Historical Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Historical Writing - Essay Example Yet not all interpretations of the past are deemed valid as some are simply beyond the burden of evidence and fair interpretation of the historical record is neglected. To communicate a sound interpretation of a historical phenomenon, "an eye witness account" should come within the period. Ash's extremely readable book is a detailed recount in essay form of the political transformation and revolution of Eastern Europe. He wrote about the events that politically transformed Poland, Hungary, Eastern Germany and Czechoslovakia which teaches us lessons against communism and glorifies the struggle for freedom. With his account of the revolt in Budapest and Hungary, the events that exactly took place with the fall of the Berlin wall continue to captivate and inform readers. The happenings in Prague were given out in vivid detail with personal accounts of the leading anti-communists figures. The long and elaborate observations however failed to explain the failures of the earlier movement to destabilize communism which could have completed the fifth part which summarizes his observations and a few drawn out conclusions of the first four chapters. The second section of the book traces the changes in Eastern Europe, however failing to discuss how the revolution became logical in an era that defies prediction. His theories drew out the summary in three words-"Gorbachev, Helsinki and Toqueville", who all set the stage for a revolution. His unique work, managed to create a storytelling atmosphere that combined facts and analysis into a highly readable and enjoyable piece of work that critically dubbed the Magic lantern as "sensational, scholarly and literary. Reviews have treated his work as a "history of the present" that invites dissenting opinion on the issues concerning a certain time frame that allows history to complete its course. Eventually issues would sooner or later add up to form part of the whole saga that critics were quick to point as Ash's error in writing a somewhat historical piece just after several months of the actual event. We begin to agree with the critics on the sound idea that to recount past history of a certain period, a particular time frame is designated to create a full picture of the results after the tangible and unforgotten era. However, we may be led to believe that Ash was never aiming for the perfect account of the unpredictable. History and journalism has never set a standard within which to form as a guide in the chronology and conclusion in writing historical events and. Ash's writing was more of an art akin to creative journalistic writing and may not be taught to follow the elements of a structure d history. His exact account leaves us facts and interesting fragments of his travels along the chronology of an important chapter of recent events. We are not approaching the modern age with our first few steps--we are in a journey towards scientific advancement and treating literary and journalistic pieces with a degree of control would relegate the writer's efforts into nothing but a sham. Ash was merely raising his ideas and account of the

Alexander the Great and his conquest of Egypt and Persia Essay

Alexander the Great and his conquest of Egypt and Persia - Essay Example He was a principled hero with courageous acts, a virtuous politician, and flawless tactician who always termed himself as being Zeus son. He deserved the title because by the age of thirty, he had captured what was by the time termed as world, which was an accomplishment worth labelling as great where he still merits the title since he is still admired and remembered today for his seize of Persia and the diffusion of Greek culture all over his conquered nations. He was a great victor who in only thirteen years he was able to amass the largest empire in the entire ancient world that covered 3000 miles. Alexander did all this besides the benefits of modern technology and weapons because troop movement were primarily on foot and communication was face to face and this was an achievement made by a kid who became a king of Macedon at the age of twenty. As an honored prince, he received the top quality education in Macedonian court under his famous tutor Aristotle (Marsico 18), and at the age of 20 he was already a charismatic decisive king. Many of Alexander’s accomplishment were made possible by his father who succeeded in doing what years of fighting in Greek city-states had not done by invading and conquering the Greek and thus united the Greece. His next goal was to defeat the Greece’s enemy to the Persia but was assassinated before he pursued the goal and upon taking the thrown Alexander vowed to complete the plans of his father (Abbott 36). The self-confident young king had just defeated the Greek city of Thebes that had rebelled against him after the demise of his father, though he was convinced that if he could defeat the Thebes then he would as well defeat the Persia. He had a belief that if he achieves the conquest he and his father Philip had fancied about, the entire of Asia Minor would be open to him owing to his conquest; thus, the battle of Gracias began one of the greatest overthrows in history (Burgan 10). Alexander quickly controlled the Macedonian armies that his father’s initiated changes had made it to become the leading military authority in the area and led a majestic army across the Hellespont in Asia with some 4300 infantry and 5500 cavalry that was the most powerful military expedition ever to leave Greece. Alexander decided not to first attack Persia but capture Egypt who is ruled by Persia at that time where he stayed with his army for six months and he had to betray his culture and custom as a way of earning respect. Fortunately, the Egyptians hated the Persians for owning little attention and honor for their customs and culture but Alexander had some respect and was honored greatly and saluted him as their savior and liberator thus they appointed him as their pharaoh (Goldschmidt 31). The conquest of Egypt occurred in 332 BCE when Alexander treated Egyptician culture with respect and offered sacrifices making him a true pharaoh. He created the port city of Alexandria which grew into a cosmopol itan center of power and culture that joined the Egypticians economically with the Mediterranean world. Alexander was able to conquer Egypt and founded the city named Alexandria, which became a cosmopolitan, diverse, bustling center of trade, the arts and ideas city (David 42). Possessed with a resolve to rule the world, Alexander pursued the goal to capture north, through the Syria and Mesopotamia winning over the land of Phoenicia effortlessly with