prussia

"Moltke is not a general to copy but to study" 
   -  J.F.C. Fuller
 
In this episode we look at Helmuth von Moltke (the Elder), the Prussian Chief of the Prussian General Staff most noted for the dramatic Prussian victories over Austria and France which led to the foundation of Germany in 1871.  Most historians will casually acknowledge him as a brilliant military figure and attribute the dramatic rise of Prussia military prowess to his leadership.  Not wrong, but not quite right.  Moltke was not a battlefield commander and did not even issue direct orders at the battles the history books credit him for winning.  So, we are talking about a system here, an operation which could win battles and change the course of military history without the need for or the personal intervention of a genius.  Moltke was representative of a breakthrough in military thinking, organization, and efficiency carried out by what was an obscure group of professionals dedicated to such matters known as the Prussian General Staff.  That every modern major military has a General Staff is a testament to Moltke’s historical importance.

This is the last of a three-part series on the Emperor of the French inspired by historian Andrew Robert’s biography, Napoleon: A Life.  The book is quite good at revealing the human being behind the controversial historical figure.  Focusing primarily on the military sphere, this episode examines the significance of military genius, that is, why is it that sometimes brilliance seems to have a decisive impact on history and why sometimes it is bounded by larger historical forces.  Parts 1 and 2 saw how increasing responsibilities and difficulties hindered Napoleon’s ability to turn his military victories into lasting achievements.  This episode picks up with his invasion of Russia and argues that with the handwriting already on the wall, genius could not overcome the various obstacles arrayed against him.  It was quite an achievement to terrify a continent in 1815 with just 700 of his personal guard.  But even if had had won at Waterloo, eventual defeat was unavoidable. 

In the aftermath of World War I, aristocratic Germans were clinging to whatever sense of identity and social structure they could. They relished the opportunity to parade around with the deposed Prince Wilhelm, delighted to become his friend and shower him with gifts. The only problem? Their new friends wasn't Prince Wilhelm. It was a nobody named Harry Domela who was all too happy to make a new name for himself.

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IN THIS EPISODE: "Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness" by Nicolaus L. von Zinzendorf (1700-1760), trans. by John Wesley (1703-1791)

They were not dismayed in reflecting on the smallness of their means and abilities, and that they hardly knew their way to the heathen whose salvation they so ardently longed for, nor by the prospect of enduring hardships of every kind and even perhaps the loss of their lives in the attempt. Yet their love to their Savior and their fellow sinners for whom He shed His blood, far outweighed all these considerations. They went forth in the strength of their God and He has wrought wonders in their behalf.

Show Notes: 

• "Sanctify" by Brock Hewitt
• "Hemel" by Sjors Mans
• "Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness" by Grace Community Church
• "Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness" by The King's Daughters

For more helps visit www.ryanbush.org.

Hymn Stories is a part of the Media Gratiae Podcast Network.

Few battles in history are so complete and decisive as Koniggratz. In a day the Austro-Prussian War was won and ended. The brilliant Moltke the Elder faced a much larger Austrian army and roundly defeated it. That, however, doesn’t mean it was easy. On July 3rd, 1866 Moltke and his army’s fate hung in the balance as the Austrian forces fought harder and harder before the timely arrival of the Prussian salvation decided the day.

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“You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.”
    – Napoleon Bonaparte

 This is the second of a three-part series on the Emperor of the French inspired by historian Andrew Robert’s biography, Napoleon: A Life.  The book is quite good at revealing the human being behind the controversial historical figure.  Focusing primarily on the military sphere, this episode examines the significance of military genius, that, is why is it that sometimes brilliance seems to have a decisive impact on history and why sometimes it is bounded by larger historical forces.  Part 1 looked at his campaigns to the end of 1805 and his masterstroke at Austerlitz.  Part 2 picks up the story in with Napoleon’s campaign against Prussia.  This episode argues that even though the Emperor waged a spectacular campaign that ended with the humiliation of what had been the finest army in Europe a generation earlier, a critical look reveals the handwriting on the wall that shows the historical circumstances weighing against Napoleon that were beyond his military genius. 

Legendary New York City police detective Thomas F. Byrnes once described Bertha Heyman as "one of the smartest confidence women in America." And she was considered among New York City police to be, “the boldest and most expert of the many female adventuresses who infested the country” at the close of the 19th century. Let's meet this so-called Confidence Queen.

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Most of what we study in the art of war concerns wide open spaces. One of the big reasons for this is that many of our authors wrote at a time when open warfare was the expected norm. During the time of Clausewitz, however, the rules were changing rapidly. As technology shaped the newly emerging battlefield, it also brought changes to tactics and strategy. Nowhere is this more evident than in the defense of mountains. Many of the rules are completely different, some counterintuitively, so they deserve their own special. Malark delves into these unique principles that govern the defense of mountains.

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Can slaves truly be free? How is freedom realized in the modern state? Is the entire continent of Africa completely irrelevant to world history? All these questions and more are answered by Hegel! Join us as we discuss Hegel's theories by examining Alan Ryan's summaries of The Phenomenology of Spirit, The Philosophy of History, and The Philosophy of Right. We talk about how freedom evolves throughout cultures and time, how Stoicism impacted Hegel, and how history advances by acting through certain important figures in time. We also go on a long tangent about whether or not certain cultures' mythologies are intrinsically valuable!  You can win a completely free Unlimited Opinions t-shirt! Details can be found on our Twitter! @UlmtdOpinions

What are the differences between a defensive and a strong position? The short answer is that one is made to receive the enemy, whereas the other is designed to deny them entirely. This intent shapes the way we want our position to look and function. In either case the advantages sought, like the preservation of the lines of communication, are similar and well defined. Join us as we shore up our defenses by looking at the benefits of defensive and strong positions.

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Any battle where we are attempting to preserve a point rather than passing through it may be considered a defensive battle. There are advantages to be gained by proper knowledge of terrain and strategic placement of various earthworks and entrenchments. Join us as Malark examines the nature of a defensive battle in the age of Clausewitz and what lessons can be learned from it.

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For us to mount a successful defense, many things must be in our favor. These means of defense can and should be nurtured before war commences, but after the conflict has begun in earnest, then these means become paramount to victory. Of course, as Clausewitz has said before, no tactical victory can be called positive without offensive action taken to follow up. Through this interplay of forces we can see clear methods of resistance reveal themselves. Malark dishes up some strategy while we examine the methods of resistance.

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The principles of offense and defense are similar in tactics and warfare, sharing the same basic objectives. The main difference is that strategy cannot accomplish victory without the tactical successes to back it up. Strategy's take on principles such as advantage of ground and surprise have more to do with setting the stage for the most efficient tactical victory we can achieve. We also continue to explore the superiority of the defense when it comes to natural, but not always guaranteed, advantages. Adam of TFG Radio joins us to discuss his new wargame set in Meso-America, both in gameplay and in fascinating background material.

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Moving now into the portion of "On War" concerned directly with tactics and military strategy, Clausewitz begins by defining defense within his concept of war. There are many reasons to fight/play defensively, and Clausewitz attests that the defense is the superior of the two when compared to offense. There are many advantages conferred to the defender, like usually having the advantage of terrain. He doesn't argue for absolute defense, of course, but the use of defense as an active state, prepared to switch to offense at a moment's notice. In this way, and others, he claims the defense superior. Do you agree? Learn about these concepts and more as Dymphna and Sir Talon join Malark to examine Clausewitz's ideas on defense and offense.

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Johann George Schrepfer’s life story is clouded by his embellished and falsified tales of his necromancy and spiritualism. And both his followers and detractors also gave biased and incorrect accounts of their interactions with him.

Research:

• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Seven Years’ War". Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Aug. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/event/Seven-Years-War
• Andriopoulos, Stefan. “Kant’s Magic Lantern: Historical Epistemology and Media Archaeology.” Representations, vol. 115, no. 1, 2011, pp. 42–70. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.1525/rep.2011.115.1.42
• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "necromancy". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 May. 2011, https://www.britannica.com/topic/necromancy
• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Freemasonry". Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Freemasonry
• Geffarth, Renko. “The Masonic Necromancer: Shifting Identities In The Lives Of Johann Georg Schrepfer.” Brill. 2007. https://doi.org/10.1163/ej.9789004162570.i-326.49
• Museum - Naturalienkabinett Waldenburg. "Laterna magica" last modified 2021-11-26. https://global.museum-digital.org/object/1876368
• Wustmann, Gustav, "Schrepfer, Johann Georg" in: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie 32 (1891), pp. 490-491 [online version]; URL: https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/pnd120914042
• Museum - Naturalienkabinett Waldenburg. "Geisterkasten" last modified 2021-11-26. https://global.museum-digital.org/object/1876367
• Rossel, Deac. “The Magic Lantern.” Ich Sehe was, was du nicht siehst! Sehmaschinen und Bilderwelten. 2002. https://www.academia.edu/345943

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As we have been studying, one of the most important aspects of war or wargaming is practice. We speak of meaningful practice that gives us the best chance to adapt to changing conditions, practice that promotes utmost familiarity with our weapons, army, or team. How we approach the field physically and mentally, with our team or by ourselves, can determine victory before the match even begins. Sir Rem joins Malark to discuss the winning strategy behind division and disposition.

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