A poll on military history

[wellinghall]

[Poll #1404355]

Comments

[segh.livejournal.com]

All right, I own up - the answers I've given were my husband's. He also says that he thinks the real answer to the first question is "because Rorke's Drift is more romantic."

[the-marquis.livejournal.com]

I'd say that Rorke's Drift is better known for 2 reasons

i) because it involves a 'plucky underdog' beating overwhelming odds, which the British public likes

ii) because Islandhwana was a matter of senior officer incompetence, and we try and forget those/they are so run of the mill.

[sally_maria]

I wasn't sure quite how to answer the first question, because I know about both battles about equally - through reading about them, rather than by "public knowledge". I'm vaguely aware of Zulu, but have never seen it.

Imjin on the other hand, I'm a Gloucestershire girl, so it's part of my history - I still find one of the most moving things in Gloucester Cathedral to be the cross that one of the Glosters' chaplains made in a Korean prison camp.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

"Zulu" receives better scheduling when on TV... Also has rather attractive leading men. I know sod all about what really happened at either.

[malaheed.livejournal.com]

Zulu has the rendition of Men of Harlech which is a real ear worm

[garamondbophin.livejournal.com]

It was difficult to choose, because "Zulu" IS a better film than "Zulu Dawn" as well and "because we won" isn't the whole story: the British press blew up the success of Rorke's Drift way out of proportion in order to play down the fiasco that was Isandhlwana - this may also have been the reason a record number of VCs were awarded for the smaller action...

[helflaed.livejournal.com]

Rourkes Drift is better known than Isandlwana because of the enormous amount of propaganda shoved out at the time about Rourkes Drift, in an effort to make people forget the sheer incompetence which led to the deaths of so many in the defeat at Isandlwana. They didn't even follow their own standing order fo battle for heaven's sake- the soldiers were far too spread apart to begin with, so it was impossible for them to defend themselves.

The film helped though.

I think I've heard about Imjin but cannot say more than that.

[tree_and_leaf]

I still find one of the most moving things in Gloucester Cathedral to be the cross that one of the Glosters' chaplains made in a Korean prison camp.

Gosh, yes.

I assume, of course

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

That when you ask why one battle is better known than another, you refer to common or garden public recognition.

Presidential Unit Citation.

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

Inherited by the RGBW. What's become of it in the latest stage of HMG's determination to amalgamate the entire ruddy Army into one regiment, I don't know.

Pity, really, the more so as the Yanks who credit the Glosters with saving Korea are spot on.

Didn't he die just this past year?

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

The padre, I mean?

Re: Didn't he die just this past year?

[sally_maria]

I'm afraid I don't know.

Fair enough.

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

I made certain I'd seen his obituary in the Times, but my mind's not what it was, if ever it was.