Introduction
“The Question of the East” is a short article that explores a growing tension between Eastern and Western powers. The article outlines the author’s concerns about a unified Eastern world rising against the West, drawing historical examples to illustrate previous instances where Western forces fell to Eastern conquerors. It reflects on both past and potential conflicts while cautioning the West to confront these looming challenges.
Summary
The article opens with a call to the Western world to face what the author describes as “the Eastern question,” urging unity in light of a growing threat from the East. For the first time, the author claims, diverse Eastern groups—including Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and Pagans—are united in opposition to a single enemy: the West. This alliance is fueled by a shared “hatred and contempt” for Western nations and their dominance.
The author warns that vast regions of the Eastern world—spanning Africa, Asia, Arabia, and the islands—contain “millions of savage warriors” who await a signal to rise up and confront Western armies. Despite the West’s sense of superiority and invincibility, the author draws upon historical examples to challenge this confidence.
He highlights significant Eastern military leaders and conquerors—Attila, Bayezid, and Tamerlane—as evidence of the East’s historical capability to defeat European powers. The article references Bayezid’s victory at the Dardanelles, where he shattered the “united powers of Europe,” and points to centuries of European suffering under the rule of Turkic or Tartar forces.
The author further emphasizes the fragility of Western military strength by recalling the disastrous British campaign in Afghanistan in 1840. In that instance, an army of 20,000 soldiers marched through the Khyber Pass, but only a single man returned alive. This example underscores his assertion that the East is capable of inflicting severe defeats, even on well-equipped Western forces.
The article pivots to the modern threat posed by Japan, described as “the spider of the East,” actively consolidating power across the Orient and aspiring to global dominance. Japan, armed with modern weaponry and disciplined forces, symbolizes the East’s ability to challenge Western hegemony. The author warns that, should an Eastern invasion occur, the consequences for the West would be catastrophic. He draws a grim comparison, suggesting that America under Japanese rule would suffer the same fate as Armenia under the Turk—a reference to the atrocities committed against Armenians.
The article concludes without offering solutions but leaves the reader with a clear sense of urgency regarding the need for Western unity and preparedness against what the author perceives as a significant and impending threat.
Characters
- Attila: Historical figure, leader of the Huns, used as an example of an Eastern conqueror who defeated Western forces.
- Bayezid: Ottoman sultan who defeated European powers at the Battle of the Dardanelles, illustrating Eastern military success.
- Tamerlane (Timur): A Central Asian conqueror known for his campaigns that devastated parts of Europe and Asia. He is included as part of the historical narrative of Eastern military power.
- The British Army in Afghanistan (mentioned): Represents Western vulnerability, particularly the disastrous 1840 campaign where nearly an entire British force was annihilated.
- Japan: Presented as the modern embodiment of Eastern ambition, consolidating power and aspiring to global domination. Japan is portrayed as the central threat to Western nations.
The article frames these figures and examples as evidence of historical and contemporary Eastern strength, warning of a future confrontation that the West cannot afford to ignore.
Published in
- THE LAST OF THE TRUNK OCH BREV I URVAL, Paradox Entertainment, March 2007
- THE LAST OF THE TRUNK, Robert E. Howard Foundation Press, November 2007
- ROBERT E. HOWARD FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER V2N4, Robert E. Howard Foundation, Winter 2008 (typescript)
- SENTIMENT: AN OLIO OF RARER WORKS, REH Foundation Press, December 2009