Any history buffs here?

[smarta5150]

I am just buff.

 

[burmafrd]

Major military history buff here. All periods all areas. specialize in US Military history; but also very interested in Greek/Roman military history.
WARNING: be very carefull of any documentary put out by the History Channel- all too often I have found that Politically Correct modern so called "revisionism" is mixed in. Some years ago I helped a friend in Utah on a History Channel short on one of the incidents of Mormon history- and when I saw it on TV 6 months later it was a total hack job. ALso they did a hatchet job on Pershing once. Frankly, I pretty much ignore that Channel now. But from other history buffs I know, there has not been much if any improvement. Shows like Mail Call and the like are actually pretty good and accurate- but their so called documentaries are suspicious.
A friend of mine- same friend who I helped out- is a SF vet (4 tours in Vietnam- the last with Operation Phoenix) and has his PHD in History (his thesis was on Custer and Little Big Horn- just in case you didn't know- Custer was a total fool and arrogant about his ignorance; great combination in a so called military leader). He knew Pappy Boyington fairly well: he told me of one time he met Boyington in 1978, around the time of the TV Series Baa Baa Black Sheep, and was lucky enough to be there a night when 2 other Black Sheep Vets met Boyington for dinner. My friend told me that those guys- in their 50s and Boyington who was in his 60s -really tied one on and raised all sorts of hell in a favorite tavern of Boyingtons. My friend was still in the Army (on leave) and in excellant physical shape- and they drank him under the table big time. Ended up carrying HIM back to his motel room. Then went out and raised more hell for the rest of the night. This is interesting since at the time of the TV Series several of the Black Sheep vets were upset at how the series portrayed them as drunks and wild party guys.

 

[notherbob]

History buff here as well. Got my first undergrad degree in Archaelology (southwestern prehistory mainly). Turns out this undertaking is totally incapable of feeding/clothing you. Thought better of a MS and went back and got a moneymaker BS.

Also was part of a middle ages reenactment society (SCA) for a long time. Fun stuff with full contact armored sparring. I particularily enjoy Republican Rome and 15th century European history.

You're right, archeology and astronomy are better suited to being hobbies than professions for most of us. Hence I'm an archeoastromer by hobby. Perhaps you might have some interest in the work I'm doing at Paint Rock in person and other SW and Western prehistoric sites via the Internet. I'm kind of amazed how many images I can find that seem to have realistic astronomical interpertations. I've even been able to find Kokopelli in the stars - he's a spring constellation and the SW interpretation of the Big and Little Dippers and Bootes.

Click here to check out both Kokopelli and Paint Rock: http://gourmetgarlicgardens.com/kokopelli.html

I would appreciate your feedback, if you please. Thanks.

 

[Mamba]

I have my BA in History, I love military history,specifically Vietnam.

 

[THUMPER]

Major military history buff here. All periods all areas. specialize in US Military history; but also very interested in Greek/Roman military history.
WARNING: be very carefull of any documentary put out by the History Channel- all too often I have found that Politically Correct modern so called "revisionism" is mixed in. Some years ago I helped a friend in Utah on a History Channel short on one of the incidents of Mormon history- and when I saw it on TV 6 months later it was a total hack job. ALso they did a hatchet job on Pershing once. Frankly, I pretty much ignore that Channel now. But from other history buffs I know, there has not been much if any improvement. Shows like Mail Call and the like are actually pretty good and accurate- but their so called documentaries are suspicious.

I agree with you about what I call the "Revisionist History Channel". I can't believe some of the junk they put out. The graphics (particularly ship and plane battles), and recreations are excellent but the truth tends to get buried beneath someone's pet theory or political correctness.

Anything they put out on the Bible or Christianity tends to be the worst. They seem to go after the most controversial "experts" they can find. It is obvious that whoever these people are, they have never read it for themselves.

I do love "Mail Call" though.

 

[Yeagermeister]

I do love "Mail Call" though.

OOOOO RAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ArmyCowboy]

Anyone seen 300 yet?

I was wondering how accurate it was to the real battle of Thermopalye (I just know I butchered the spelling). Writers tend to take artistic license with war.

I find Sparta fascinating. Now that's a warrior society. Makes me cringe to think of how "soft" our kids are in comparison to what their kids had to endure. I look at my five year old son sometimes and think, "He'd be gearing up for warrior training in about two years". Of course, I'd never want to see our kids endure the beatings and the infanticide. But, I think we're too soft on our kids sometimes.

I did want someone to clear something up for me. I know that Sparta took the lead at Thermopalye, and commanded a larger group of Greek warriors. But, I was under the impression that they sent all the other Greeks away. A doc I saw a few days ago gave the impression that the other Greeks stayed until the end with the other Spartans. Which is it?

I working towards my History degree (6 classes to go) and I should finish it while deployed to Iraq later this year.

My family is Greek and my mother's side is from Sparta, so this battle has been talked about for years in my family.

After the second day, when the Greeks were betrayed, the Spartans sent away all other, except for the Thesbians (from the city-state Thebes). 700 Thesbians stayed and were killed with the Spartans.

300, while entertaining, is FULL of inaccuracies. If you want to see a more historically accurate portrayal, watch "The 300 spartans" which was made in the '60's.