Military Musings Part 2
Some quotes from across the sea.
'Tosawi, good Indian.'
'The only good Indians I ever saw were dead.'
First words between Tosawi (Comanches) and General Sheridan (American) at peace talks.
'When you have a fine plate of pasta guaranteed for life, and a little music, you don't need anything more'
Italian General Ubaldo Soddu on his military philosophy, 1940. While in command of the Italian forces invading Greece, he spent most of his time writing music.
'That will never make a fighter.'
Ernst Udet, head of the Luftwaffe, on first seeing the BF109 in 1934.
'Most Englishmen of high position, particularly when they are serving in a hot climate, are a little mad.'
Schaumann, a German serving with the British forces in Spain, 1809.
When Rumania declared war in August 1916, it is said that one of the first army orders after mobilisation was that only officers over the rank of major were allowed to use make-up.
During the First World War women encouraged their men to go to war, among them being the White Feather Brigade. Another way was to put personal ads in the local paper. In The Times July 8th 1915, this warning appeared:
'Jack F. G. If you are not in khaki by the 20th I shall cut you dead. Ethel M.'
At this time our papers were used by the Germans to gauge the strength of public opinion. The threat in this particular message was translated as 'I shall hack you to death'.
'To the officers, may they get killed, wounded or promoted.'
Teddy Roosevelt, Invasion of Cuba 1898.
'The bullet is a fool, the bayonet a fine fellow.'
Suvorov, a Russian Marshall, c1762. Surprisingly Suvorov never lost a battle.
'War is the continuation of politics by other means.'
Karl von Clausewitz, Prussian General and military thinker. With the ethical foreign policy of our government it would seem that they have studied Clausewitz. All that is needed is to substitute the word War with the euphemism Peacekeeping Mission. Unless, of course the foreign power can hit back, happens to be Chinese and about to buy a number of aircraft from us.
'If you think your chief of staff can only talk rubbish, then demote me to private soldier and let me defend my country with a rifle and a bayonet in my hand.'
Georgi Zhukov, in an exchange with Stalin, Russia 1941. A brave stance to take considering in the last ten years thousands of officers had been killed on Stalin's orders for less.
'One can be sure that when thirty thousand soldiers are fighting against a similar number in pitched battle, there are about twenty thousand cases of the pox on either side.'
Voltaire in Candide, on the gifts of the New World namely chocolate, cochineal and the pox. I would recommend this book for an insight to the times of the Age of Reason. Voltaire was a French philosopher (don't let that put you off), who was at times persecuted by most states. He had a long correspondence with Frederick the Great and was knowledgeable about international affairs. On a salacious note Frederick the Great harboured a hatred of Saxony after he contracted a sexual disease there in his youth.
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