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FReeper Canteen ~ Part II of The Mongols ~ November 16, 2004
www.coldsiberia.org ^ | November 16, 2004 | LaDivaLoca

Posted on 11/15/2004 7:57:52 PM PST by 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




TOPICS: Front Page News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: ancientwarfare; mongols
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To: Colonel_Flagg

I got booted off!!

I couldn't get the song to play for me either. Said that it was in a format that was not supported! :(


301 posted on 11/16/2004 8:52:58 PM PST by trussell (Unemployed intellectual...will act like a pompous ass for food!!)
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To: Spotsy

Evening Spotsy!! How are you today?


302 posted on 11/16/2004 8:53:20 PM PST by trussell (Unemployed intellectual...will act like a pompous ass for food!!)
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To: MS.BEHAVIN

I need to date a contractor.

I'm a home improvement nut, but I prefer to improve, not fix, if you know what I mean.


303 posted on 11/16/2004 8:57:28 PM PST by Spotsy (Congratulations President Bush and Vice President Cheney!)
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To: Spotsy

Well, that can't be good. :)


304 posted on 11/16/2004 9:00:17 PM PST by Colonel_Flagg (Gloating? Us? Well, okay.)
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To: All

I got my reports
back from the doctor
today.I have Fibromyalgia
bad there is nothing they can do
for the pain. So I will have
to live with it.
Ms.Poohbear


305 posted on 11/16/2004 9:00:37 PM PST by Ms.Poohbear (God Bless our troops)
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To: Spotsy

I hear ya...
Lucretia still is not winter ready..
I think I'll just go buy a little Jetta or something..
Ms.B


306 posted on 11/16/2004 9:00:38 PM PST by MS.BEHAVIN (Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. Re-elect G.W.Bush)
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To: StarCMC

When I tried to play this song...it said I need a license to play it.

What does that mean?


307 posted on 11/16/2004 9:01:05 PM PST by trussell (Unemployed intellectual...will act like a pompous ass for food!!)
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To: trussell

Hmm. You can't play mp3 files? That's rather grossly unfortunate. =\


308 posted on 11/16/2004 9:01:29 PM PST by Colonel_Flagg (Gloating? Us? Well, okay.)
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To: Colonel_Flagg
but I wish I could say that.


309 posted on 11/16/2004 9:02:03 PM PST by Spotsy (Congratulations President Bush and Vice President Cheney!)
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To: Ms.Poohbear

Ms. P, I'm very sorry to hear that. They can't even give you meds to take the edge away?


310 posted on 11/16/2004 9:02:24 PM PST by Colonel_Flagg (Gloating? Us? Well, okay.)
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To: trussell; Colonel_Flagg

311 posted on 11/16/2004 9:03:32 PM PST by Spotsy (Congratulations President Bush and Vice President Cheney!)
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To: Colonel_Flagg

MP3 is the ones I can usually play. Wavs are ones I have problems with.

Dont know what could be wrong!


312 posted on 11/16/2004 9:03:50 PM PST by trussell (Unemployed intellectual...will act like a pompous ass for food!!)
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To: Colonel_Flagg

he said tylenolextra strengh that is like taking candy


313 posted on 11/16/2004 9:04:20 PM PST by Ms.Poohbear (God Bless our troops)
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To: Spotsy

I think you've proven your point!


314 posted on 11/16/2004 9:04:35 PM PST by Colonel_Flagg (Gloating? Us? Well, okay.)
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To: Spotsy

LOL!!


315 posted on 11/16/2004 9:05:46 PM PST by trussell (Unemployed intellectual...will act like a pompous ass for food!!)
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To: Ms.Poohbear

Try taking Glucosamine and Chondroitin...
You can get it at Rite Aide..or Hannaford's...
It helps quite abit..
Ms.B


316 posted on 11/16/2004 9:07:02 PM PST by MS.BEHAVIN (Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. Re-elect G.W.Bush)
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To: Spotsy

LOL
I love Maxine!
Ms.B


317 posted on 11/16/2004 9:08:26 PM PST by MS.BEHAVIN (Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. Re-elect G.W.Bush)
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To: MS.BEHAVIN

thaks I will try it


318 posted on 11/16/2004 9:08:34 PM PST by Ms.Poohbear (God Bless our troops)
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To: Ms.Poohbear

Talk to the Pharmacist about your other meds...
But I think it will work out okay..
Give it a try!!
Ms.B


319 posted on 11/16/2004 9:09:53 PM PST by MS.BEHAVIN (Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. Re-elect G.W.Bush)
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To: Colonel_Flagg; All


Well FRiends, I'm off to bed.

Good Night All!
I wish you all a good Wednesday.

320 posted on 11/16/2004 9:10:27 PM PST by Spotsy (Congratulations President Bush and Vice President Cheney!)
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