Dutch Settlers (Boers aka the Afrikkanas) in South Africa • Guerrilla war effectively neutralizes the technical superiority of British forces • Scorched earth, block houses, and concentration camps • Beginning of the end of the British Empire• Russia vs. Japan over expansion into Manchuria and Korea • Numerous Japanese victories over a European power shock the World – Sneak naval attack before declaration of war – Problems of logistics for the Russians • Emergence of Japan as a regional power, decline of Russia as a world power • Russian Revolution of 1905 Russo-Japanese War• Early 20th Century Strategic Decision Making – Arms race between British Grand Fleet vs. German High Seas Fleet – Who can build strategically the best navy, with the available financial resources? Next Week: The Naval