• Ukrainian forces launched a surprise offensive into Russia’s Kursk region last Tuesday.
  • They have captured around 1,000 square kilometers of Russian land so far, Kyiv’s top general said.
  • That figure is almost as much territory as Russia has seized in Ukraine this year.
    • Wanderer@lemm.ee
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      2 months ago

      I was watching an old documentary about ww2. When France declared war on Germany they just sat on there border watching them. Some British politician or general or something was there and asked why they didn’t shoot them. They said “they aren’t bothering us so we don’t bother them”. They made one offence at the start of the war when Germany’s western flank was entirely exposed (it was also the only French offence of the entire war) they went about 100m then came back.

      Then Germany attacked somewhere else and they folded.

      Its actually amazing how much of a cluster fuck the start of ww2 was. Bringing back horses after inventing the tank 20 years before and using it ti win ww1 levels of intelligence.

      • rottingleaf@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Its actually amazing how much of a cluster fuck the start of ww2 was. Bringing back horses after inventing the tank 20 years before and using it ti win ww1 levels of intelligence.

        This is asinine. Horses were extremely useful in WWII. Try watching less Hollywood movies.

        One of the reasons Germans were so successful in their “lightning warfare” - they used horses which simplified logistics tremendously. A truck is no good if you don’t have fuel, and fuel supplies have been cut. A horse can just eat grass and drink water.

          • rottingleaf@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            These are different applications.

            And I wasn’t going to argue against bicycles having been extremely useful.

        • Wanderer@lemm.ee
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          2 months ago

          When did the Germans use horses as offensive cavalry in WW2?

          You can clearly find references of French and the British dragging their heels in the interwar years because presumably the posh boys want their horses.

          You don’t know what you are on about. What Hollywood movies are there about army modernisation in the interwar period you think I am watching? I’ll actually enjoy watching it.

          • mars296@fedia.io
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            2 months ago

            The person you replied to is not talking about cavalry. Horses were used by the Germans for moving men and equipment.

            • Wanderer@lemm.ee
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              2 months ago

              I know. But I made the original comment and I wasn’t on about horses being used for moving men and equipment. I was talking about them being used instead of tanks.

              Okay. Horses were used to move men and equipment. How is that related to my original point?

              • rottingleaf@lemmy.world
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                2 months ago

                Okay. Horses were used to move men and equipment. How is that related to my original point?

                Dragoons are cavalry. That’s how.

                Yes, it’s obvious they wouldn’t use lancers. Even in WWI cavalry charges are a thing of post-war (Soviet, Polish, maybe others’) propaganda much more than of actual use.