NationStates

Throughout history, there have been a number of heroic last stands. From the Swiss guard in Rome, where they laid down their lives to buy time for the pope to escape whilst it was being sacked by the Holy Roman Empire, to the battle of Camaron, where 64 members of the French Foreign Legion fought against 2,000 Mexican soldiers, 43 of them were killed and not one wasn't wounded.

Now, I'd like to know what you think are some heroic last stands throughout history, it can be the last stand of a group or a single person, on land, in the air or on the sea.

I personally think think the last stand of the Saxon Houscarls was pretty heroic, even after their king had been killed by the Normans, they still fought to the death around his corpse.

Custer's last stand comes to mind, wouldn't exactly call it heroic, but I would call it a cool last stand

The Alamo. Pretty damn brave if you ask me. Not really heroic as it might be brave, but it was awesome. Roughly 180-200 Texians stood up to the Mexican Army and fought back until they all were killed but it was pretty awesome. Not that I was there. It happened in 1836.

King Leonidas against the Persian Empire

The Alamo, is obviously the most heroic last stand of all time.

Super Bwitain wrote:the battle of Camaron, where 64 members of the French Foreign Legion fought against 2,000 Mexican soldiers, 43 of them were killed and not one wasn't wounded.

Thats not what wiki says.

'Last stands' typically involve either military incompetence or barbarism. I see no reason why they should necessarily be celebrated.

I mean, the final siege of Constantinople in 1453 holds some historical resonance for me, but I see no reason to celebrate it.

Also, this thread will likely turn into a tiresome debate over Thermopylae between people who think 300 is history, and a smaller group who are actually familiar with the Persian War.

Lackadaisical2 wrote:The Alamo, is obviously the most heroic last stand of all time.

Super Bwitain wrote:the battle of Camaron, where 64 members of the French Foreign Legion fought against 2,000 Mexican soldiers, 43 of them were killed and not one wasn't wounded.

Thats not what wiki says.

Wow, I managed to mis-read "Captured", you're right, 17 were wounded.

The Archregimancy wrote:'Last stands' typically involve either military incompetence or barbarism. I see no reason why they should necessarily be celebrated.

I mean, the final siege of Constantinople in 1453 holds some historical resonance for me, but I see no reason to celebrate it.

Also, this thread will likely turn into a tiresome debate over Thermopylae between people who think 300 is history, and a smaller group who are actually familiar with the Persian War.

Oh god, that movie should be burned.

The Battle of Rorke's Drift.

Super Bwitain wrote:

The Archregimancy wrote:'Last stands' typically involve either military incompetence or barbarism. I see no reason why they should necessarily be celebrated.

I mean, the final siege of Constantinople in 1453 holds some historical resonance for me, but I see no reason to celebrate it.

Also, this thread will likely turn into a tiresome debate over Thermopylae between people who think 300 is history, and a smaller group who are actually familiar with the Persian War.

Oh god, that movie should be burned.

why? i liked the movie.very few graphic novels has been so successfully been made into a movie.

Free foundation wrote:

Super Bwitain wrote:
Oh god, that movie should be burned.

why? i liked the movie.very few graphic novels has been so successfully been made into a movie.

It's also very ahistorical.

Well According to my History bbook, Leonidas and his 300 did fight til last man.

And i know that the movie is far from the truth

Super Bwitain wrote:

Free foundation wrote:why? i liked the movie.very few graphic novels has been so successfully been made into a movie.

It's also very ahistorical.

Not to mention the scene for Leonidas kicks the Persian bastard into the Pit of Death. I also enjoyed the scene were they got showered with arrows. That was cool.

Super Bwitain wrote:

Free foundation wrote:why? i liked the movie.very few graphic novels has been so successfully been made into a movie.

It's also very ahistorical.

I do not recall anyone stating that they were making a historical movie. It was well known that they were making the movie based on Franc Miller comic.

Cill Charthaigh wrote:

Super Bwitain wrote:
It's also very ahistorical.

Not to mention the scene for Leonidas kicks the Persian bastard into the Pit of Death. I also enjoyed the scene were they got showered with arrows. That was cool.

Lets move on, this thread isn't about 300.

The Archregimancy wrote:<mutters something about self-fulfilling prophecies>

I'm sorry Arch, really.

Mosasauria wrote:The Battle of Rorke's Drift.

Not much of a last stand, is it?

Lackadaisical2 wrote:

Mosasauria wrote:The Battle of Rorke's Drift.

Not much of a last stand, is it?

If I've got my history right (Unlikely), then the British defenders were cooks and engineers. I imagine they thought they would die when the saw all the Zulus. Whilst it may not be a Last Stand, it's worthy of note.

Firstly Gallipoli War is an entirely unbelievable last stand against imperialists. '' I am not ordering you to fight, I am ordering you to die. Ataturk '' it was the key to victory. Also it is an important detail that a group of soldiers without any weapon runs through the heavily armed enemy soldiers only in order to keep them back for a while until the regular troops arrive and they all die.

The other one is Hasan Tahsin, a journalist who shot the first bullet of the National War for Independence on Greek invading forces that occupied Izmir, and then killed by them.

Kemaliste wrote:Firstly Gallipoli War is an entirely unbelievable last stand against imperialists. '' I am not ordering you to fight, I am ordering you to die. Ataturk '' it was the key to victory. Also it is an important detail that a group of soldiers without any weapon runs through the heavily armed enemy soldiers only in order to keep them back for a while until the regular troops arrive and they all die.

Again, that's not really much of a last stand, is it? After all, the Turks won at Gallipoli.

Which was a fine military achievement, certainly - I wouldn't want to imply otherwise - but I think the OP is more focussed on 'last' stands where all of the 'heroic' defenders get themselves killed.

I always find the concept of 'last stands' problematic. After all, in the immortal words of those wise sages David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tufnel, it's such a fine line between stupid and clever.

Battle of Shiroyama.Because they fought for a way of life.

Kemaliste wrote:Firstly Gallipoli War is an entirely unbelievable last stand against imperialists. '' I am not ordering you to fight, I am ordering you to die. Ataturk '' it was the key to victory. Also it is an important detail that a group of soldiers without any weapon runs through the heavily armed enemy soldiers only in order to keep them back for a while until the regular troops arrive and they all die.

The other one is Hasan Tahsin, a journalist who shot the first bullet of the National War for Independence on Greek invading forces that occupied Izmir, and then killed by them.

Absolutely this. I was hoping somebody would mention Gallipoli.
Gallipoli was amazing. Yaşasın Türkiye.
Ataturk was absolutely brilliant. It really says something that he was able to get the Entente powers listen and follow his demands, even though his nation was undeniably defeated during that war. The Entente powers!
As much as I dislike his devout secularism, I cannot deny Ataturk's badassery, nor can I deny that he did much for my Turkish comrades.

back to topic.
Battle of Saragarhi ,1897. 21 sikh soldiers of british indian army faced abt 10000 afghani tribesmen.

Stalingrand.

Why?

Because those Communist bastards survived it.