Did you know?

[Nessuno]

Do you know that the Polish Cavalry went into battle wearing wings?

Founded between 1574-1576 by the will of the sovereign Stefan Batory, following the reform of the army, the Polish Winged Hussars were a heavy cavalry élite force which formed the backbone of the Kingdom of Poland first and the Polish-Lithuanian Confederation.
They didn't lose even one battle for the first 125 years after the inception of the unit resulted detrminants in more than a battle, as in the battles of Kircholm (1605), Kluszyn (1610), Chocim (1621) and many other. They also partecipate in the battle of Vienna (1683) Freeing Vienna from the siege of the Ottomans.
Become expensive to mantain and impratical from the strategic point of view were dissolved by the Sejm (Parliament) in 1775.

 

[Romanoffia]

Oh, how did I miss this post!

I compete every year in the World Open Cavalry Competition held in Poznan, Poland (I helped organise the first of these games in 2012). I got to ride with a cavalry group that portrayed the "Winged Horsemen" just for the fun of it. The armour and equipment weighed in at about 90 lbs for the rider alone. The feathers scare the shit out of horses for added effect in a charge.


Ever see the movie "1612"? (great soundtrack!)

[flash]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8WH5bmXlYU[/flash]

Here's a better set of takes from the movie:

[flash]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqejTOai5t4[/flash]

 

[Just a Lore]

Did you know that the cavalry unit that was mentioned in the first post was actually formed from Hungarian Mercenaries that moved to Poland to assist the Sejm. And that their involvement in the Battle of Vienna was the largest cavalry charge in history and arguably saved Austria from collapsing at a pivotal moment and allowed the Austrians to liberate Hungary from the Ottoman Empire.

So in effect, Hungary saved itself by sending a group of Mercs to Poland to assist the Polish Government.

 

[Nessuno]

Oh, how did I miss this post!

I compete every year in the World Open Cavalry Competition held in Poznan, Poland (I helped organise the first of these games in 2012). I got to ride with a cavalry group that portrayed the "Winged Horsemen" just for the fun of it. The armour and equipment weighed in at about 90 lbs for the rider alone. The feathers scare the shit out of horses for added effect in a charge.


Ever see the movie "1612"? (great soundtrack!)

[flash]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8WH5bmXlYU[/flash]

Here's a better set of takes from the movie:

[flash]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqejTOai5t4[/flash]

WOW really, have you got some photo of that Romanoffia?

P.S. I try to find this music a lot of time, thanks Romanoffia!

Did you know that the cavalry unit that was mentioned in the first post was actually formed from Hungarian Mercenaries that moved to Poland to assist the Sejm. And that their involvement in the Battle of Vienna was the largest cavalry charge in history and arguably saved Austria from collapsing at a pivotal moment and allowed the Austrians to liberate Hungary from the Ottoman Empire.

So in effect, Hungary saved itself by sending a group of Mercs to Poland to assist the Polish Government.

It's correct.
About the largest cavalry charge in history, i didn't know. Thanks Lord Lore!

 

[Nessuno]

Did you know that The Court of Miracles really existed?

It was areas of cities where they gathered in groups organized beggars and marginalized social, who elected their own king, that are incorrectly placed in the Middle Age thanks to the novel of Victor Hugo, "Notre-Dame de Paris".
Numerous during the reigns of Louis XIII (1601-1643) and Louis XIV (1638-1715) were present in every major city of France, the best know was the one called "La Grande Cour des miracles", between "Rue du Caire" and "Rue Reaumur" in the current II arrondissement of Paris.
From 1660, after some particular horrendous crimes, they proceeded to the abolition of these courts ended in 1784.

 

[Alta]

Do you know that the Polish Cavalry went into battle wearing wings?

Founded between 1574-1576 by the will of the sovereign Stefan Batory, following the reform of the army, the Polish Winged Hussars were a heavy cavalry élite force which formed the backbone of the Kingdom of Poland first and the Polish-Lithuanian Confederation.
They didn't lose even one battle for the first 125 years after the inception of the unit resulted detrminants in more than a battle, as in the battles of Kircholm (1605), Kluszyn (1610), Chocim (1621) and many other. They also partecipate in the battle of Vienna (1683) Freeing Vienna from the siege of the Ottomans.
Become expensive to mantain and impratical from the strategic point of view were dissolved by the Sejm (Parliament) in 1775.

I'm actually doing a report on King Jan III Sobieski and the Battle of Vienna of 1683 right now. So, I liked seeing this post. :-)

 

[Romanoffia]

Did you know that the cavalry unit that was mentioned in the first post was actually formed from Hungarian Mercenaries that moved to Poland to assist the Sejm. And that their involvement in the Battle of Vienna was the largest cavalry charge in history and arguably saved Austria from collapsing at a pivotal moment and allowed the Austrians to liberate Hungary from the Ottoman Empire.

So in effect, Hungary saved itself by sending a group of Mercs to Poland to assist the Polish Government.

I was just reading about that the other night will digging into some historical research on the subject. Very interesting.

WOW really, have you got some photo of that Romanoffia?

P.S. I try to find this music a lot of time, thanks Romanoffia!

Did you know that the cavalry unit that was mentioned in the first post was actually formed from Hungarian Mercenaries that moved to Poland to assist the Sejm. And that their involvement in the Battle of Vienna was the largest cavalry charge in history and arguably saved Austria from collapsing at a pivotal moment and allowed the Austrians to liberate Hungary from the Ottoman Empire.

So in effect, Hungary saved itself by sending a group of Mercs to Poland to assist the Polish Government.

It's correct.
About the largest cavalry charge in history, i didn't know. Thanks Lord Lore!

I think I may have some photographs that I can dig up.

There were a couple I posted in another thread here from one of the recent competitions where I rode with a Polish and a German cavalry competition team.

 

[Nessuno]

Do you know that the Polish Cavalry went into battle wearing wings?

Founded between 1574-1576 by the will of the sovereign Stefan Batory, following the reform of the army, the Polish Winged Hussars were a heavy cavalry élite force which formed the backbone of the Kingdom of Poland first and the Polish-Lithuanian Confederation.
They didn't lose even one battle for the first 125 years after the inception of the unit resulted detrminants in more than a battle, as in the battles of Kircholm (1605), Kluszyn (1610), Chocim (1621) and many other. They also partecipate in the battle of Vienna (1683) Freeing Vienna from the siege of the Ottomans.
Become expensive to mantain and impratical from the strategic point of view were dissolved by the Sejm (Parliament) in 1775.

I'm actually doing a report on King Jan III Sobieski and the Battle of Vienna of 1683 right now. So, I liked seeing this post. :-)

Did you know that the cavalry unit that was mentioned in the first post was actually formed from Hungarian Mercenaries that moved to Poland to assist the Sejm. And that their involvement in the Battle of Vienna was the largest cavalry charge in history and arguably saved Austria from collapsing at a pivotal moment and allowed the Austrians to liberate Hungary from the Ottoman Empire.

So in effect, Hungary saved itself by sending a group of Mercs to Poland to assist the Polish Government.

I was just reading about that the other night will digging into some historical research on the subject. Very interesting.

WOW really, have you got some photo of that Romanoffia?

P.S. I try to find this music a lot of time, thanks Romanoffia!

Did you know that the cavalry unit that was mentioned in the first post was actually formed from Hungarian Mercenaries that moved to Poland to assist the Sejm. And that their involvement in the Battle of Vienna was the largest cavalry charge in history and arguably saved Austria from collapsing at a pivotal moment and allowed the Austrians to liberate Hungary from the Ottoman Empire.

So in effect, Hungary saved itself by sending a group of Mercs to Poland to assist the Polish Government.

It's correct.
About the largest cavalry charge in history, i didn't know. Thanks Lord Lore!

I think I may have some photographs that I can dig up.

There were a couple I posted in another thread here from one of the recent competitions where I rode with a Polish and a German cavalry competition team.

Thanks Alta Italia, you should also read the reply of Lord Lore.

That would be great Romanoffia, what is the name of the thread?

 

[The Spokesman of Eumenor]

Interesting considering the enthusiasm for Poland on the RMB today. We could start a Poland club!

 

[Nessuno]

Interesting considering the enthusiasm for Poland on the RMB today. We could start a Poland club!

Thanks,but honestly i wrote this 2 week ago.

 

[Nessuno]

Did you know that some swarms of angry bees caused the defeat of the British at the Battle of Tanga?

It took place between 2nd and 5th November 1914 nearby the city of Tanga in the German East Africa (Tanzania) between the British forces of the Major General Arthur Aitken (about 8000 men) and the German Colonial Troops of Lieutenant Colonel Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck (about 1000 men).
The fightin began on November 3rd when the British, after landing, tried to occupy the city, but were rejected. In the afternoon was launched a second attack that resulted in a series of fightin along the German defensive line. However, the gunfire disturbed some swarms of angry bees, threw themselves on combatans, blaming in particular with the English.
Taking advantages of the situation, Lettow-Vorbeck threw his troops assault who, despite the numerical inferiority, rejected the British.
General Aitken ordered the retreat leaving huge amounts of supplies. After the news of the defeat the British Propaganda transformed the bees interlude into a fiendish German plot.

 

[Romanoffia]

Let me dig through the forum and see if I can find the thread for those photographs.

 

[Nessuno]

Did you know that Americans and Germans fought together a battle against the SS?

The battle took place at the Castle of Itter (Austria) on May 5th 1945.
Confiscated by the German Government at the end of 1940 the castle passed into the hands of the SS on February 7th 1943 that completely transformed into a prison placed under the amministration of the Dachau concentration camp. The prison contained hight-profile prisoners valuable to the Reich including the Tennis star Jean Borotra, former prime minister Edouard Daladier, Charles de Gaulle's elder sister Marie-Agnès Cailliau, former commander-in-chief Maurice Gamelin, former commander-in-chief Maxime Weygand, former prime minister Paul Reynaud, François de La Rocque and Léon Jouhaux.
On May 4th 1945 the guards left the castle that was occupied by prisoners. A Yugoslav communist member imprisoned in Itter reached the American 103rd Infantry Division and informed them of the castle's prisoners. A Group formes 14 Americans, under the command of Lieutenand John C. "Jack" Smith, 10 Germans, under the command of Major Josef Gangl, and supported by 2 Sherman tanks set out to rid the castle.
After a small fight with a Group of SS the rescuing force arrived at the castle, organizing the defense. On the morning of May 5th, a small force of Waffen-SS of the 17th Waffen-SS Panzer Granadier Division began their attack on the castle. After six hours of fighting a relief force from the American 142nd Infantry Regiment arrived and the SS were defeated. Lieutenant Lee recived the Distinguished Service Cross and was promoted to Captain. Gangl died during the battle but was honored as an Austrian national hero.
The Battle is remembered as the "strangest" battle of World War II, and as the only battle in the war in which Americans and Germans fought as allies.

 

[Alta]

Did you know that the cavalry unit that was mentioned in the first post was actually formed from Hungarian Mercenaries that moved to Poland to assist the Sejm. And that their involvement in the Battle of Vienna was the largest cavalry charge in history and arguably saved Austria from collapsing at a pivotal moment and allowed the Austrians to liberate Hungary from the Ottoman Empire.

So in effect, Hungary saved itself by sending a group of Mercs to Poland to assist the Polish Government.

Actually, if I'm not mistaken, Hungary had been in a rebellion against Austria for years and had just concluded an alliance with the Ottomans, who wanted to create a Hungarian vassal state (as well as gain more land for themselves).

 

[St George]

Some Hungarians. An opportunistic little snot who was a good soldier but a poor commander, failed almost every time he had command alone, was impetuous and badly fluffed up during the Battle of Vienna. He would remain part of the Ottoman Cavalry for the rest of his military career.

And I can't for the life of me remember his name. :/

 

[Romanoffia]

You also have to remember that the Waffen-SS was not the same thing as the SS.

 

[Nessuno]

OOC: I don't know why but i can't quote your posts guys.

1- It's true Alta Italia, during their greatest expansion the Ottomans controlled almost all of Hungary, which was divided into several triburary states. Very interesting!

2- Why Nierr, are you Hungharian? (Maybe you already said or am i confusing).

3- I know Romanoffia, Waffen-SS were the military branch of SS.

 

[Nessuno]

Did you know that there was a man who fought for three different armies in WW2?

Yang Kyoungjong (March 3rd 1920-April 7th 1992) was a Korean soldier who fought in the Imperial Japanese Army, the Soviet Army and later the German Wehrmacht.
In 1938 was conscripted into the Kwantung Army of the Imperial Japanese Army to fight against the Soviet. During the Battles of Khalkhin Gol was captured by the Red Army and sent to a labour camp untill to 1942 when, because of the manpower shortages faced by the Soviets in its fight against Nazi Germany, was pressed into fight in the Red Army, along with thousands of other prisoners, and was sent to the European eastern front.
In 1943 he was captured by the Wehrmacht during the Thrid Battle of Kharkov, and. pressed into fighting for Germany, was sent to serve in a Ostbattalion in the Cotentin penisula (Normandy). After the D-Day landings was captured by Americans paratroopers in June 1944 and placed in a prisoner-of-war camp in UK. Later he was transferred to a camp in the USA where, when he was relased at the end of the war, he settled in Illinois where he lived until his death in 1992. On his life was shot a film "My Way" (2011).
Similar experience happened also to Lauri Torni, a Finnish Army Captain who served in the Finnish Army, Waffen-SS and United States Army.

 

[Alta]

Interesting. I assume nobody was able to serve four nations? (A long service in the Balkans would probably be the best bet for this, with countries like Austria, Serbia, Yugoslavia, Germany, USSR, and Yugoslavia controlling the same land in pretty quick succession.)

 

[Nessuno]

I don't belive, the maximum could be 3 (ex. Yugoslavia-Serbia-Kosovo) but for the rest 2 (ex. USSR-Russia, Austria-Hungary empire- Austria).

 

[Empire of Narnia]

Did you know that Narnia is a pimp?

 

[Nessuno]

Did you know that Narnia is a pimp?

1- What? I can't translate.
2- It isn't a historical curiosity, only a curiosity.

 

[Nessuno]

Did you know that in 1788 Austrian Army attacked himself and lost 10,000 men?

During the Austrian-Turkish War of 1787-1791 an Austrian Army of about 100,000 men had camped at Karansebes (Romania) to cross the river Timis.
On September 17th 1788 the vanguard (composed primarily of Hussars) crossed the river to detect the presence of the Ottomans, but they encountered only a group of Rom from whom they bought the liquor. Immediately after, a group of Infantry soldiers crossed the river and, found the Hussars now drunk, asked who was also given the liquor to them. The Hussars, still drunk, refused to give them the liquor and set up makeshift fortifications around the barrels. Then a fight broke out during which several sodiers, to scare away the Hussars, started screaming "Turks! Turks!". Think that the Ottoman Army's was attacking the Hussars opened fire, triggering a shootout.
To calm the situation the Officers intervened with the Cavalry and scraming "Halt!", but the various multiethnic units present confused the "Halt!" of the Officers for "Allah!" and confused the Cavalry for Turks' reinforcements. During the confusion was ordered to the Artillery to open fire. Even the Emperor Joseph II was pushed off his horse into a small Creek.
Two days later the Ottoman Army arrived. They discovered 10,000 dead and wounded soldiers and easily took Karansebes.

 

[Tomb]

That's why drinking heavily is not recommended

 

[Romanoffia]

Did you know that in 1788 Austrian Army attacked himself and lost 10,000 men?

During the Austrian-Turkish War of 1787-1791 an Austrian Army of about 100,000 men had camped at Karansebes (Romania) to cross the river Timis.
On September 17th 1788 the vanguard (composed primarily of Hussars) crossed the river to detect the presence of the Ottomans, but they encountered only a group of Rom from whom they bought the liquor. Immediately after, a group of Infantry soldiers crossed the river and, found the Hussars now drunk, asked who was also given the liquor to them. The Hussars, still drunk, refused to give them the liquor and set up makeshift fortifications around the barrels. Then a fight broke out during which several sodiers, to scare away the Hussars, started screaming "Turks! Turks!". Think that the Ottoman Army's was attacking the Hussars opened fire, triggering a shootout.
To calm the situation the Officers intervened with the Cavalry and scraming "Halt!", but the various multiethnic units present confused the "Halt!" of the Officers for "Allah!" and confused the Cavalry for Turks' reinforcements. During the confusion was ordered to the Artillery to open fire. Even the Emperor Joseph II was pushed off his horse into a small Creek.
Two days later the Ottoman Army arrived. They discovered 10,000 dead and wounded soldiers and easily took Karansebes.

Hussars are light cavalry, which probably explains their drinking habits.

That's why drinking heavily is not recommended

Or at least drinking heavily on the field of combat.

You haven't lived until you've been utterly sh*t-faced drunk and tried to ride a horse at a gallop. Although, I go fox hunting with a lot of people who seem to have no problem with it.

 

[Nessuno]

Did you know that in 1788 Austrian Army attacked himself and lost 10,000 men?

During the Austrian-Turkish War of 1787-1791 an Austrian Army of about 100,000 men had camped at Karansebes (Romania) to cross the river Timis.
On September 17th 1788 the vanguard (composed primarily of Hussars) crossed the river to detect the presence of the Ottomans, but they encountered only a group of Rom from whom they bought the liquor. Immediately after, a group of Infantry soldiers crossed the river and, found the Hussars now drunk, asked who was also given the liquor to them. The Hussars, still drunk, refused to give them the liquor and set up makeshift fortifications around the barrels. Then a fight broke out during which several sodiers, to scare away the Hussars, started screaming "Turks! Turks!". Think that the Ottoman Army's was attacking the Hussars opened fire, triggering a shootout.
To calm the situation the Officers intervened with the Cavalry and scraming "Halt!", but the various multiethnic units present confused the "Halt!" of the Officers for "Allah!" and confused the Cavalry for Turks' reinforcements. During the confusion was ordered to the Artillery to open fire. Even the Emperor Joseph II was pushed off his horse into a small Creek.
Two days later the Ottoman Army arrived. They discovered 10,000 dead and wounded soldiers and easily took Karansebes.

Hussars are light cavalry, which probably explains their drinking habits.

That's why drinking heavily is not recommended

Or at least drinking heavily on the field of combat.

You haven't lived until you've been utterly sh*t-faced drunk and tried to ride a horse at a gallop. Although, I go fox hunting with a lot of people who seem to have no problem with it.

You gain a medal for that

 

[Romanoffia]

 

[Nessuno]

Did you know that Japan used balloons bomb to bomb the US?

The first Japanese studies regarding the use of hot-air balloons date back to the late Twenties of the XX century, but it took until the Doolittle Raid so that it began pratical studies for the construction of bomb balloons (called Fu-Go) by which bombard the US.
The plan was to create a ball that, taking advantage of winds, could travel the 10,000 km needed to reach the Americans coast and explode. Were thus created two types of balloons, inflated hydrogen, equipped with a control unit which allowed the ball to mantain the altitude. After three days, sufficient to reach the US territory, the control unit activated a fuse that triggered a small charge that caused the destruction of the housing of the ball, dropping to the ground the payload (two incendiary bombs and one hight-explosive bomb). Was also designed to utilise biological weapons, but the idea was rejected by the Emperor Hirohito.
Launches began in November 1944 and the last took place on April 1945.
Between 6,000 and 9,600 balloons were launched, about 300 of these reached the US, one of them exploded in Oregon killing 6 people while another caused the interruption of the power line that fed the building containing the nuclear reactor located in the Hanford Site.

 

[Romanoffia]

Yeah, that was a wild one.

Worse yet, did you know the US tried to use bats with little incindiary bombs attached to them to attack Japan (with hilarious results during the test phase)?

Read about it here: The Bat Bomb. This is so funny because it illustrates "Murphy's Law" so well.

 

[Nessuno]

Yeah, that was a wild one.

Worse yet, did you know the US tried to use bats with little incindiary bombs attached to them to attack Japan (with hilarious results during the test phase)?

Read about it here: The Bat Bomb. This is so funny because it illustrates "Murphy's Law" so well.

I know, i want to talk about in a next chapter

 

[Tomb]

Did you know that Japan used balloons bomb to bomb the US?

The first Japanese studies regarding the use of hot-air balloons date back to the late Twenties of the XX century, but it took until the Doolittle Raid so that it began pratical studies for the construction of bomb balloons (called Fu-Go) by which bombard the US.
The plan was to create a ball that, taking advantage of winds, could travel the 10,000 km needed to reach the Americans coast and explode. Were thus created two types of balloons, inflated hydrogen, equipped with a control unit which allowed the ball to mantain the altitude. After three days, sufficient to reach the US territory, the control unit activated a fuse that triggered a small charge that caused the destruction of the housing of the ball, dropping to the ground the payload (two incendiary bombs and one hight-explosive bomb). Was also designed to utilise biological weapons, but the idea was rejected by the Emperor Hirohito.
Launches began in November 1944 and the last took place on April 1945.
Between 6,000 and 9,600 balloons were launched, about 300 of these reached the US, one of them exploded in Oregon killing 6 people while another caused the interruption of the power line that fed the building containing the nuclear reactor located in the Hanford Site.

Very interesting, Nessie.

 

[Nessuno]

Did you know that Japan used balloons bomb to bomb the US?

The first Japanese studies regarding the use of hot-air balloons date back to the late Twenties of the XX century, but it took until the Doolittle Raid so that it began pratical studies for the construction of bomb balloons (called Fu-Go) by which bombard the US.
The plan was to create a ball that, taking advantage of winds, could travel the 10,000 km needed to reach the Americans coast and explode. Were thus created two types of balloons, inflated hydrogen, equipped with a control unit which allowed the ball to mantain the altitude. After three days, sufficient to reach the US territory, the control unit activated a fuse that triggered a small charge that caused the destruction of the housing of the ball, dropping to the ground the payload (two incendiary bombs and one hight-explosive bomb). Was also designed to utilise biological weapons, but the idea was rejected by the Emperor Hirohito.
Launches began in November 1944 and the last took place on April 1945.
Between 6,000 and 9,600 balloons were launched, about 300 of these reached the US, one of them exploded in Oregon killing 6 people while another caused the interruption of the power line that fed the building containing the nuclear reactor located in the Hanford Site.

Very interesting, Nessie.

Thanks Tomb

 

[Nessuno]

Did you know that during WW2 The USA had intended to use the bats as an incendiary weapons?

Conceived by a Pennsylvania dentist named Lytle S. Adams, a friend of first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, the project of the bomb was presented to the White House in January 1942, when it was subsequely approved by the president Roosevelt.
After observing that the infrastucture of Japan was especially subscetible to incendiary devices (as many of the buildings were made of paper, bamboo and other highly flammable materials) Adams planned to drop the Bat-Bombs over Japanese cities having widely-dispersed industrial target. The bats would spread far from the point of release due to the relatively hight altitude of their release, then at dawn they would hide in buildings across the city. Shortly thereafter built-in timers would ingnite the bombs, causing widespread fires and chaos. It was envisioned that 10 B-24 Flying from Alaska, each carrying a hundred shells packed with bomb-carrying bats could release 1,040,000 Bat-Bombs over the industrial cities of Osaka Bay.
By March 1943 a suitable species had been selected and began testing. On May 15th 1943, in the Carlsbad Army Airfield Auxiliary Air Base, were accidentaly released armed bats, that incinerated the test range and roosted under a fuel tank.
Following this setback, the project was relegated to the Navy in August 1943, who renamed it Project X-Ray, and then passed it to the Marines Corps that December. Were conducted new tests and other tests were scheduled for the Summer of 1944, but the programm was cancelled by Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King when he heard that it would likely not be combat ready untill mid-1945.

 

[Romanoffia]

Whacky Weapons of World War One.

Did you know the British built a giant flame thrower that was used at the Battle of the Somme? They tunnelled into No Man's Land and proceeded to construct the world's largest flame thrower - the nozzle of which suddenly popped up out of the ground in front of the German trenches and let them have it with a stream of flame a couple hundred yards long.

Read this first, and then watch the documentary: The Livens Flame Projector

How would you like to be in the receiving end of this critter?!

​

Here's the BBC documentary about it (and a demonstration of it using a reconstruction of the device):

[flash]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2pGoz4ZDgE[/flash]​

 

[Nessuno]

Whacky Weapons of World War One.

Did you know the British built a giant flame thrower that was used at the Battle of the Somme? They tunnelled into No Man's Land and proceeded to construct the world's largest flame thrower - the nozzle of which suddenly popped up out of the ground in front of the German trenches and let them have it with a stream of flame a couple hundred yards long.

Read this first, and then watch the documentary: The Livens Flame Projector

How would you like to be in the receiving end of this critter?!

​

Here's the BBC documentary about it (and a demonstration of it using a reconstruction of the device):

[flash]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2pGoz4ZDgE[/flash]​

wow... very interesting Romanoffia

 

[Nessuno]

Did you know that during World War I 60 Russian soldiers make escape 7,000 German soldiers?

In September 1914 the German Army put under siege the fortress of Osowiec and on September 26th began bombing. In two days the Germans decided to try frontal assault on the fortress, but it was cut down by a fierce fire from the Russian artillery. The next day Russians made two counter-attacks that forced Germans to quickly relocate artillery to a safer place.
On February 3rd 1915 German forces attempted 2nd assault on the fortress that, on February 9th, forced the Russians to pull back all the forces to the 2nd field defense line. On February 13th the Germans resumed shelling the fort with heavy artillery. The Russian Central Command, thinking that they were asking the impossible, asked the fortress to last at least 48 hours so evacuation of civilians can be completed. The Osowiec fortress lasted for half a year.
At the beginning of July under the command of Field-Marshall von Hindenburg German forces began a full frontal offensive on the fortress. On August 6th the German used poison gases against the defenders and, thinking that all the defenders were died, started advancing. When the 7,000 men who led the assault reached the first line of defense they were counter-attacked from about 60 men. Surprise attack and bloody clothing (Russians soldiers where coughing blood up because of poison gases destroying the lung tissue) put Germans in the state of shock and made them run. European papers called it "The attack of the dead men".
Fifteen days later, the Russian command finally pulled back the last remaining soldiers from Osowiec and retreated to new positions.

 

[Ravenna]

Interesting considering the enthusiasm for Poland on the RMB today. We could start a Poland club!

Well, I'm from Poland so I'm looking forward to this

The Vienna 1683 was indeed a great victory but the Polish national politics were already degenerated so Jan III couldn't have really followed his own political plans. Shame because his policy would gave the Commonwealth some actual benefits beside the reputation of the Christian Europe' saviors.