War Elephants

Couverture
U of Nebraska Press, 2007 - 333 pages
0 Avis
Elephants have fought in human armies for more than three thousand years. Asian armies boasted of their pachyderm power, while the Romans fielded elephants alongside their legendary legions but were perhaps too proud to admit that mere animals contributed to victory. War Elephants is the story of their largely forgotten role in the history of warfare. ø Generals throughout recorded history used elephants as tanks, bulldozers, and cargo trucks long before such vehicles existed. Until gunpowder began to reduce the utility of elephants in battle during the seventeenth century, these beasts built roads, swung swords, or simply terrified opposing forces. Although some believe that elephants were mere gimmicks of warfare, John M. Kistler discredits that notion. War Elephants shows that elephants deserve respect for the sacrifices they have made in the service of many cultures. Elephants have long fought for and served human masters, but it is now the elephants themselves that must be protected.
 

Avis des internautes - Rédiger un commentaire

Aucun commentaire n'a été trouvé aux emplacements habituels.

Table des matières

The Lions Brood
107
Dangerous Waters
110
Treacherous Paths
115
The Best Laid Plans
119
Stalemate
123
Hasdrubal
126
Romes Genius
130
Africa versus Asia
135

Death on the Nile
42
Elephants Marching
47
Siege
54
Cavalry Killers
58
The Elephant Industry
68
Unmitigated Gauls
75
The Elephant of Surprise
80
Flaming Pigs
87
Chaos in the Streets
93
War Elephants of Carthage
97
Proud Mahouts
101
Cruelty and Inhumanity
104
Day of Slaughter
141
Weapons of Massive Destruction
146
Pompeys Circus
159
Breach of Faith
174
Charlemagne and Frederick
187
Pyramids of Skulls
202
Beasts of Burden
220
Epilogue
235
Glossary
289
Index
315
Droits d'auteur

Autres éditions - Tout afficher

Expressions et termes fréquents

Fréquemment cités

Page 80 - The Greek shall come against thee, The conqueror of the East. Beside him stalks to battle The huge earth-shaking beast, The beast on whom the castle With all its guards doth stand, The beast who hath between his eyes The serpent for a hand.
Page 162 - Greeks horses flee at seeing an elephant though without harness ; but thus towered and armed, and casting darts and slinging, they could not endure even to look upon the sight : the Britons therefore fled with their horses and chariots. Thus the Romans passed the river without molestation, having terrified the enemy by a single animal.
Page 162 - Cassolaulus, king of the Britons, obstructed him with many horsemen and chariots. Caesar had in his train a very large elephant, an animal hitherto unseen by the Britons. Having armed him with scales of iron, and put a large tower upon him, and placed therein archers and slingers, he ordered them to enter the stream. The Britons were amazed on beholding a beast till then unseen, and of an extraordinary nature. As to the horses what need...
Page 60 - And now, when the fight between the horse had been a long time doubtful, the elephants, forced on by the Indians, made so terrible an onset, that it appeared impossible for any force to have stood against them. But when they came up to the palisado, the darters and archers sorely galled both the beasts and their riders ; and being still forced on, and whipt by the Indians, some of them stuck upon the sharp points of the palisado, with which, besides the multitude of the darts and arrows that galled...
Page 107 - Hannibal's boyhood: his father Hamilcar, after the campaign in Africa, was about to carry his troops over into Spain, when Hannibal, then about nine years old, begged, with all the childish arts he could muster, to be allowed to accompany him; whereupon Hamilcar, who was preparing to offer sacrifice for a successful outcome, led the boy to the altar and made him solemnly swear, with his hand upon the sacred victim, that as soon as he was old enough he would be the enemy of the Roman people.
Page 192 - Musulmans had wreaked their vengeance on the infidel enemies of God, killing 15,000 of them, spreading them like a carpet over the ground, and making them food for beasts and birds of prey. Fifteen elephants fell on the field of battle, as their legs, being pierced with arrows, became as motionless as if they had been in a quagmire, and their trunks were cut with the swords of the valiant heroes. The...
Page 71 - ... their birth ; but that they are gradually accustomed to bear burthens, and become obedient to the commands of their keepers. In the kingdom of Ava, where the female elephants belonging to the king are in a state of half wildness, there is considerable trouble in reducing the young ones to submission. When we consider the enormous strength of the elephant, which enables him to break through all ordinary means of confinement, and at the same time regard not only his ability to resist any violent...

À propos de l'auteur (2007)

John M. Kistler is a freelance writer and runs a small business. He received his mahout certificate from the Elephant Conservation Center in Thailand while assisting consultants on Oliver Stone?s film Alexander.

Informations bibliographiques