Military History Thread: D-Day 75

[Indo-Malaysia]

War in some form or another has been around as long as man.

From bashing skulls with stones, to thrusting spears in ones heart, to sweeping positions with automatic weapons, there are thousands of years worth of military history to discuss! From the mythical Trojan War to the ever present Middle Eastern interventions of now.

What military conflict intrigues you most, and why?

Personally, I like to read about stuff from Antiquity, and stuff related to England. From the former, the Punic Wars are a good read, and the latter would be The Great War.

[Internationalist Bastard]

I for one always focused on the individual aspect of military history. The life of the soldier, what they had to do in battle. Part of this is my past in the infantry, and part of this is the old fascination with the warrior. But it’s always been cool to me to learn, say, about musket loading drills, the Roman legions fort building, or even just the logistics of warfare

[Indo-Malaysia]

I for one always focused on the individual aspect of military history. The life of the soldier, what they had to do in battle. Part of this is my past in the infantry, and part of this is the old fascination with the warrior. But it’s always been cool to me to learn, say, about musket loading drills, the Roman legions fort building, or even just the logistics of warfare

You were an infantryman?

What unit (probably wrong term, but ya get the gist) did you serve with?

On the topic of life of soldiers, there was an interesting documentary shown in cinemas and TG by Peter Jackson called They Shall not Grow Old, which is coloured in magnificently and has sound. It really does shed light on the individuals of the Great War.

[Internationalist Bastard]

I for one always focused on the individual aspect of military history. The life of the soldier, what they had to do in battle. Part of this is my past in the infantry, and part of this is the old fascination with the warrior. But it’s always been cool to me to learn, say, about musket loading drills, the Roman legions fort building, or even just the logistics of warfare

You were an infantryman?

What unit (probably wrong term, but ya get the gist) did you serve with?

On the topic of life of soldiers, there was an interesting documentary shown in cinemas and TG by Peter Jackson called They Shall not Grow Old, which is coloured in magnificently and has sound. It really does shed light on the individuals of the Great War.

I’ll take a look
And I was just a UN peacekeeper it’s not real soldier work

[Boreal Light]

Did anyone here read Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War, by Karl Marlantes?

I found it absolutely fascinating, and my ability to visualize what it was like day-to-day for individual soldiers in Vietnam expanded greatly.

Many reviewers considered it to be the portrayal of the war. Having never been in the army myself, I would also be interested to know what someone thought of the book who had been / is presently in the military.

Also, one of the latest Dan Carlin podcasts was an interview with Max Hastings, a former British journalist who worked in Vietnam, and who recently released Vietnam: an Epic Tragedy: 1945-1975. The interview was so good that I am very much looking forward to reading this book. Just wanted to throw this out there, should anyone be interested.

[Rusthenia]

You were an infantryman?

What unit (probably wrong term, but ya get the gist) did you serve with?

On the topic of life of soldiers, there was an interesting documentary shown in cinemas and TG by Peter Jackson called They Shall not Grow Old, which is coloured in magnificently and has sound. It really does shed light on the individuals of the Great War.

I’ll take a look
And I was just a UN peacekeeper it’s not real soldier work

where?

[Indo-Malaysia]

Did anyone here read Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War, by Karl Marlantes?

I found it absolutely fascinating, and my ability to visualize what it was like day-to-day for individual soldiers in Vietnam expanded greatly.

Many reviewers considered it to be the portrayal of the war. Having never been in the army myself, I would also be interested to know what someone thought of the book who had been / is presently in the military.

Also, one of the latest Dan Carlin podcasts was an interview with Max Hastings, a former British journalist who worked in Vietnam, and who recently released Vietnam: an Epic Tragedy: 1945-1975. The interview was so good that I am very much looking forward to reading this book. Just wanted to throw this out there, should anyone be interested.

Sounds interesting. I'll take a look. I have also been fascinated by the Vietnam an Indochina Wars and the use of Assymetric Warfare.

You were an infantryman?

What unit (probably wrong term, but ya get the gist) did you serve with?

On the topic of life of soldiers, there was an interesting documentary shown in cinemas and TG by Peter Jackson called They Shall not Grow Old, which is coloured in magnificently and has sound. It really does shed light on the individuals of the Great War.

I’ll take a look
And I was just a UN peacekeeper it’s not real soldier work

Sounds nice. Why sort of stuff did you do as a Peacekeeper, and how did you end up becoming one?

[Internationalist Bastard]

I’ll take a look
And I was just a UN peacekeeper it’s not real soldier work

where?

Oh Mali
Forgive me but I believe the forum has grown tired of me telling the stories

[The Derpy Democratic Republic Of Herp]

You were an infantryman?

What unit (probably wrong term, but ya get the gist) did you serve with?

On the topic of life of soldiers, there was an interesting documentary shown in cinemas and TG by Peter Jackson called They Shall not Grow Old, which is coloured in magnificently and has sound. It really does shed light on the individuals of the Great War.

I’ll take a look
And I was just a UN peacekeeper it’s not real soldier work

Don't be so modest, of course it was.

Thank you for your service.

[Gig em Aggies]

where?

Oh Mali
Forgive me but I believe the forum has grown tired of me telling the stories

Where you in Mali during the French intervention against Islamic militants a few years ago?

But for me military history intrigues me from a standpoint of technology and its use that's why I Love history & military channel shows such as 20th century battlefields, Weaponology, Tops Tens, etc...

[Internationalist Bastard]

Oh Mali
Forgive me but I believe the forum has grown tired of me telling the stories

Where you in Mali during the French intervention against Islamic militants a few years ago?

But for me military history intrigues me from a standpoint of technology and its use that's why I Love history & military channel shows such as 20th century battlefields, Weaponology, Tops Tens, etc...

I agree, the evolution of the firearm is just fascinating

[Internationalist Bastard]

I’ll take a look
And I was just a UN peacekeeper it’s not real soldier work

Don't be so modest, of course it was.

Thank you for your service.

Don’t mention it

[Saiwania]

I’ll take a look. And I was just a UN peacekeeper it’s not real soldier work

You shouldn't have been there in my view to "keep the peace" but rather, to hunt down and destroy insurgents or whoever was part of the problem which caused you to be deployed.

There is one piece of equipment I think should make a comeback which is- the flamethrower. That it causes a cruel and painful death is not a bug, but a feature in my view. Nothing better to clear out caves or bunkers. That is the way to deal with that problem, not sending any tunnel rats like in Vietnam. I remain to be convinced that Thermobaric weapons are truly enough to fully serve as a replacement for flamethrowers. A more portable means of burning targets to a crisp should be available. Napalm should still be utilized.

[Internationalist Bastard]

I’ll take a look. And I was just a UN peacekeeper it’s not real soldier work

You shouldn't have been there in my view to "keep the peace" but rather, to hunt down and destroy insurgents or whoever was part of the problem which caused you to be deployed.

There is one piece of equipment I think should make a comeback which is- the flamethrower. That it causes a cruel and painful death is not a bug, but a feature in my view. Nothing better to clear out caves or bunkers. That is the way to deal with that problem, not sending any tunnel rats like in Vietnam. I remain to be convinced that Thermobaric weapons are truly enough to fully serve as a replacement for flamethrowers. A more portable means of burning targets to a crisp should be available. Napalm should still be utilized.

Er yeah
Um anyway weaponry is cool, it’s fun to study

[Indo-Malaysia]

I’ll take a look. And I was just a UN peacekeeper it’s not real soldier work

You shouldn't have been there in my view to "keep the peace" but rather, to hunt down and destroy insurgents or whoever was part of the problem which caused you to be deployed.

There is one piece of equipment I think should make a comeback which is- the flamethrower. That it causes a cruel and painful death is not a bug, but a feature in my view. Nothing better to clear out caves or bunkers. That is the way to deal with that problem, not sending any tunnel rats like in Vietnam. I remain to be convinced that Thermobaric weapons are truly enough to fully serve as a replacement for flamethrowers. A more portable means of burning targets to a crisp should be available. Napalm should still be utilized.

Personally, I believe the end of terrorism will come about not through violence, but through education. Though I'll leave t at that before I go off topic .

You shouldn't have been there in my view to "keep the peace" but rather, to hunt down and destroy insurgents or whoever was part of the problem which caused you to be deployed.

There is one piece of equipment I think should make a comeback which is- the flamethrower. That it causes a cruel and painful death is not a bug, but a feature in my view. Nothing better to clear out caves or bunkers. That is the way to deal with that problem, not sending any tunnel rats like in Vietnam. I remain to be convinced that Thermobaric weapons are truly enough to fully serve as a replacement for flamethrowers. A more portable means of burning targets to a crisp should be available. Napalm should still be utilized.

Er yeah
Um anyway weaponry is cool, it’s fun to study

Indeed.

Though it is a shitty click bait website now, I used to lurk on list verse to look at the strange and obscure weapons fielded across history. Some of them Medieval ones look bloody brutal.

[Kubra]

I’ll take a look. And I was just a UN peacekeeper it’s not real soldier work

You shouldn't have been there in my view to "keep the peace" but rather, to hunt down and destroy insurgents or whoever was part of the problem which caused you to be deployed.

There is one piece of equipment I think should make a comeback which is- the flamethrower. That it causes a cruel and painful death is not a bug, but a feature in my view. Nothing better to clear out caves or bunkers. That is the way to deal with that problem, not sending any tunnel rats like in Vietnam. I remain to be convinced that Thermobaric weapons are truly enough to fully serve as a replacement for flamethrowers. A more portable means of burning targets to a crisp should be available. Napalm should still be utilized.

No you western imperialist, the katana is superior to the flamethrower

[Gig em Aggies]

You shouldn't have been there in my view to "keep the peace" but rather, to hunt down and destroy insurgents or whoever was part of the problem which caused you to be deployed.

There is one piece of equipment I think should make a comeback which is- the flamethrower. That it causes a cruel and painful death is not a bug, but a feature in my view. Nothing better to clear out caves or bunkers. That is the way to deal with that problem, not sending any tunnel rats like in Vietnam. I remain to be convinced that Thermobaric weapons are truly enough to fully serve as a replacement for flamethrowers. A more portable means of burning targets to a crisp should be available. Napalm should still be utilized.

No you western imperialist, the katana is superior to the flamethrower

lets see Katana range a few feet vs a flamethrower range 30-50 yards I'll take a flamethrower over a katana any day

[Internationalist Bastard]

No you western imperialist, the katana is superior to the flamethrower

lets see Katana range a few feet vs a flamethrower range 30-50 yards I'll take a flamethrower over a katana any day

Clearly the katana can be spun fast enough to deflect the flames.

[Internationalist Bastard]

You shouldn't have been there in my view to "keep the peace" but rather, to hunt down and destroy insurgents or whoever was part of the problem which caused you to be deployed.

There is one piece of equipment I think should make a comeback which is- the flamethrower. That it causes a cruel and painful death is not a bug, but a feature in my view. Nothing better to clear out caves or bunkers. That is the way to deal with that problem, not sending any tunnel rats like in Vietnam. I remain to be convinced that Thermobaric weapons are truly enough to fully serve as a replacement for flamethrowers. A more portable means of burning targets to a crisp should be available. Napalm should still be utilized.

Personally, I believe the end of terrorism will come about not through violence, but through education. Though I'll leave t at that before I go off topic .

Er yeah
Um anyway weaponry is cool, it’s fun to study

Indeed.

Though it is a shitty click bait website now, I used to lurk on list verse to look at the strange and obscure weapons fielded across history. Some of them Medieval ones look bloody brutal.

I maintain my sword collection and unironic devotion to For Honor

[Engleberg]

I prefer conflicts that are contemporary with my primary field of study; European history 1650-1945.

I’d say my favourites are the Unification Wars of Germany, WWI, Seven Years’ War, and WWII.

Oh, and I’ve totally got a thing for firearms and armoured vehicles. Could tell you anything about my favourite, the SdKfz 182 Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B.

Sure she couldn’t get anywhere because of a maintenance nightmare of an engine, but she was a damn fine tank.

[Kubra]

No you western imperialist, the katana is superior to the flamethrower

lets see Katana range a few feet vs a flamethrower range 30-50 yards I'll take a flamethrower over a katana any day

Steel folded 1000 times rapidly cools gaijin flames

[Unstoppable Empire of Doom]

I like to read up on the more obscure stuff. Like that time French Hussars surrounded and captured the Dutch Navy. Or that time US drones we're hacked by wehrmacht signalmen. The more obscure/absurd the better.

As for specific wars I enjoy reading about the pellopnesian wars however the sources are quite limited. WW2 is of course fascinating. My favorite general is Napoleon, my favorite Admiral is Doenitz.

I admit I enjoy arguing the finer points of military history sometimes. Fanboys tend to irk me. Revisionists outright tick me off.

[Grater Tovakia]

I like all military history but my favorite period is modern warfare... and I am soooo glad this thread has been made.

If anyone is interested in a great read that blends fiction and history read Invasion by Kenneth Macksey. It is an alternative history book about Operation Sealion. While it is fiction it is very realistic and a good read for those who like to ponder the what ifs? of military history.

Also, Air Warfare is my specialty

Favorite plane: F-14/F-22
Favorite Tank: M-60
Favorite Ship: USS Wasp (personal connection)

[Genivaria]

Something I've always found interesting is the gradual rise of the common infantryman over the centuries when previously cavalry (especially armored cavalry) had dominated the field in Europe since the fall of the Roman Empire.

[Indo-Malaysia]

Something I've always found interesting is the gradual rise of the common infantryman over the centuries when previously cavalry (especially armored cavalry) had dominated the field in Europe since the fall of the Roman Empire.

I find it interesting that cavalry is still used in warfare nowadays. I believe US Special Forces were using them in one of those thingys they did in the Middle East.