Military Loss Quotes
General Cornwallis was informing his superior that he had surrendered at Yorktown. The French navy had prevented escape or resupply from the sea, and the British were totally surrounded by American and French land forces.
Describing the Munich Pact with Germany:
This quotation illustrated a military phenomenon whereby leading military commanders are important as long as they have and control many military assets. Therefore, they avoid serious battles where the might lose. Preserving assets becomes more important than the war objectives and honor and reputation trumps contribution to the war effort. History remembers well military leaders who battle and win. It also remembers leaders who control many assets and who do not lose or win. But the losing military leaders are consigned to the “dustbin of history”.
The British had won an expensive victory against the Boers in South Africa. The casualties among the officers was particularly high. The British military uniforms were very important to the senior military leaders and the officers in general always wanted to distinguish themselves from the enlisted men. This had traditionally been accomplished by outfitting the officers in a contrasting color from the ranks. This allowed the rebel Boer farmers, who were good shots and had no tradition of not targeting officers as many European armies did, to pick off the officers and with few to lead them thee British troops did not continue their attack. The young queen of 29 years, with no military training whatsoever, was very familiar with the uniforms as a result of all the pomp and circumstance associated with the crown. She immediately recognized the problem and instructed the military leaders to change the uniforms. It is hard to believe how hidebound and traditional the British military was even when their own lives were at stake. It is yet another example of the intellect and knowledge of the queen and shows that her insistence on not being a figurehead extended even to the all male bastion of the military. There was no aspect of British society and government that this talented Queen did not get involved with.
The Kaiser, facing a revolution, instructed Groener to use the army to put down the revolution. The Kaiser had to abdicate and the German Republic was born, soon to fall to the Nazis.
