Historia Et Memoria  Vol

Historia et Memoria Vol. 1 (Spring 2013) E.W. Bouvé. The Fugitive’s Song. 1 print : lithograph on wove paper ; 35.6 x 23.8 cm. (sheet). Boston : Published by Henry Prentiss, 1845. Dear Historians, This is the first edition of the undergraduate history journal of St. John’s University, Historia et Memoria. Our thanks go first to all the undergraduate students who submitted their work for consideration, whether they were successful or not. The response was fantastic, we received twenty-nine papers, which from a department with 118 majors, is quite remarkable. Some of those we could not include in this edition we have asked to be held over for the next. We think that it is very important that students seize opportunities such as publishing in this journal, giving a paper at a conference or a presentation to a community group, not only because of the benefit the individual gets from showcasing their work, but also because these activities bind us together as a community of scholars, whether undergraduates, graduate students or faculty. My personal thanks and high esteem must also go to all the undergraduate and graduate students who served on the editorial board and whose hard work made the publication of this journal possible: Daniel Kelly, Julia Winters, Jennifer Newsome, Kayla Anderson, Helen Drivas, Melvyn Threatt-Peters, and Dylan Kitts; as well as to my colleagues, Dr. Mauricio Borrero and Dr. Philip Misevich, who shared with me responsibility to advise and assist the editorial board, and to Dr. Susan Schmidt-Horning for helping to revise papers that students had written in her class. Thanks also to our Chair, Dr. Elaine Carey, and our department secretary, Frances Balla for all their support. The undergraduate work presented here is of three types: traditional articles, work that has been produced through non-traditional approaches and reviews. Collectively the work presented here spans six centuries and discusses events in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. The articles concern guerilla warfare in East Africa, the experiences of female slaves and landowners in North America, Harlem politics in the early twentieth century, and the rise to prominence of the Medici family. We are keen as a department to explore non-traditional approaches to historical scholarship, and we have examples here of a reflection of the historical background of literature from China, a fiction book written by undergraduates about the transforming Mediterranean world 400-800, and two biographies written as Active-Service Learning projects with Maple Grove Cemetery. Our reviews are also typical of the extensive range of our students’ interests; and include a graphic novel about a woman in nineteenth-century West Africa, four queens from thirteenth-century Europe, a history of the IRA, and a novel about the espionage and intrigue surrounding Cold War events of 1961. As Aristotle said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” and this was true in the case of the immense team effort that went into pulling this journal together – but I would be amiss if I did not add that the “parts” were all pretty great from the outset. Dr. Tracey-Anne Cooper (St. John’s University, 2013). Editorial Board: Dr. Tracey-Anne Cooper, Dr. Mauricio Borrero, Dr. Philip Misevich, Ms. Kayla Anderson, Ms. Helen Drivas, Mr. Daniel Kelly, Mr. Dylan Kitts, Mr. Melvyn Threatt-Peters, Ms. Jennifer Newsome, Ms. Julia Winters. Table of Contents: The “Lion of Africa:” Lettow-Vorbeck and the Guerrilla Defense of German East Africa in WWI. 1 Daniel Najib. Genovese, Paternalism, and the Experience of Female Slaves 6 Siobahn Corrigan. Landowners and Race Relations in Colonial North America. 12 Michelle Herrera. Systemic Bias in Harlem Politics, 1910-1930. 20 Dylan Kitts. The Effect of British Rule on African Women and Marriage. 31 Christine Rai. Cosimo’s Inheritance: The Medici Bank and Extended Family Power. 35 Eric Wendt. The Grassland in Ruins: Wolf Totem’s Symbolic Criticism of Han Chauvinism. 40 Nathan Bates. Charles Matthews Manly: One in a Million Assistant and Aviator. 46 Sean Buckley. Social Reform of Jacob Riis 51 Shirley Guo. Writing Historical Fiction to Connect with History 55 Patrick Homeyer. REVIEWS Donald J. Farinacci, 1961: Sliding Towards Armageddon. 58 Melvyn Threatt-Peters. Nancy Goldstone, Four Queens: The Provençal Sisters Who Ruled Europe. 58 Donya Nasser and Maria Irene Angelidis. Richard English. Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA. 60 Michael O’Connell. Trevor R. Getz and Liz Clarke, Abina and the Important Men: A Graphic History. 61 Tiffany Fitzgerald. vi Historia et Memoria Historia et Memoria 1 ARTICLES outwit the inferior.”2 It is no wonder then that many askari (the Arabic word for soldier), even after the war, were proud to say “mie Askari mdachi”, or “I am a German askari.”3 The “Lion of Africa:” Lettow- German East Africa was an immense territory surrounded by potential enemies. Vorbeck and the Guerrilla Upon his arrival, Lettow-Vorbeck toured the colony he was now tasked with defending, all Defense of German East the while inspecting the forces he now Africa in WWI. commanded.4 Lettow-Vorbeck immediately found himself at odds with the governor of the colony, Heinrich Schnee. Schnee felt that in Daniel Najib, Class of 2013. the case of the impending war, German East Africa should remain neutral. Lettow- German Field Marshal Erwin Vorbeck was of the opposite mindset, Rommel, the “Desert Fox”, is widely known believing that if Germany went to war, her for his exploits in Africa during the Second colonies would not remain safe, and should do World War. Less well known, however, was everything possible to aid Germany’s war 5 the German “Lion of Africa” Paul von Lettow- effort. When the war finally came, Schnee Vorbeck, who fought undefeated on the demanded that Lettow-Vorbeck not engage continent for four years during the First the British. However, Lettow-Vorbeck World War. While the First World War is well decided Schnee was ill-informed as to the known for its trench warfare and attrition on reality of the unfolding military situation, and 6 the western front in Europe, thousands of resolved to fight the British. miles away a fantastic struggle unfolded. The original British plan for the war Lettow-Vorbeck was a pioneer military in German East Africa involved taking the commander in German East Africa in WWI, strategic ports of Tanga and Kigoma, then and although he did not have a major effect on advancing inland via the colony’s railways to the overall military outcome of the war, he take the capital, Dar es Salaam. The British nevertheless played a vital role in exercising made the first move, attacking the settlement the use of guerrilla tactics against a superior of Longido while simultaneously launching an military force. amphibious operation at the northern port of Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck was Tanga. The force used to launch the attack on sent to German East Africa on the eve of war Tanga was comprised of some of the worst in April of 1914 to take control of the colonial units to be found in the Indian army, and the forces, the Schutztruppe. He immediately set resulting Battle of Tanga was a resounding about reorganizing and re-equipping the success for the Schutztruppe, defeating an Schutztruppe with modern weapons.1 He was enemy eight times their size. Lettow- unique among commanders at the time, Vorbeck’s initial success can be attributed to recognizing the hard work of the native his extensive network of secret informants soldiers, praising them as well as sharing every difficulty with them. He became fluent 2 Charles Berges, “Outfoxing the Allies in German East in Swahili, appointed natives as officers, Africa,” Quarterly Journal of Military History 15 saying that “we are all Africans here”, and that (2003): 75. 3 “black or white, the superior man will always Gerhardt Thamm, “Mie Askari Mdachi: I am a German Askari,” Quarterly Journal of Military History 19 (2007): 68. 4 Berges, “Outfoxing the Allies,” 71. 5 Kent Forster, “The Quest for East African Neutrality in 1 Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, My Reminiscences of East 1915,” African Studies Review 22 (1971): 77. Africa (London: Leonaur Publishing, 2010), 13-14. 6 Forster, “East African Neutrality,” 78. 2 Historia et Memoria and spies, as well as the blundering nature of became convinced that Lettow-Vorbeck could the British commander, General Aitken.7 not continue on fighting for much longer. Both sides’ fortunes changed soon, when Smuts had been prepared to receive Lettow- the new British commander, General Jan Vorbeck’s surrender at any time now because Christian Smuts, took command.8 Smuts’ most of the strategic targets in this theatre of plan was simple: follow Lettow-Vorbeck, war were firmly in his hands, leaving nothing encircle his forces, and defeat him.9 This for his enemy to fight for.14 In addition to his proved to be easier said than done. The strategic control, Smuts also reasoned that British succeeded in capturing several since Lettow-Vorbeck had fled into the important towns and strongholds, including surrounding countryside, his askaris would Moshi and Bukoba.10 After the fall of the desert and leave him unable to launch any radio station at Bukoba, German forces in the more attacks.15 He could not have been more colony were nearly entirely cut off from wrong. If anything, Lettow-Vorbeck was contact with the German homeland. By relieved that he no longer was duty-bound to September 3, 1916 Dar es Salaam had fallen to defend any fixed locales and objectives on a Smuts.11 map, and could now fight and attack the For the next few months, Smuts enemy using guerrilla hit-and-run tactics.

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