Category Archives: War

The End of Nazi Germany

Posted on January 21, 2024 by odeboyz

The toll of the final struggle was immense, for Germans as well as for their victims and the Allies. Of the 5.3 million German soldiers killed in the war, half died in the final ten months. The Nazis threw Hitler … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Ben MacIntyre ~ Agent Sonya (2020)

Posted on December 20, 2023 by odeboyz

Historians often write beautifully and are highly literate. But they don’t create new genres. MacIntyre has pulled off the feat of writing biography, history and thrillers: simultaneously. He chooses remarkable and well documented stories. This provides a structure to work … Continue reading →

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Film Review: Napoleon (2023) (Joaquin Phoenix)

Posted on December 6, 2023 by odeboyz

I shouldn’t go to historical biopic films. I tut-tut and nit-pick and definitely don’t enter into the spirit of the thing. Oppenheimer lulled me into a false sense of security. Disaster! I hated it and nearly walked out. Why? The … Continue reading →

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Crimea, 2014: Vladimir Putin’s Triumph

Posted on November 15, 2023 by odeboyz

Russia’s annexation of Crimea was textbook perfect. Putin gained the tacit approval of the international community. This was essential for an unqualified success. A consequence was that the Ukraine itself was undermined. Putin’s justification for the annexation, the correction of … Continue reading →

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Warfare without Humans

Posted on November 1, 2023 by odeboyz

Background Warfare involves finding competitive advantages. David and Goliath is the classic example. David overcame Goliath’s size advantage with technology. Technological advances create defensive antidotes until they are, in their turn, overcome. Defensive walls, for example, were effective until high … Continue reading →

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The Tragedy of the West Bank Conflict

Posted on September 7, 2023 by odeboyz

It’s internationally accepted that Israeli sponsored settlements in the West Bank are illegal. Israel have, nonetheless, made them a central policy for their coalition government. Settler townships only exist because of this political commitment. The full panoply of surveillance drones … Continue reading →

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Bertrand Russell on War

Posted on August 21, 2023 by odeboyz

Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country.

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How Wars Are Won

Posted on August 17, 2023 by odeboyz

Conventional war is more-or-less equal armies slugging it out. The paradigm is the First World War. This ended when Germany was outnumbered with the entry of the USA. The European Second World War ended with Germany outnumbered once more. Japan … Continue reading →

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Israel’s Medieval Defence System

Posted on July 27, 2023 by odeboyz

The Normans conquered England in 1066 and built castles to protect themselves. Their sophisticated castles were a brilliant, functional response to threats from a hostile population. Castles were successful until the civil wars of the 17th century.1 Cromwell’s New Model … Continue reading →

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Edmund Spenser: 16th century poet and murderous colonialist

Posted on July 24, 2023 by odeboyz

“Great force must be the instrument, but famine must be the mean[s], for till Ireland be famished it cannot be subdued.” Spenser knew exactly what he was advocating. This is his description  of famine in Ireland which he saw. “Out … Continue reading →

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