Amazing Military Facts, You Probably Didn't Know ( Part 1 )

Amazing Military Facts

 You Probably Didn't Know
(Part 1)

written by : Jeffrey R Hilton

The military has a very long history around the world and with it comes a vast array of stories,  some of which are amazing accounts from days gone by that have a way of getting buried to obscurity.  It is for that reason I have gathered some of these stories to be told once again,  here.

The Victorian Cross Medal

The Victoria Cross with it's origin's in England in 1856,  is

 England's highest decoration for gallantry and bravery in the face of the enemy.  In WWI,  634,  of these were awarded for actions on many battlefields,  two with bars.  Some Commonwealth countries have created their own versions of the Victoria Cross as late as 1993 as in the case of Canada.  But the British V.C. is the Holy Grail of decorations.  While most medals are made from silver or gold,  which is indeed valuable,  the British award is highly coveted and worthy of a value worth more than any precious metal.  This medal is made from several captured cannon's,  from the battle of Sebastopol, or Sevastopol in the Crimean War, 1854-1855.

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Most Expensive Ammunition

In Delhi India, 1296,  the Mohammedan conqueror

Allah-udin-Khilji,  invaded India and laid siege to Delhi.

The defenders were running low on food and water and the attackers were running low on ammunition,  due to the prolonged siege. When Allah-ud-din was advised that there were no more stones for his giant catapults,  the battle was so close to being a victory for the attackers that he decided to  load the war engines with 100 lb. sacks of gold,  and after the precious commodity showered the city with several hundred rounds,  the balance was tipped in favor of the attackers,  causing the city to surrender.

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THE US ARMY

TOO MANY CHIEFS

In the early seventies,  it was revealed that the U.S spends as much for the military as China and Russia combined.  Strangely,  most of this money went to administration rather than the  fighting forces.  In 1973,  there were about one and a half million officers.  More Admirals,  Captains, Colonel's and Generals than there was at the height of WWII.  In the same year, out of 42,000 military men in South Korea,  29,000 of them were in offices in non combatant roles.  The same went for Thailand with 29,000 out of 36,000 were involved in non combatant roles.  4 out of every 5 worked in an office in 1973.  If present day spending and military trends have any parallels to times past,  it's no wonder the country is broke.

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DRAFT DODGERS

We tend to think of draft dodgers as a relatively new thing and dated from the world wars, and particularly the

 Vietnam War,   but this practice has always been in vogue for some.  In the 1840s,  Life in the Egyptian Army was far from glamorous and army life was as tough as any of those times.  Many men there,  went as far as taking their own eye out, claiming it accidental,  so they could be excused from service.  This practice of self mutilation, amazingly enough caught on and became a popular way to dodge conscription.  Mohammed Ali,  a common soldier,  rose through the ranks to become a Pasha.  He was well aware of the draft dodge trickery and soon he created an entire two regiments of men with one eye.  These units were maintained for more than 50 years.  Mohammed Ali eventually succumbed to insanity, and died in 1849, but his one eyed army continued on.  Talk about an eye for ideas !

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"Fin de la guerre"
( END OF THE WAR )

During the Spanish-Dutch war in 1585, the Dutch built a new battleship,  so powerful, they thought for sure it would end the war,  hence the name of the ship, Fin de la guerre.
Instead, it was sank by the Spanish immediately and the war went on for another 63 years.

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GREASY DEFENSE

When the Spanish attacked the Italian island of Palmaria in 1494, they tried unsuccessfully for 8 hours to climb the rocky slopes before giving up.  The Italians had coated the rocky cliffs with a liberal helping of grease.

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BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

By Nov.15, 1315,  the famous Swiss Pikemen,  and accompanying archers  numbering only 1,500,  during the battle of Mortgarten,   trapped the Austrian Army between a high mountain lake and a steep mountain.  They then proceeded to annihilate the 8000 strong Austrian Army by hurling boulders and trees down upon them.

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WARRING KING OF POLAND AND SAXONY

AUGUST  II ( THE STRONG )

1670-1733

August may well have been a great warrior,  but he had other great interests as well and fathered 355 children.  Only one of these was legitimate,  and succeeded him on the throne as August III.

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DUAL PURPOSE MILITARY GARB

Military sashes of dark red,  have been part of the British and American army uniform for a long time.  Some of these were known to be up to 11 feet long.  When George Washington went to battle against the British,  he wore an 8 foot long sash,  that doubled as a hammock.

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ON THE ROAD WITH HANNIBAL

Hannibal,  arguably one of the greatest Generals of all times,  fought continuously for 15 years in enemy territory without any supplies from home,  without losing a single battle.  His army of 26,000 men won 1600 battles,  killing 300,000 Romans.

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VARRO

ROMAN STRATEGY

Polybius was a prolific writer of 40 Roman history books

portraying the message that Rome was destined to rule. At least one of his accounts contradict that greatly,  as at the battle of Cannae in 216 B.C. against no other than Hannibal

who trounced the Romans,  killing 70,000 of them in the battle. Before the battle was fought,  Rome put together their largest army ever.  The two Roman consuls argued about strategy,  Varro favored a head on clash with Hannibal, while Paullus,  advocated  a more cautious approach.  Ironically it was Varro that won the argument,  lost the battle,  but was among the few that survived,    while Paullus was killed in the battle.

HANNIBAL

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END OF PART 1

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Jeffrey R Hilton