Snatching victory from defeat...
Printed From: History Community ~ All Empires
Category: General History
Forum Name: All Battles Project
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URL: http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15202
Printed Date: 08-Jun-2024 at 08:33
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Topic: Snatching victory from defeat...
Posted By: snowybeagle
Subject: Snatching victory from defeat...
Date Posted: 03-Oct-2006 at 03:32
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Were there any battles in history which saw the tide turned due to unexpected intervention of allies who appeared to repay a debt of gratitude?
In Chinese history, circa 646 BC, Lord Hui of Jin, disregarding the famine food aid received from neighbouring State of Qin the previous year, not only refused to repay the kindness when it was Qin's turn to suffer the drought, but took the opportunity to launch an invasion.
In the ensuing battle, Lord Mu of Qin was almost captured by the Jin army when "mountain barbarians" suddenly appeared and attacked the Jin forces.
Taken by surprise, the Jin forces were beaten back and the tide of the battle turned. In a separate engagement, the Lord of Jin was captured by Qin forces.
It turned out that the "mountain barbarians" were repaying a debt of kindness to Lord Mu of Qin.
Several years before, they had stolen some horses belonging to Lord Mu and slaughtered the steeds for a feast.
Rather than launching a punitive team against them, Lord Mu sent them some wines, informing the "mountain barbarians" that the brew would moderate the ill-effects of eating the horse flesh.
When the "mountain barbarians" learnt of Lord Mu's war, they took the initiative to lend him their aid. After the war was over, they refused all forms of rewards and returned to the mountains.
Are there any accounts such as these from other parts of the world?
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Replies:
Posted By: Maharbbal
Date Posted: 03-Oct-2006 at 03:44
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Waterloo
------------- I am a free donkey! |
Posted By: Paul
Date Posted: 03-Oct-2006 at 05:05
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Most of Napoleon's battles. ------------- Light blue touch paper and stand well back http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk - http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk - http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk |
Posted By: snowybeagle
Date Posted: 04-Oct-2006 at 02:31
| Who turned unexpectedly against, or to support, Napoleon, out of gratitude? |
Posted By: Styrbiorn
Date Posted: 04-Oct-2006 at 10:27
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Posted By: Paul
Date Posted: 04-Oct-2006 at 13:05
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Louis_charles_desaix.jpg"> ------------- Light blue touch paper and stand well back http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk - http://www.maquahuitl.co.uk http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk - http://www.toltecitztli.co.uk |
Posted By: snowybeagle
Date Posted: 04-Oct-2006 at 22:45
| Thanks for the pictures to answer to question, but I can't place them. Their names and something about their interventions would be appreciated. |
Posted By: Knights
Date Posted: 30-Mar-2007 at 07:47
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I guess you could say that Masada was a victory snatched from defeat, on the Roman's part. In 72 BC, Lucius Flavius Silva marched
against Masada with his Roman legion X Fretensis (meaning 'tenth legion of the sea strait - Rome's elite legionnaires) and laid siege to the
almost impregnable fortress. After failed attempts to breach the wall, they built a 'circumvallation wall' and then a rampart against the western face of the plateau, using thousands of tons of stones and beaten earth. The rampart was complete in the spring of 73BC, after approximately two to three months of siege, allowing the Romans to finally breach the wall of the fortress with a battering ram on April 16th. When they entered the fortress, however, the Romans discovered that its 936 Jewish inhabitants had set all the buildings -save the food storerooms- ablaze and committed mass suicide rather than face certain capture(and defeat/public humiliation) by their enemies. To the Romans, this task seemed almost impossible. Though they outnumbered the inhabitants, the job of actually getting to the fortress walls seemed very hard indeed. Silva's men had almost given up after numerous failed attempts at merely making it up the steep cliffs. The revolutionary wall/siege 'hill' was what tipped the balance. All but 2 women and 5 children killed each other (intentionally, rather than committing suicide which was discouraged by Jewish Law). This was an incredible turn of events in favour of the Romans, are fairly legitimate for "snatching victory from defeat'. ------------- |