"SUM OF ALL FEARS" entering the picture.
(www.msn.com)
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You just made me wonder their psychological readiness as well. Ever see how sheepish they are - mainly because they fear being brutalized by the regime for ANY little infraction... That's the sort of thing that on paper looks good, but in real battle, will get a lot if people killed. If you stop to think, you're already dead. Just a thought... and it's the thought that counts I hear ðĪŠð
This reminded me of something I once read about the psychological and tactical difference between American forces (as exemplified on D-Day) and German forces. When an officer in the American ranks got killed or wounded, leadership fell to the next NCO of the unit, and then if necessary on down the ranks. It happened in many places that day, and sometimes even PFC's were leading the climb up the cliffs or on the beaches.
The Germans, however, were rigid in their ranking, and if an officer or NCO became incapacitated, it paralyzed the rank and file until another officer or NCO came along to give orders.
Your characterization of N. Korean military might be very much like the totalitarian Germans of that day.
Thanks - I knew we did that (band of brothers shows this) - but had no idea about Germans.
The term "control freak" comes to mind...
German society then (and maybe even now, I'm not sure) was rigidly hierarchical and leaned toward obedience over anything else. I once saw a hilarious "Top Gear" episode where Jeremy Clarkson talked about driving without a license, said he had done it a few times and the other two guys admitted they had done it too.
He further said he talked about that to a German once, who told him, "It is IMPOSSIBLE to drive without a license!" Clarkson said it surely happened, even in Germany... "NEIN! It is IMPOSSIBLE to drive in Germany without a LICENSE!"
The German fellow just could not get his head around a purely administrative, civil disobedience of driving without a license, and that may sum up the general German attitude toward the administrative state and obedience.
Funny story... When I was born, my mom was in a lot of pain and the "govt people" in charge of assigning a SS number were pissing her off ...my old man, capable of getting so angry his feet would literally come off the ground, threw them out... and told them not to come back... Fast forward 18 years to the entry exam for a well known university - "What do you mean you don't have a social security number? HOW DO YOU EXIST??!!" It literally broke their brains! ððð