The American Spectator

p> Appomattox br> Lee’s surrender occurred despite Sherman’s march through the South, not because of it. All the flames and smoke prevented slave uprisings from succeeding and thus ending the war years earlier. /p> p> Hernando Cortes Invasion of the Aztecs br> The conquest of the Aztecs occurred despite Cortes and his army, not because of his use of horses, his impersonation of the god Quetzaquotal, and his kidnapping of their ruler Montezuma. The inability of the heavily-armed soldiers to protect tribes from Montezuma already had the savages planning revenge. /p> p> Attila the Hun br> The fall of the Roman Empire occurred despite the Hunnic invasion, not because of it. The indigenous peoples had already begun overthrowing their imperial rulers. Attila just got in the way — hence leaders had to position themselves as “to the right of etc.” /p> p> Israelites Free from Pharaoh br> The Exodus of the Israelites from Pharaoh’s Egypt occurred despite Mosaic leadership, not because of it. The inability of the so-called “Prince of Egypt” to protect downtrodden Hebrews from their pyramid taskmasters said to eleven of the twelve tribes: “We’ve got to cut our own deal with Pharaoh.”