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1918: American troops change the course of WWI—and U.S. influence
1918年：美军改变了二战进程，也改变了美国影响力的进程
Although the Meuse-Argonne campaign is little remembered today,
尽管如今已经鲜有人记得默兹-阿贡战役，
it was the greatest U.S. military contribution to World War I and the opening act of the “American century.”
这场战役却是美军为一战所做的最大贡献，也是“美国世纪”的开端。
The 47 autumn days of brutal fighting claimed 26,277 American lives—
47天的残酷战斗夺走了26277名美军的生命——
making it the deadliest battle in the nation’s history—and left nearly 100,000 dough boys wounded.
为此也成了美国历史上伤亡最惨重的一场战斗——还造成了近10万名士兵受伤。
This sacrifice materially contributed to the collapse of the German army.
德军之所以溃败，很大程度上都是因为美军付出了这一牺牲。
It earned Woodrow Wilson a major role in crafting the peace that followed.
这一牺牲也让伍德罗·威尔逊成了缔造战后和平的关键人物。
And it demonstrated that the U.S., which had generally avoided great power entanglements,
这一牺牲还表明，一贯避免参与大国纠缠的美国
had the will and ability to assume a major role on the world stage by using its vast military, political and economic power
有意愿，也有能力在世界舞台上扮演主角，利用其庞大的军事、政治和经济实力
to secure its global interests and further the nation’s worldview.
维护其全球利益，拓展其世界观。
But the Meuse-Argonne also highlights the fact that hard-won victories do not always lead to a just and enduring peace—
不仅如此，默兹-阿贡战役还突出了一个事实：来之不易的胜利并不总能带来公正和持久的和平——
a lesson that is as crucial today as it was back then.
于今而言，这一教训的重要性也丝毫不亚于当时的重要性。
(And that was by) Richard Faulkner
本文作者理查德·福克纳
Faulkner, the chair of military history at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College,
福克纳是美国陆军司令部和参谋学院军事史系主任，
is the author of Pershing’s Crusaders: The American Soldier in World War I
也是《潘兴的十字军：一战中的美国士兵》一书的作者。
1565: Explorers bridge the Pacific
1565年：探险家们跨越了太平洋
The first successful voyage across the Pacific Ocean from the Americas to Asia and back occurred in 1564 and 1565.
第一次成功跨越太平洋，从美洲到亚洲再到美洲的航行发生于1564~1565年。
Barely two generations after Columbus’ more famous voyage,
距离哥伦布那次名声更为响亮的航行（1492~1493年）才过去了仅仅两代人时间，
European explorers faced an ocean that was roughly twice as large as the Atlantic and extremely difficult to navigate.
欧洲探险者们再次来到了这片将近大西洋两倍大，航行极其困难的太平洋面前。
This epic passage established a transpacific link, and no other shipping route has been more successful or lasted longer.
这次史诗般的航行连通了一条跨太平洋航线，目前为止，还没有一条航线比这条更成功，更能经受时间的考验。
Trade brought the continents together and created a seascape around the Pacific basin
贸易将大陆连接到了一起，围绕包括阿卡普尔科、
that included places like Acapulco, Manila and the coast of California.
马尼拉和加利福尼亚海岸在内的太平洋盆地绘制了一幅海上图景。
By the 18th and 19th centuries, American merchants had built on these existing connections
到了18、19世纪，美国商人已经借着这些桥梁
to launch their own commercial ventures into the Asia-Pacific region,
在亚太地区开拓自己的商业道路了，
a process that continues today—even as Washington engages in a trade war with China.
这一做法一直持续到了今天——尽管华盛顿已经与中国打起了贸易战。
And that was by Andres Resendez
本文作者安德烈思·雷森德斯
Reséndez, a professor of history at the University of California, Davis,
雷森德斯是加州大学戴维斯分校的历史学教授，
is the author of The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America.
也是《另一种奴隶制：印第安人在美洲被奴役的不为人知的故事》一书的作者。
译文由可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载。
