Hitler

[Geoffrey S]

It's just that, while battles are interesting, I find it far more fascinating why thousands of men would gather in one place in what is essentially ritualized killing. By just looking at the battles, you only get a tiny slice of what a time period has to offer.

[Adrian II]

It's just that, while battles are interesting, I find it far more fascinating why thousands of men would gather in one place in what is essentially ritualized killing.

I would go even further. How can you understand history's decisive battles, from Gaugamela through Stalingrad, without insight into the nature of the opposing rulers, their nations, societies, religions or ideologies, etcetera.
Without knowledge of Ancient Greece and Persia you will never understand how the Phalanx came into being or why Alexander, leading a trusted cavalry unit of free Macedonians, achieved a tactical break-through against an army of slaves led by generals who were wary and demoralised because the Persian augurs had warned of bad omens in the days before battle.
As to Stalingrad, I recall a nice anecdote about Sartre's visit to the Soviet Union in 1954. Whilst being given the grand tour of Stalingrad rubble he was repeatedly overheard muttering to himself 'incredible, incredible'. Finally the tour guide turned to him and said: 'It's incredible how much the Germans destroyed, isn't it?' 'No, no!' Sartre retorted: 'It's incredible the Germans got this far!' And it is. If you want to understand why, you will have to study the politics behind that war as well.

Otherwise you might as well read a Smurf comic to deepen your understanding.

[Mouzafphaerre]

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Otherwise you might as well read a Smurf comic to deepen your understanding.

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[Geoffrey S]

I would go even further. How can you understand history's decisive battles, from Gaugamela through Stalingrad, without insight into the nature of the opposing rulers, their nations, societies, religions or ideologies, etcetera.

Arguably, that's why the History Channel is often actually anything but.

[Adrian II]

Arguably, that's why the History Channel is often actually anything but.

To each his own.

[Watchman]

I have been left with a rather strong impression the History Channel is virtually a four-letter word among people who've done their proverbial homework...

Without knowledge of Ancient Greece and Persia you will never understand how the Phalanx came into being or why Alexander, leading a trusted cavalry unit of free Macedonians, achieved a tactical break-through against an army of slaves led by generals who were wary and demoralised because the Persian augurs had warned of bad omens in the days before battle.

Not to go too much off topic, but... you're being sarcastic, I hope ?

[Adrian II]

Not to go too much off topic, but... you're being sarcastic, I hope ?

I am fully serious, brother Watchman. This is not the Backroom. Anyway, I don't feel like discussing anything having to do with Alexander for at least a year, thank you.

[Watchman]

I am fully serious, brother Watchman. This is not the Backroom. Anyway, I don't feel like discussing anything having to do with Alexander for at least a year, thank you.

*sigh*
...300 and other paragons of Classicist triumphalism are sort of a really bad source to base your understanding of the Acheamenid military on you know ?


Anyway, back to topic, let us not forget either that the Nazi ideology contained a big (un)healthy dose of some pretty extreme racial-hygienic ideas from the start. Do recall - the first organised mass murders they did were of handicapped and mentally disturbed "Aryans" in hospitals and asylums... Heck, there was actually this one former Communist who ended up joining the SS just to find out if the rumours of a relative of his having died that way were true. (He eventually ended up visiting one of the death camps as a technical consultant on desinfecting clothing... developed a drinking habit and began spilling the beans on what he'd seen to random foreign tourists after that.)

And Hitler had been into some pretty rabid anti-Semitism for a long time already...

[Veho Nex]

It's just that, while battles are interesting, I find it far more fascinating why thousands of men would gather in one place in what is essentially ritualized killing. By just looking at the battles, you only get a tiny slice of what a time period has to offer.

I know... I also know to much about the battles already. What I truly want to know is how one man can convince an entire nation to follow him even unto death is beyond me. But also how can one man tell his men that if they retreat he will mow them down(insert Stalin).