From: officialflagrant
Discussions among the speakers reveal diverse perspectives on historical military figures, ranging from admiration for strategic genius to analysis of personal traits and their impact. These views often highlight different aspects of leadership and historical interpretation.
Notable Military Leaders and Discussions
Father William Corby
Father William Corby, known for his role at Gettysburg, is regarded as a “beast” who became the President of Notre Dame [01:55:00]. He is credited as the “second founder” of Notre Dame, having rebuilt it after it burned down [02:02:00]. Corby received a medal of honor and was noted for giving “everybody their last rides” during battles like Fredericksburg, suggesting a respected and courageous presence on the battlefield [02:09:00]. The question was raised whether priests like him were respected enough not to be shot at in the Civil War, though it was suggested this was unlikely unless it was a prank [02:23:00].
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon is considered the “greatest of all time” by one speaker [04:17:00]. He is also cited in the quote, “history is a set of lies agreed upon” [10:42:00]. Napoleon is credited with possibly inventing “total war,” a strategy that involved mobilizing an entire nation’s industry and population for the war effort, a stark contrast to earlier, more “gentlemanly” warfare [54:07:00]. His approach was described as ruthless, prioritizing elimination over traditional surrender customs [54:38:00].
Robert E. Lee
Initially, Robert E. Lee was suggested as the greatest general due to his ability to achieve results “with what he had” [04:40:00]. However, this opinion is later contrasted with the view that he was “a little scared” and a “coward,” a perception supposedly held by General Grant [06:37:00].
Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson is characterized as “clearly 100% autistic” [05:01:00]. This assessment is based on anecdotes such as his habit of always holding his hand up due to an injury, and his belief that God would decide his death, leading him to stand unflinchingly in battle, which earned him the nickname “Stonewall” [05:20:00]. Another story recounts him remaining at attention for an entire day after being ordered to do so by a commanding officer, demonstrating extreme adherence to orders [05:46:00].
Ulysses S. Grant
Grant is portrayed as aware of Robert E. Lee’s weaknesses, stating that Lee was “just as scared as me” [07:01:00]. Grant is seen as a “failure drunk” before the Civil War, working as a cashier at his dad’s grocery store, who then became a president, implying a meteoric rise during wartime [08:01:00]. One speaker prefers Grant over Napoleon, liking him “as a guy” [07:55:00].
Debates on Leadership Qualities and Historical Interpretation
The conversation touches on qualities of effective military leadership, particularly in the context of underdog victories. Three necessities for an underdog to win a war are identified:
- A cause worth fighting for [06:13:00]
- Acknowledging fear: Grant’s recognition that his opponent was also scared [07:01:00].
- Women’s involvement in the war effort: This includes women working in factories, as nurses, or in other capacities, preventing a significant loss of productive population [07:16:00]. It’s speculated that the South’s traditional views on women’s roles might have contributed to their defeat [07:45:00].
The discussion highlights how personal biases and a lack of historical knowledge can influence views on historical events and figures. One speaker admits to having repeated a middle school teacher’s claim that the Civil War was about “states’ rights” for a decade, only later realizing it was implicitly about “states’ rights to own slaves” [09:10:00].
There is also a broader skepticism towards ancient history, with the idea that “no one knows, it’s all made up” and that “every battle ends in the most romantic fashion” because “boring stuff” is omitted over time, contrasting with the detailed knowledge available for more recent conflicts like World War II or the Vietnam War [10:38:00]. This echoes Napoleon’s purported quote about history being “a set of lies agreed upon” [10:42:00].