In Roman times, the average legionnaire would fight for about 30 minutes at a time; the weight, and ungainliness, of his armour was exhausting.
In the 16th Century, when Knights went into battle with both themselves and their horses heavily armoured; complete major battles might have lasted just one day. The poor Knights were winched up onto their mounts, either froze or sweated buckets inside their metalwork, and could hardly see a thing. It was all to much for them, and as soon as the opposition King or Leader was found with an arrow through his eye, they moved into some captured castle, and dined on looted Swans. (Anyway, would you want to risk scratching that beautiful armour?)
So, why is it today, when we possess such sophisticated kit, do wars last so long, and achieve so little? Shouldn't we, at least, return with a few captured oil-fields?
When I attended my CCF 'Officer Training' course, the very first thing I learned on day 1 (from Page 1, Para 1, of The Sandhurst 'How To Win Wars' book) was...
1. Know your enemy.
2. Go in strong.
3. Go in hard.
One really has to wonder if any of our contemporary military chiefs actually read that same book.
When we all pull out of Afghanistan in 2014; other than huge expense and terrible loss of life, what will we have actually gained? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
Surrounded by our iGuns and eTanks we forget that we are barely out of the primordial sludge (and politicians even less so). Globally we behave like rival troops of monkeys; every once in a while an "alpha" monkey rushes forward and hits a rival monkey with a stick, bares his teeth, screams and runs back to the gang. Then they do the same. We're all supposed to be fighting over the best rocks to sit on. It's all very, very embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteTechnology changes in a decade, the human brain and behaviour takes millennia - it'll never, ever quite keep pace. We will always be primates playing with dangerous toys and getting by, just, on luck and a whim.
Sadly, I hold out no hope for humans ever to change.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, Cro, and many more innocent lives will be lost in achieving that nothing
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad and crazy world. There is talk now of sending our troops to Syria...
ReplyDeleteMaybe if we went back to battle being uncomfortable and awkward and promised everyone a big feast when it was all over things would speed up a tad. It all seems so mindless and pointless doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteI am with you Cro. Perhaps we should send our leaders of war this book. And we have gained NOTHING but heartache and a large military bill. It really hits close to my heart since I have two young men with wonderful families that are getting ready to deploy in the next few months to Afghanistan. Not happy about it at all, especially since our men who are "teaching" Afghani men how to fight are being betrayed and killed by them.
ReplyDeleteThe two young men are not my sons, but my family.
DeleteLet's all wish them well, and safe passage!
DeleteWell said
ReplyDeleteBriony
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When our son was in the Navy (six years) my greatest pleasure was baking cookies (and sending to Japan!) for his many ship mates. So many never received letters, let alone packages. It made me feel useful when nothing we do in regards to war seems to be of use at all.
ReplyDeleteWAR! HUH! WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? (rhetorical question)
ReplyDeleteI've often wondered just how many wars would be fought if the men who start them actually went to the front themselves. Instead it's these fresh-faced kids. I'll soon be 68 and that may account for this but I would swear some of the soldiers don't look a day over 15.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing, you should not be permitted to serve on a military intelligence committee if you are heavily invested in military weapons and equipment.
Gail, do you get the impression that old kit (ordnance) needs to be used-up, before it's 'sell-by' date expires? Hmmmmm.
DeleteSo many wars for so little reason.
ReplyDeleteSuch a waste of life and limb -- both in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our son is in the Territorial Army and now stationed at Camp Bastion. We received an e-mail yesterday in which he wrote that each week there were at least 3 'incidents' of serious attacks -- including the one yesterday during a football match. The powers that be seem to be signalling a desire to do the stupid and irresponsible thing and go into Syria -- God help us all...
ReplyDeleteIt would be good to know who the enemy is; as I point out above.
DeleteDo tell him to 'trust no-one'. Best wishes for his safe return.
November 11th was my late mother's birthday. As a youth I was very confused as to which frame of mind was the right one to put myself in; as I aged and became Anti War I substituted the red poppy for a white one and eventually none at all, just to simply celebrate her birthday was sufficient.
ReplyDeleteSun Tsu had it all sorted, in fact that Sandhurst quote looks like it was lifted straight from The Art of War.
ReplyDeleteThere is an interesting article on the Overland site about how twitter is being used as a 'social weapon' by the Israelis in the last few days.
I guess, perhaps it is easier to hang around fighting for longer when we don't have to see the whites of our enemies eyes ...