tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post7038548927906731474..comments2024-03-28T03:10:23.679-07:00Comments on Polemarch: The Spin DoctorThe Polemarchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10958736917525649927noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-16443346264293774852021-12-02T02:18:21.177-08:002021-12-02T02:18:21.177-08:00Well, as Churchill is reported to have said 'O...Well, as Churchill is reported to have said 'Of course history will be kind to me. I intend to write it.' Again, the Romans won the war but perhaps not as many battles as Julius might like to claim. Battles are the highlights of any campaign, after all. Getting into the field before the natives have planted their crops, and staying there until after they have harvested them leads to victory but not spectacular or heroic victory. But that is what we like to read about.The Polemarchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10958736917525649927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-1855114377086594772021-12-02T02:08:11.859-08:002021-12-02T02:08:11.859-08:00Find me one who leader, general, domestic press wh...Find me one who leader, general, domestic press who did not! The English histories love to report the expression 'to lie like a bulletin', but they ALL spun like tops. It was Wellington who told Beresford to 'write me a victory' after Albuera.<br />Big Juli is an interesting case. No doubt inflation and aggrandisement for the readers at home, but don't forget he had heaps of troops and generals to call b.s. on his claims. They were not above calling him the 'queen of Bithynia' after all. It was standard Roman history to say that half a dozen Romans beat 10 000, we killed them all and two of us got a scratch! If it was complete bunkum though, we'd have heard about it in some way. So, likely correct in general if not in the specifics. That is the general, learned conclusion that I have heard.<br />Regards, JamesJames Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17897755636246185173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-69019151791419525012021-11-21T03:21:17.400-08:002021-11-21T03:21:17.400-08:00The ancient Britons didn't exactly have a Rome...The ancient Britons didn't exactly have a Rome correspondent to give their side of the story.The Polemarchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10958736917525649927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-12171905906811582022021-11-21T03:20:39.922-08:002021-11-21T03:20:39.922-08:00That certainly describes our Julius. As, I think C...That certainly describes our Julius. As, I think Churchill said 'Of course history will treat me kindly. I intend to write it'.The Polemarchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10958736917525649927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-86770733155984572892021-11-20T14:56:13.266-08:002021-11-20T14:56:13.266-08:00Trash talk through the ages. :)Trash talk through the ages. :)Ben Catohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00132734496369774300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-78364711266781904552021-11-20T08:50:32.639-08:002021-11-20T08:50:32.639-08:00"Winning the debrief" has always been th..."Winning the debrief" has always been the most important skill for any officer on the make...JWHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01637785437909299947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-24710016259612196502021-11-20T04:19:02.097-08:002021-11-20T04:19:02.097-08:00I suspect that behind every 'great' genera...I suspect that behind every 'great' general was a spin doctor, if it wasn't the man himself.The Polemarchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10958736917525649927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-79303189139402864202021-11-20T02:35:52.490-08:002021-11-20T02:35:52.490-08:00Ramesses was another great spinner of tales.Ramesses was another great spinner of tales.Jonathan Freitaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07862373894196924886noreply@blogger.com