View Full Version : Alhocol Leading/Effecting Anything Ever ?
LeftEyeNine
03-14-2006, 12:13
I need your help. One of my friend has been given a homework about historical incidents where alcohol was included and has somehow an effect in the occurence. I have very limited time until tomorrow, so it would be even helpful if you wrote down briefly, or even the titles.
Thanks in advance.
There were a few battles in WWI where the men in trenches were very drunk at the time of battle. At the Somme, some units got double rum rations by mistake (others got none). Many did not eat before going into battle for fear of being shot in the stomach while full. So, early morning, scared, no food and a double shot of very strong rum and you have yourself a drunk soldier. There were reports of some units being too drunk to go over the top.
How did it affect the battle? Not sure. But I'm also not sure anything could have been any worse than that first day at the Somme.
matteus the inbred
03-14-2006, 13:17
supposedly one of the Roman Consuls at Cannae was drunk...can't find any evidence for this though.
Napoleon's army looted vodka stores throughout the Russian campaign and lost many men by doing this, particularly on the way back. check MacDonnell 'Napoleon and His Marshals' for details, although there's loads of more detailed works on this.
The British army's barbaric sacking of both Badajoz and San Sebastian in 1812 and 1813 respectively were undoubtedly fuelled by the drinking before and during the assault, as was common in Wellington's army.
this page has a list of famous alcohol related deaths, including several heads of state.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_famous_deaths_through_alcohol
Kagemusha
03-14-2006, 13:29
There were many occasions in Winter War when Soviet forces was spotted that they were heavily on Vodka,attacking Finish defence lines.But there were usually also machine guns positioned behind the attacking force.Those Soviets sure knew how to motivate their troops.
About decision making.The Finnish commander in chief Marshall C.G.E Mannerheim still fallowed old Aristocratic dining etiquette.And i have read that through and the amount you have consumed alcohol during dining would put me personally pretty drunk before dinner time.~;)
Franconicus
03-14-2006, 13:30
General Grant! First one I thought of. Wasn't he blamed of being drunk all the time?
matteus the inbred
03-14-2006, 13:37
General Grant! First one I thought of. Wasn't he blamed of being drunk all the time?
he was an alcoholic at one point in his life! not sure whether it ever affected his battlefield performance though, there's no evidence i can find that he was drunk at Shiloh, for example. i think he was more or less 'dry' by the time he came to command, and got round it by smoking cigars.
Vladimir
03-14-2006, 14:37
My favorite drunken leader is Winston Churchill. Love that guy!
matteus the inbred
03-14-2006, 15:02
My favorite drunken leader is Winston Churchill. Love that guy!
although in fact he often watered his scotch...he had an incredible constitution, could drink, smoke and eat like no one else.
Lord Winter
03-14-2006, 15:33
General Hooker in the US cival war
Riedquat
03-14-2006, 15:56
Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri when declared war against UK in the Falkland conflict. What can be worse that follow a order of a drunk Dictato?r
Craterus
03-14-2006, 18:02
Attila the Hun died of alcohol poisoning (or choked on his own vomit, which was down to alcohol).
matteus the inbred
03-14-2006, 18:18
Attila the Hun died of alcohol poisoning (or choked on his own vomit, which was down to alcohol).
oh yeah, that's a good one! i've also heard one version where he got so drunk he didn't notice he had a nosebleed and drowned in his own blood...
Ironside
03-14-2006, 20:20
From the top of my head.
The death of Johan Banér was caused by shrunken liver (called that?) due to excessive drinking.
And for you who doesn't know who he was, he was the main commander over the Swedish forces in the 30-years war from 1636-1641.
Replaced with Lennart Torstensson, both great commanders but in different ways and had they been in the wrong order things could have gone quite different.
The imperial commander Mathias Gallas was also a drunkard, but in his case was his army probably better off when he was drunk.
I don't think any of these 2 commanders drinking habits had any direct effect on their commanding abillities though.
Reenk Roink
03-14-2006, 21:14
Alexander III (the Great) of Macedon died an exhausted alcoholic...:book:
Craterus
03-14-2006, 23:20
oh yeah, that's a good one! i've also heard one version where he got so drunk he didn't notice he had a nosebleed and drowned in his own blood...
I believe you're right, my friend. :2thumbsup:
LeftEyeNine
03-15-2006, 13:13
Thank you so much. Me and my friends are so grateful to your just-in-time feedback. I'm so glad to be a part of this elite community. :2thumbsup:
:bow:
Bohdan, Lord of Courland
03-18-2006, 18:05
The Polish field-hetman Mikolaj Potocki (the elder) made a fatal decision while under the (very) heavy influence of alcohol during the Cossack Rebellion of 1648, leading an entire army to its destruction.
Apparantly, the idea of leaving favourable ground (the camp was entrenched and fortified) and retreating in the middle of the night into a swamp was appealing to him :wall:
Avicenna
03-19-2006, 15:31
Attila the Hun died of alcohol poisoning (or choked on his own vomit, which was down to alcohol).
I thought he died of a nosebleed?
One major thing about alcohol: prohibition in the USA during 1920s lead to lots of gangs getting very rich due to the monopoly over alcohol.
Well the most obvious must be alcohol as a moralebooster before battles, not to much of course.
Alcohol was also very often used after the battle by the "doctors" to clean wounds but more often to get the patient drunk so he wouldnt mind getting his arm or leg cut off.
So moral and medical uses definitly.
Hm I guess im to late to contribute but that doesnt matter as i dont get paid to do homework for others.
Kalle
Craterus
03-19-2006, 18:49
I thought he died of a nosebleed?
Mmmmmmmm, I thought that recently too. I think you're correct. But I do remember hearing that his death had something to do with alcohol.
He was so drunk he didn't realise he had a nosebleed?
Avicenna
03-20-2006, 09:21
Mmmmmmmm, I thought that recently too. I think you're correct. But I do remember hearing that his death had something to do with alcohol.
He was so drunk he didn't realise he had a nosebleed?
But I thought it was some kind of party or something after a victory. Some celebration type thing, so others would notice as well.
But not knowing about your own nosebleed is quite funny. :laugh4:
Oh, and dont forget the Gin and tonic effect against Malaria. Very important.
Kalle
Craterus
03-20-2006, 21:22
But I thought it was some kind of party or something after a victory. Some celebration type thing, so others would notice as well.
But not knowing about your own nosebleed is quite funny. :laugh4:
I thought it was his wedding night?
I'm confused now... :help:
LeftEyeNine
03-20-2006, 22:13
I thought it was his wedding night?
I'm confused now... :help:
Yep, there are still rumours about being poisened by his new spouse (who was Roman, right?).
Craterus
03-20-2006, 23:14
She was a Roman, named Honoria.
AntiochusIII
03-23-2006, 07:27
She was a Roman, named Honoria.? I thought Honoria was the Western Roman Emperor's sister, and not his last wife?
Craterus
03-23-2006, 23:07
I think I'm gonna have to Google it. Everything I've said has been questioned so I may just be mistaken on the whole issue.
Results show:
He drowned from a nosebleed. He did take Honoria as a wife.
Divine Wind
03-24-2006, 01:55
My favorite drunken leader is Winston Churchill. Love that guy!
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.
:laugh4:
Vladimir
03-24-2006, 13:50
My favorite drunken leader is Winston Churchill. Love that guy!
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.
:laugh4:
For that line and so many more.
The_Mark
03-24-2006, 17:59
The Battle of Tornio in the Lapland war. A beachead was conducted by Finns in Tornio to surround German troops in the Kemi region. The beachhead was a success, but the retreating Germans left plenty of cognac intact in the city, thus disabling the Finnish troops for two days. Luckily, the troops recovered from their hangover in time to receive the German counterattack.
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