07-05-2014, 01:34 PM
Quote:Combat effectiveness is enormously - and complexly and subtly - dependent on culture. If you don't understand this, then consider the differing behaviour of, say, Japanese and Italian infantry in WW2.
Or, to take a current example, of ISIS and the Iraqi army. I always wondered how small armies like Alexander's, Tariq's Moors, the Mongols or the Bolshevik could prevail despite being vastly outnumbered. And now we witness in our times where the material advantage is more important than ever how a band of several hundred jihadists, due to their sheer determination, could rout 30.000 well-trained and -equipped soldiers at Mossul, who were mentally not prepared to fight, let alone die in combat.
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
