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dsj
Member
Member # 770

posted 03-24-2005 08:32 PM

Has anyone read the book carnage and culture? does everyone agree to the idea of western military dynamism?

Registered: Mar 2005 | IP: Logged

chef de chambre
Admin & Advocatus Diaboli
Member # 4

posted 03-25-2005 11:18 AM

Nope, that one slipped by me - I've been concentrating in the last few years on Burgundian Low-Countries histories, Collections of 15th century letters, some armour books, and 15th century social histories, as well as equestrian books.

I think the last decent military history book I read covering the era putting forward theories about military technoliogical advances was the Bertram Hall book - could you give me a author, or an ISBN, so I might check it out?

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Bob R.

Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

dsj
Member
Member # 770

posted 03-25-2005 01:13 PM

It's "carnage and culture" by victor hanson. It's about supporting that the west has always been militarily more capable than the east even in the dark and middle ages. It's a national bestseller. YOu can find it in almost any bookstore.

[ 03-25-2005: Message edited by: dsj ]

Registered: Mar 2005 | IP: Logged

Charlotte
Member
Member # 620

posted 03-25-2005 02:28 PM

Already sounds suspect and Eurocentric to me. East Asian culture, technology, etc. was superior in many ways to that of the west until about the 16th or 17th century. For several hundred years before that, the west had been improving, and the east had been declining, and in about those centuries(I used to know more specifically when) the slopes crossed. To western eyes, the military technology of East Asia seems ineffectual, considering that China never pursued a policy of world exploration and expansion. However, that's not due to military weakness, but to cultural outlook. China saw itself as the "Middle Kingdom", the center of the world, the place where all others would want to visit and pay tribute to. They weren't interested in expansion, their attitude was more like "If you want to know us, you'd better get off your butts and come to us. We're too good to bother to come to you."

I'm sure you can find better sources than me for an outlook of the military strength of East Asians. (Heck, just look at the Mongols - the largest contiguous empire in world history, and I believe there were just a million Mongols?). But hopefully that gives you a bit of the cultural view.

Oh, and just as a side note... the Da Vinci Code is a best seller as well...

Registered: Jun 2004 | IP: Logged

chef de chambre
Admin & Advocatus Diaboli
Member # 4

posted 03-25-2005 03:32 PM

Thanks for the info, I'll check it out and give it a read and review.

--------------------

Bob R.

Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

dsj
Member
Member # 770

posted 03-25-2005 04:31 PM

well, the mongols invaded with an army than any single european country and all of their troops are strong like beasts. It might be due to the sheer numbers and strength of the mongols instead of technology. and remember, lignitz and sajo weren't the only battles they fought in asia, most others they lost. And there is a book that's main purpose is to criticize "carnage and culture" and it's called "Battle a history of combat and culture by john lynn" as the "davinci hoax" is to point out holes in the "davinci code" But john lynn didn't do any primary research and his book relies on english works on china and india which are very inaccurate. And john a lynn did some not pretty stuff in critisizing carnage and culture. I can read chinese, classical chinese and latin. And it does look like that the west was stronger.

Registered: Mar 2005 | IP: Logged

dsj
Member
Member # 770

posted 03-25-2005 06:16 PM

I thought on the main page it says that everyone should treat everyone else with respect,

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chef de chambre
Admin & Advocatus Diaboli
Member # 4

posted 03-25-2005 08:33 PM

Yes, you are correct DSJ.

That said, this board is about sharing information between Late Medieval reenactors and medievalists, and not for Heated debate about controversial theories.

If you want to participate here to share information, to learn, and to network with reenactors and craftsmen, then you are welcome here, and you shall be treated with respect. If your desire is to debate minutia of militay theory and history,or be argumentative for the sake of argument, then I am not sure we can be very helpful.

We do have a board concerning military campaigns and battles, and by reading the topics to get the idea of what we generally discuss, some of your questions or posts would be suited to it - so long as it fits into the time frame and regional constraints the board is intended to address.

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Bob R.

Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

dsj
Member
Member # 770

posted 03-25-2005 10:03 PM

I just introduced a book which is a national bestseller from one of the most famous historians. That is all.

Registered: Mar 2005 | IP: Logged

All times are ET (US)

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