Women In Combat

Unlike most critiques of the recent decision by the U.S. military to place women in combat units, Women in Combat probes deeply into feminism’s assumptions about human nature. Atkins argues that the understanding of freedom and equality spawned by the Enlightenment—and given powerful impetus by the Industrial Revolution—has led to an erosion of the most fundamental distinctions between man and woman. Women’s “liberation” has resulted not in enhanced dignity for women, but in the abandonment of their uniquely feminine honor.

In his often humorous assault upon modern feminism, Atkins takes no prisoners. He asserts that any attempt to revolt against nature is doomed to failure. It is woman’s nature to take flight in the face of danger, to protect her offspring, and to assume her responsibility as the heart and soul of the home.

By contrast, it is man’s nature to stand firm in the face of danger, to protect his family and his people when they are threatened. The institutionalization of women in combat is largely due to a unique set of historical circumstances and technological developments that have fostered the idea that warfare is no longer typified by close-quarters combat. While it is understandable how such an illusion has gained traction, it is one that will inevitably be shattered when the U.S. faces another major war on the scale of the two World Wars of the 20th century.