FReeper Canteen ~ Part II of The Mongols ~ November 16, 2004

www.coldsiberia.org ^ | November 16, 2004 | LaDivaLoca

[LaDivaLoca]

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ANCIENT WARFARE





Part II of The Mongols

Mongol Military Might

Mediaeval historians used to assert that the Mongol military superiority was due to their overwhelming numbers. As we are now aware of, this is incorrect, and assertions of Mongol numerical superiority must be interpreted as partly a specious excuse for European inferiority when fighting against the Mongols in the battlefield. Even though they never fought against the most powerful warriors who ever existed in the West, the Celts, there is no doubt that the Mongols proved superior to all those whom they met in battle.

Quality, not quantity, was the key to the incredible unbroken line of Mongolian military successes. Since the spiritual aspects of this phenomenon has been covered elsewhere on these pages, what will be elucidated here is the technical details of their military performance, their equipment and their use of it.

Organization

Although supreme command lay in the hands of the Supreme Khan, the high Mongol principle of promotion to posts of leadership and authority on the basis of ability alone, introduced and enforced by Chingis Khan, resulted in an unmatched quality of troops from the ordinary soldiers to the top command. Each Mongol warrior was simply incomparably superior to their Western counterparts. This exceedingly high quality ensured the competence and integrity of the commanding leaders. Thus, leaders at every level could always be entrusted with a high degree of independence in the decisions and in the execution of the different moves and operations.

After the death of Chingis Khan in 1227, none of his successors inherited his genius. For this reason, the real command of the large armies rested with the generals he picked when he was still alive, although the princes of the blood held the nominal command. The diamond among all the generals of Chingis Khan was Subedei, whose mastery of every aspect of warfare, such as intelligence, psychological warfare, military tactics and strategy and logistics, won him a place in history as the mastermind of the great Mongol campaign in Russia and Europe during 1236-1242. Subedei as a man personified the best characteristics of the Mongol forces: caution, high intuition, great intelligence and understanding, mobility, alertness, speed and power. Other eminent Mongol generals worthy of note are Chepe and Muqali, the latter did much to secure Mongol victories in China.

The organization of the army was based on the decimal system. The largest unit was the tjumen, which was made up of 10.000 troops. A large army used to consist of three tjumens (Plural form t'ma in Mongolian), one consisting of infantry troops who were to perform close combat, the two others were meant to encircle the opponent from both sides. Each tjumen consisted of ten regiments, each of 1.000 troops. The 1.000 strong unit was called a mingghan. Each of these regiments consisted of ten squadrons of 100 troops, called jaghun, each of which was divided into ten units of ten, called arban. There was also an elite tjumen, an imperial guard which was composed of specially trained and selected troops. As for the command structure, the ten soldiers of each arban elected their commander by majority vote, and all of the ten commanders of the ten arbans of a tjumen elected the commander of a jaghunby the same procedure. Above that level, the khan personally appointed the commanders of each tjumen and mingghan. This appointment was made on criteria of ability, not age or social origin.

The commanders of tjumens and mingghans had the military title of noyon. A commander of a whole army, which as mentioned typically consisted of three tjumens or more of light cavalry and in addition several mingghans of artillery, carried the title of orlok. In other words, the orlok was the commanding general.

source: http://www.coldsiberia.org/monmight.htm

Next Tuesday, Part III of The Mongols

[HiJinx]

Why, ma'am, I do believe you're trying to tell me something.

Could it be that you appreciate a coupla hardy hunky outdoorsmen?

[HiJinx]

Whose?

[StarCMC]

Beautiful thread as always, Diva!!!

[tomkow6]

Good afternoon, Star!

[StarCMC]

So, if I can cram MoJo in a box, I can send her ANYWHERE????

I think we should all mail ourselves to Tahiti!!! :o)

[StarCMC]

Hey Ms.B - did you see this post by Severa? (Yes, I'm catching up, so you may have already talked!! LOL!!) W

[Kathy in Alaska]

It is always GREAT to hear that some new piece of equipment for our military is working as advertised for them.

Go gettem boys!! We sure are proud of you!!

Thanks, USVet, for your part in the Stryker's success.

[Fawnn]

shhhhhhhhh I'm not here. But I had to come out of work mode to tell you this: LOL!!! ;)

[StarCMC]

SCHULTZ, PAUL HENRY

Name: Paul Henry Schultz
Rank/Branch: O4/United States Navy, pilot
Unit: VF 151
Date of Birth:
Home City of Record: Eire PA
Date of Loss: 16 November 1967
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 204200 North  1062700 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4B

Other Personnel in Incident: Tim Sullivan, returnee

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK  from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews.

REMARKS: 730314 RELEASED BY DRV

SOURCE: WE CAME HOME  copyright 1977
Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor
P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and
spelling errors).
UPDATE - 09/95 by the P.O.W. NETWORK, Skidmore, MO

PAUL H. SCHULZ
Commander - United States Navy
Shot Down: November 16, 1967
Released: March 14, 1973

A farm near Erie, Pennsylvania was the childhood home of Commander Schulz,
born in 1934, one of seven children. After high school graduation in 1952,
he attended Gannon College in Erie for 2 1/2 years prior to entering the
Naval Aviation Cadet program in January, 1956. He was assigned to an F8U
squadron in California  and made two cruises to the western Pacific aboard
the aircraft carriers USS Hancock in 1959, and USS Coral Sea in 1960-61.

After additional  training in Georgia, he served as an Air Intercept Control
instructor for two years, teaching  ground control intercept procedures and
techniques. In 1965 he received a Bachelors of Science Degree from the US
Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, after which he was
assigned to Fighter Squadron 151, flying F-4B Phantoms. His first combat
cruise was aboard the aircraft carrier USS Constellation; the second was
aboard the USS Coral Sea. In November, 1967, he was shot down over North
Vietnam  fifteen miles from Haiphong by a SAM. Both crewmen were captured -
and began their long and difficult term of over five years as prisoners of
war in North Vietnam. Commander Schulz is married to the former Mary
Margaret Jurino of Erie, Pennsylvania. Their four children are Cheryl, 15
years; Paul, 13 years; Charles, 11 years; and Mark, 9 years. They are all
living in Escondido, California, where all three sons are active in Little
League. The family enjoys hunting, fishing, boating and camping as their
outdoor hobbies. Commander Schulz is presently attending the United States
International University, San Diego, California working toward a Master's
Degree in human behavior.

PERSONAL STATEMENT:  "Nothing is more precious than Independence and
Freedom." This phrase is often used by the North Vietnamese; however, their
interpretation is much different from the one I learned in my study of
American History, the independence and freedom our forefathers fought and
died for.

After having spent more than five years in North Vietnam as a POW, I have
learned that Independence and Freedom are so very important as we Americans
know it. We should constantly strive to maintain it, not only in our
homeland, but throughout the world where men and countries are struggling to
maintain it.

Now is the time for every American to review the true meaning of
Independence and Freedom and to affirm  their support to those principles
which it encompasses.

I am proud to be an American and to have been able to serve in the fight
against suppression of man's right of Independence and Freedom. I would
gladly serve again if called.

December 1996
Paul Schultz retired from the United States Navy as a Captain. He and his
wife Mary reside in Virginia.

[HiJinx]

Wouldn't it be nice if we could all fly first class?

I've sometimes considered turning myself in to the INS as an alien from Tahiti, and asking them to deport me....

[StarCMC]

Sweeping, vacuuming, and dusting were designated to be the responsibility of Alpha and Bravo Companies.

ROFL - this was my fave of the day!

[StarCMC]

do you think this gal's name is Sandy?

Don't know, but her butt is....

[StarCMC]

do you think this gal's name is Sandy?

Don't know, but her butt is....

[StarCMC]

So do we get more of your company then? ;o)

[StarCMC]

OMG Kathy - thanks for that!! I now know my tear ducts are functioning properly. What a picture of heroes. Sheesh, I love our military!!!

[StarCMC]

Ok - showing my ignorance - what's a "thumper"?

[StarCMC]

Good afternoon, OH SILLY ONE!!

[StarCMC]

Now there's an idea!! LOL!

[Kathy in Alaska]

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Sean Barnette, 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, pulls Sgt. Michael Nettles, 68th Medical Evacuation Company, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, from a UH-60 Blackhawk during a training exercise at Forward Operating Base Salerno. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Cheryl Ransford

Firefighters Answer the Call

Air Force firemen remain ready to respond to aircraft and tent fires as well as overturned vehicles at Forward Operating Base Salerno

By U.S. Army Spc. Cheryl Ransford 17th Public Affairs Detachment

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan, Nov. 16, 2004 –– With safety in the forefront of everyone’s minds, having firefighters ready and standing by is important when an emergency happens on base.

Four airmen run the fire department at Forward Operating Base Salerno from Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, who respond to most emergencies here.

The types of emergencies the team is prepared to react to range from aircraft and tent fires to overturned vehicles, said Air Force Senior Airman Sean Barnette, 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron.

“By having a team of trained firemen on base to react to emergencies, the chances of something getting out of control are lessened,” he said.

One of the main roles of the firemen is ensuring the aircraft land without any problems.

“We are on the flight line, ready to go, every time a prop-type aircraft lands, in case something were to happen during landing,” said Barnette.

While the firemen work with the aircraft most of the time, they are also ready to handle just about any other type of emergency that may arise, said Air Force Airman 1st Class Joshua Flagle, 376th ECES.

Since most of the personnel at Forward Operating Base Salerno live and work in tents, the biggest concern is electrical fires inside the tents.

The rest of the story

[Kathy in Alaska]

ENGAGING THE ENEMY — Marines of 4th Battalion, 14th Marines Mike Battery, Gun 4, receive the command to engage enemy targets with a M-198 155mm Howitzer at Camp Fallujah, Iraq, Nov. 11, 2004. The command was called in by fellow Marines in the city of Fallujah during Operation Al Fajar (New Dawn). Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Samantha L. Jones