The Mongolian army and army of Chengiz Khan of ancient times
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- Jayashree Ravi
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- Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:32 pm
The Mongolian army and army of Chengiz Khan of ancient times
I am reading world history presently and I found the ways of Mongols interesting. In Han china, they practiced utterly inhumane means in taking away the lives of their own soldiers who retreated and returned back defeated (beheaded them). The cruelty during Han dynasty did not stop at this - if their soldiers were taken captive by the opposing army, they executed the entire family of the soldier who was taken captive.
Whereas the Mongols did the opposite it seems! Being very small in their own population, the Mongols seems to have been a race who were full of bravery and valor. Irrespective of their small size, they went to the extent of defeating many a valorous and enormous armies of China, India and Russia and also know to have subjugated many of their kings! How did the small in population Mongols accomplish this? By taking the defeated army soldiers of their opposite camp into their own, to their own side, and thus growing in number. Thus we find that ancient Mongolia was highly diverse in this population.
Even Chengiz Khan, the Chinese emperor, is known to have applied this strategy - of taking captive soldiers (POWs) and treating them as their own soldiers - taking them 'into one's fold'. I do not know how good the loyalty factor would have worked in these cases, but it seems to have worked, by seeing the success of the Mongols and of Chengiz Khan.
Upon reading the above, I was very eager to read more about warring strategies of the ancient world and of novel ideas implemented by the different emperors in paving pathway for their own success!
If you can offer me any further reading on the accord, pl. let me know in this thread! Thanks.
Whereas the Mongols did the opposite it seems! Being very small in their own population, the Mongols seems to have been a race who were full of bravery and valor. Irrespective of their small size, they went to the extent of defeating many a valorous and enormous armies of China, India and Russia and also know to have subjugated many of their kings! How did the small in population Mongols accomplish this? By taking the defeated army soldiers of their opposite camp into their own, to their own side, and thus growing in number. Thus we find that ancient Mongolia was highly diverse in this population.
Even Chengiz Khan, the Chinese emperor, is known to have applied this strategy - of taking captive soldiers (POWs) and treating them as their own soldiers - taking them 'into one's fold'. I do not know how good the loyalty factor would have worked in these cases, but it seems to have worked, by seeing the success of the Mongols and of Chengiz Khan.
Upon reading the above, I was very eager to read more about warring strategies of the ancient world and of novel ideas implemented by the different emperors in paving pathway for their own success!
If you can offer me any further reading on the accord, pl. let me know in this thread! Thanks.
- Jayashree Ravi
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- eye_of_tiger
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Sister,
Surely the different warring strategies of the ancient world and different emperors is beyond most Mystic Board members to discuss or offer an opinion about.
This does not mean that I am saying that you should not continue to be interested in or do further personal research about these subjects, or that you might not be lucky enough to find one member who is equally interested and knowledgeable upon this topic, and whom would be happy to compare notes with you.
As an observation courage and loyalty have always coexisted during times of war with great acts of cruelty against those in the military who have retreated from battle, or who have consorted or have attempted to make peace with the enemy.
It is still common practise to execute soldiers who turn and run in the opposite direction on the spot without any trial, because of the damage this can do to the morale of the remaining men.
In our so called more civilised ways of killing each other we no longer usually physically kill the soldier's family as well, but losing the main breadwinner, a husband, father or brother often has the same psychological effects upon the family as if they had died at the same time as their loved one.
Plus they also have the public shame and embarrassment of knowing that their family member did not die honourably, but instead accused as a coward to deal with.
Anything including cruelty is acceptable during times of war. But it does not automatically rule out simultaneous great acts of courage and loyalty to both other soldiers in the same company as well as to the cause which they are defending.
EoT
Surely the different warring strategies of the ancient world and different emperors is beyond most Mystic Board members to discuss or offer an opinion about.
This does not mean that I am saying that you should not continue to be interested in or do further personal research about these subjects, or that you might not be lucky enough to find one member who is equally interested and knowledgeable upon this topic, and whom would be happy to compare notes with you.
As an observation courage and loyalty have always coexisted during times of war with great acts of cruelty against those in the military who have retreated from battle, or who have consorted or have attempted to make peace with the enemy.
It is still common practise to execute soldiers who turn and run in the opposite direction on the spot without any trial, because of the damage this can do to the morale of the remaining men.
In our so called more civilised ways of killing each other we no longer usually physically kill the soldier's family as well, but losing the main breadwinner, a husband, father or brother often has the same psychological effects upon the family as if they had died at the same time as their loved one.
Plus they also have the public shame and embarrassment of knowing that their family member did not die honourably, but instead accused as a coward to deal with.
Anything including cruelty is acceptable during times of war. But it does not automatically rule out simultaneous great acts of courage and loyalty to both other soldiers in the same company as well as to the cause which they are defending.
EoT
- Jayashree Ravi
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- Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:32 pm
Very nicely said, EoT ji. The reason I raised this topic is because I wanted to write a small essay, with well-researched information, on the warring strategies of the ancient.
In Mahabharata (an epic of Hindus) for instance, to kill a certain lad of the enemy camp, the fighters are said to have formed a 'padma vyuha' or '1000- petalled lotus' like formulation -- as the lad happened to be a great warrior. Stories such as this interest me from time to time.
I know, in reality, what other strategy remains - either kill the opponent POW or kill one's own when defeated.
In Mahabharata (an epic of Hindus) for instance, to kill a certain lad of the enemy camp, the fighters are said to have formed a 'padma vyuha' or '1000- petalled lotus' like formulation -- as the lad happened to be a great warrior. Stories such as this interest me from time to time.
I know, in reality, what other strategy remains - either kill the opponent POW or kill one's own when defeated.
- eye_of_tiger
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Unfortunately these strategies of war will continue indefinitely, while and wherever there are still wars.either kill the opponent POW or kill one's own when defeated.
There is no point in the entire history of our species where there was not a war being fought somewhere.
Generations have been born and have died, never knowing what it is like NOT to be living in a war zone.
While the nature of war has definitely changed throughout the ages (now the enemy can live among us), the same constant battle for territory and power which corrupts will always remain an unavoidable part of the human experience.
Stay safe,
EoT :smt075
Crumbs how depressingly sad and true :( look at all these smilies too!eye_of_tiger wrote:Unfortunately these strategies of war will continue indefinitely, while and wherever there are still wars.either kill the opponent POW or kill one's own when defeated.
There is no point in the entire history of our species where there was not a war being fought somewhere.
Generations have been born and have died, never knowing what it is like NOT to be living in a war zone.
While the nature of war has definitely changed throughout the ages (now the enemy can live among us), the same constant battle for territory and power which corrupts will always remain an unavoidable part of the human experience.
Stay safe,
EoT :smt075
:smt067 :smt068 :smt073 :smt075 :smt071
- eye_of_tiger
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Facing the truth about ourselves both as an individual as well as a species can be very confronting and upsetting at times, but without doing this forward progress cannot be made.
To a certain degree allowing feelings of sadness and depression about this unpalatable truth about the human race to weigh us down and to interfere with our ability to function in your own life is a negative mental habit (mostly unconscious).
There are however other more positive and constructive options which one can choose, some which have the potential for accelerating positive change and optimizing spiritual growth and development.
We need to slowly and safely replace the negative emotional habit of feeling depressed with doing something practical in order to bring about an improvement at the individual or species levels.
Always easier said than done.
Without confronting the reality of a situation, there is I believe no motivation to attempt to replace the negative mental habit with the other more progressive one.
BTW I do realise that this was posted to help lighten up what is part of the dark side of humanity as a whole, but I welcome the opportunity to use it as a catalyst for positive change.
So thank you loads for posting it!
L&L,
EoT
To a certain degree allowing feelings of sadness and depression about this unpalatable truth about the human race to weigh us down and to interfere with our ability to function in your own life is a negative mental habit (mostly unconscious).
There are however other more positive and constructive options which one can choose, some which have the potential for accelerating positive change and optimizing spiritual growth and development.
We need to slowly and safely replace the negative emotional habit of feeling depressed with doing something practical in order to bring about an improvement at the individual or species levels.
Always easier said than done.
Without confronting the reality of a situation, there is I believe no motivation to attempt to replace the negative mental habit with the other more progressive one.
BTW I do realise that this was posted to help lighten up what is part of the dark side of humanity as a whole, but I welcome the opportunity to use it as a catalyst for positive change.
So thank you loads for posting it!
L&L,
EoT
- eye_of_tiger
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Disclaimer
I understand that this was said in fun, as a joke.So.... How about gun control or a gun ban on the smilies on MB?
But just as reality includes elements of both lightness and darkness, our MB emoticon module would not be complete without also representing the darker side of being human.
The gun emoticons are merely symbols of the many inner and outer conflicts and frustrations of the human condition.
They were never intended to promote violence or the use of firearms or weapons against any man, woman or child.
--------------------END OF DISCLAIMER-------------------
EoT :smt005
- eye_of_tiger
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Talia,
Although the following two smilies quite effectively in my opinion communicate the many inner and outer conflicts and frustrations of being human, without necessarily having to resort to gun symbolism.
AND :smt100
EoT
PS: My sincere apology must go out to our friend Jayashree, whose thread this is, for both of us hijacking it to comment upon the use of these emoticons. I promise that this will be my last distraction from the much more serious matters at hand (the strategies of war).
How is your research coming along? :smt053
Although the following two smilies quite effectively in my opinion communicate the many inner and outer conflicts and frustrations of being human, without necessarily having to resort to gun symbolism.
AND :smt100
EoT
PS: My sincere apology must go out to our friend Jayashree, whose thread this is, for both of us hijacking it to comment upon the use of these emoticons. I promise that this will be my last distraction from the much more serious matters at hand (the strategies of war).
How is your research coming along? :smt053
- Jayashree Ravi
- Posts: 165
- Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:32 pm
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