Psychological warfare!

[High Voltage]

I checked out a movie from the library about ancient China. There was one general who was in a long stalemate with his rival. So he gathered up brigades of criminals, and told them to die by their own hands or face an even worse death.

So on the battlefield, as the enemy stood their ground, the line of criminals approached. When they got very close to the enemy, they started killing themselves. Criminal after criminal killing themselves by the hundreds. As the enemy stood there stunned, the general attacked and masacured the confused enemy.

The video didn't reveal the generals name, probably because it hasn't been found, it was around 459bc I think. Not a bad idea though

[Minagawa Daimon]

if i was one of the criminals, id just fight for the other side, better to die fightning than just giving up without a struggle.

[solypsist]

I have to say, giving a weapon to a criminal and then ordering his death seems to be something one could do only on a person who is completely "broken" in spirit.

[Anssi Hakkinen]

IIRC this story appears in the footnotes of my version of The Art of War. It doesn't say that the people involved were criminals, though.

Considering how Chinese executions can be (*shudder* ), that might even work - to "go down fighting" might not be as preferable a death to them as it would be to a Westerner.

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"The unhappiest of all unhappy states is the republic or principality which cannot accept peace and cannot tolerate war."
- Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli

[This message has been edited by Anssi Hakkinen (edited 04-30-2001).]

[Zen Blade]

Guys,

just want to remind everyone that something written 500yrs ago must be taken with a grain of salt and something written 2500 years ago must also be taken with a couple of grains of salt.

Often, stories (as we all know) are exaggerated in their second and third tellings. Not saying this one is... but I doubt its reliability.

-Zen Blade

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Zen Blade Asai
Red Devil
Last of the RSG
Clan Tenki Council-Unity

[High Voltage]

Yes but even so, it would still be a good idea

[solypsist]

well whatever the case with historical accuracy, it is a rather strange story.
but then again, if a "modern" Japanese army can convince its fighter pilots to crash their planes into enemy ships, then anything is possible.
just think how much people might not believe it 500 years in the future, were it not for actual footage. Grain of salt or no grain of salt, there is usually some kernel of truth, and I prefer to give something the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.




[This message has been edited by solypsist (edited 05-02-2001).]

[Tone]

I'm back! Got some great footage. Next time any of you are in N. London drop by and i'll show you.

[Tone]

I'll prove it happened. I've got a time-machine in the attic. Just grab my camcorder and i'll be back before you know it. I might even be back before I leave, time-machines and all that eh..

[ShaiHulud]

hehehe

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Wind fells blossoms, rain
fells steel,yet bamboo bends and drinks

[Zen Blade]

Screw ancient China Tone.

I want to go back to when man was still living in caves and take over the world...

Hell, I'll bring back our invention, teach ppl some limited things and be declared ruler of the world... After I have my army of devoted worshippers, then we can travel forward a bit to get some sort of immortality drug or something... then, after that we...

the rest is a secret.

-Zen Blade

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Zen Blade Asai
Red Devil
Last of the RSG
Clan Tenki Council-Unity

[Tone]

Zen my friend as you well know:

Only one hand can wield ultimate power

and that hand belongs to me. However as you are all such nice peeps at the Dojo any of you with ex girlfriends/wives I am willing to deliver hand-written warning notes to a prior you.

Anssi, i've just nipped into the future and at 9-07 you are going to say that no one will believe this 3 months in the future. You will be right, I checked.

e-mail me:

puppetmaster@thejamesbondproofbunker.com

[This message has been edited by Tone (edited 05-02-2001).]

[Anssi Hakkinen]

LOL, this is one thread nobody would believe even three months in the future.

[nokhor]

if i remeber correctly the general in question was the duke of chou during the spring and autumn period before china was unified by shih huang ti. the story is probably fictional but might have a kernel of truth.
a convicted criminal faced with the choices of quick suicide on the battelfield or torturous death for him, his family, and members of his village might have chosen the former.