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If you could witness any battle.

13

Comments

  • #62
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,296 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    Mons - so I could tell my great grandad to duck!!

    The Shellhouse Raid (from outside, or preferably from a Mossie!!)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnhFjSHLHX8


    The Valley of Tears during the Yom Kippur War (on Ben-Gal's, the Israeli commander, staff)

    .....and the Battle of Quiberon Bay near Saint-Nazaire.

    ......and probably the Battle of the Boyne, but I think I'd prefer to have witnessed Aughrim.


  • #63
    crockholm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,448 ✭✭✭crockholm


    Zama.

    Not even so much the battle itself,but more the pre-battle meeting between Scipio Africanus and Hannibal.O but to be a fly on that wall when 2 of the greatest generals in history met on the battlefield.

    Delenda est Carthago!


  • #64
    gaelicsteel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1 ✭gaelicsteel


    When the gallant Domhnall and Murtagh O'Neill defeated the Vikings of Lough Neagh in 945. They didn't stand a chance against the savage Ulstermen.

    "Finally, the "Annals of Ulster" tell us that in the year 945, the "foreigners" of Lough Neagh were killed and their fleet destroyed by Donnall and his brother, sons of Murtagh. This Donnall and his brother were O'Neills; and among the very first to bear this famous name. They were, in fact, grandsons of the high-king, Niall Glundubh; and it is from him that all true members of the O'Neill clan take their name."


  • #65
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    I wouldn't mind seeing this unsung hero struggle their way into these of a morning
    http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/6d/d8/5f/6dd85fb95ce8b3e26124917de086ac6a.jpg


  • #66
    Duck's hoop
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,530 ✭✭✭Duck's hoop


    DeadHand wrote: »
    "War is delightful for those who have not experienced it".

    -Erasmus


    How many veterans of Stalingrad or Gettysburg would have of wanted to return to those times in any capacity?

    I'd imagine that most would have wished at the time to have had these ghostly time travelling powers to escape the situation they were in, could they conceive of such things.

    Had I these fantastic powers I have no idea how I'd use them but I know it wouldn't be to personally witness humanity at it's worst.


    Ah dry up ffs, It's a bit of craic.

    Hastings or Vinegar Hill might be worth a squint. And of course Agincourt.


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  • #67
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,296 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    DeadHand wrote: »
    "War is delightful for those who have not experienced it".

    -Erasmus


    How many veterans of Stalingrad or Gettysburg would have of wanted to return to those times in any capacity?

    I'd imagine that most would have wished at the time to have had these ghostly time travelling powers to escape the situation they were in, could they conceive of such things.

    Had I these fantastic powers I have no idea how I'd use them but I know it wouldn't be to personally witness humanity at it's worst.

    I reckon one at least - Lee, only this time he might opt not to launch the ill-fated frontal assault on the third day.....


  • #68
    Hotfail.com
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,928 ✭✭✭Hotfail.com


    Battle of the Blackwater, obviously. :D


  • #69
    DeadHand
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,833 ✭✭✭DeadHand


    Jawgap wrote: »
    I reckon one at least - Lee, only this time he might opt not to launch the ill-fated frontal assault on the third day.....

    Pickett's charge, aye...

    Lee was devastated afterward riding out among his retreating men proclaiming "it's all been my fault". The confederacy never recovered from that day.


  • #70
    Corruptedmorals
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,195 ✭✭✭Corruptedmorals


    The battle of Bosworth, 1485. The last battle of the wars of the roses and the most dramatic. It had it all, betrayal, last minute choosing of sides, foreign soldiers bringing a deadly and serially recurring plague with them, the crown of England ending up in a bush when Richard III was killed....and the ushering in of a new royal house, the Tudors.


  • #71
    Kev_2012
    Closed Accounts Posts: 976 ✭✭✭Kev_2012


    the battle of nuremburg


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  • #72
    pablomakaveli
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,752 ✭✭✭pablomakaveli


    DeadHand wrote: »
    "War is delightful for those who have not experienced it".

    -Erasmus


    How many veterans of Stalingrad or Gettysburg would have of wanted to return to those times in any capacity?

    I'd imagine that most would have wished at the time to have had these ghostly time travelling powers to escape the situation they were in, could they conceive of such things.

    Had I these fantastic powers I have no idea how I'd use them but I know it wouldn't be to personally witness humanity at it's worst.

    There'd be a lot of historical value in witnessing these battles particularly the more ancient ones as there tend to be few sources on them. For example, i'd like to witness the battle of Thermopylae to see how much of what we know about that battle is myth and how much fact.


  • #73
    Manach
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 9,904 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    Given that the primary source of Thermopolae was Herodotus, who whilst did not have the same emphasis on primary sources as Thucydides, was still hailed as the Father of history- I'd reckon few enough myths associate with that battle.
    Although - one never knows about the grenade throwing magi as per "300". :)


  • #74
    wendell borton
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,335 ✭✭✭wendell borton


    "War is not nice."
    -Barbara Bush


  • #75
    wendell borton
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,335 ✭✭✭wendell borton


    Corruptedmorals wrote: »
    The battle of Bosworth, 1485. The last battle of the wars of the roses and the most dramatic. It had it all, betrayal, last minute choosing of sides, foreign soldiers bringing a deadly and serially recurring plague with them, the crown of England ending up in a bush when Richard III was killed....and the ushering in of a new royal house, the Tudors.

    :D
    http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjemsu_s1e1-the-black-adder-the-foretelling_creation


  • #76
    castletownman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,249 ✭✭✭✭castletownman


    The Battle of San Diego between the cities rival news teams


  • #77
    Tail Docker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,954 ✭✭✭Tail Docker


    pablomakaveli wrote: »
    Either Thermopylae or Cannae. Both fascinating battles.

    Crap explosions though. Proper battles have explosions. I'd go for the Somme, or Ypres, they could hear the gunfire back in Britain. Now that's explosions.


  • #78
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,296 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    pablomakaveli wrote: »
    There'd be a lot of historical value in witnessing these battles particularly the more ancient ones as there tend to be few sources on them. For example, i'd like to witness the battle of Thermopylae to see how much of what we know about that battle is myth and how much fact.

    I think if I was at the Battle of Hastings I'd be shouting "Watch that f&*ker......he'll have somebody's eye out if he's not careful" :D


  • #79
    Dave_The_Sheep
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,911 ✭✭✭Dave_The_Sheep


    DeadHand wrote: »
    Had I these fantastic powers I have no idea how I'd use them but I know it wouldn't be to personally witness humanity at it's worst.

    Except that, much like any extreme circumstance, you also get to see humanity at it's finest. The guy throwing himself on a grenade to save his fellows. Medics braving bullet and shell to try and save another human life.

    It's a horrific thing, no doubt about it. It's still part of who we are.


  • #80
    131spanner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,305 ✭✭✭131spanner


    The Battle of the Bogside.


  • #81
    The_Valeyard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,452 ✭✭✭✭The_Valeyard


    The Last Great Time War


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  • #82
    keith16
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭keith16


    Hotfail.com wrote: »
    Battle of the Blackwater, obviously. :D

    That would be awesome. Tucked up in some corner of Kings Landing with a few cans watching as the mayhem unfolds!

    *wanders off to youtube


  • #83
    wobblinbrush
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22 ✭wobblinbrush


    The locals did actually climb nearby trees and watch the Battle of Agincourt.

    Perhaps personally I'd like to have seen one of the big seiges (not technically battles I know) of the Peninsular Wars like Badajoz.

    Or Waterloo.


  • #84
    HerrScheisse
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 783 ✭✭✭HerrScheisse


    Some of the battles mentioned lasted months :eek:

    Sure even Easter 1916 lasted several days.

    For me Waterloo, a proper world war in microcosm, all the great nations stuffed into a few square kilometers of obscure muddy field, with the fates of entire nations hinged on the outcome. The whole thing over and done with inside a single day, and the outcome not even clear until a whisker of the end when the Prussians barely made it on time.

    A damn good battle! And nobody gives a rats ass for their immense suffering like they do for other battlefields, its a great fairground of smiling tourists today (unlike Ypres, the Somme etc). That touch of romanticism remains, even though groups of men were scattered across the field by rusty grapeshot or their heads and limbs carried away by tumbling cannonballs.

    Damn good battle by God!


  • #85
    The_Valeyard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,452 ✭✭✭✭The_Valeyard


    Maybe some of the battles in Ukraine at the moment,

    then I could see what the actual f*ck is going on, and is Russia actually in there or just Ukrainian govt crying wolf.


  • #86
    Pawn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 440 ✭✭Pawn


    Battle of Grunwald


  • #87
    DazMarz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,493 ✭✭✭DazMarz


    Battle Of Hoth would have some epic moments.

    Ditto Battle of Endor. Tho I'd love to get myself a blaster and smoke a few of them annoying Ewoks...


  • #88
    Strongbow10
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,758 ✭✭✭Strongbow10


    Mayweather v Pacquiao around 2009/2010

    If it happened :(


  • #89
    House of Blaze
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 627 ✭✭✭House of Blaze


    DazMarz wrote: »
    Battle Of Hoth would have some epic moments.

    Ditto Battle of Endor. Tho I'd love to get myself a blaster and smoke a few of them annoying Ewoks...

    I'd much rather that battle at the end of phantom mencae so I could take a hand in wiping out jar jar..


  • #90
    Pat Mustard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,554 ✭✭✭Pat Mustard


    Battle of the Philippine Sea, 19th-20th June 1944.

    This was the largest carrier to carrier battle in history, which inflicted irreplaceable losses on the Japanese Navy. Among other damage, the Japanese lost 3 fleet carriers and somewhere between 550 and 645 aircraft.

    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Philippine_Sea


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  • #91
    Bafucin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 642 ✭✭✭Bafucin


    To be honest I would never want to see it. Pain porn ...war is less glamorous up close.

    When the Russians took Germany from Berlin they raped pretty much every woman and child German or Jew. WAR.. It's not something I would want to see.


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