Worthy Opponent: Difference between revisions

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*** It happens more often than you'd think, at least among infantrymen. In ''House To House: A Soldier's Memior'', which chronicles the 2nd Battle of Fallujah, Staff Sergeant David Bellavia repeatedly noted and acknowledged the bravery and cleverness of the ambushes he and his troops were encountering. There was some rage and contempt, but an equal amount of respect and admiration for the insurgents they were fighting.
*** It happens more often than you'd think, at least among infantrymen. In ''House To House: A Soldier's Memior'', which chronicles the 2nd Battle of Fallujah, Staff Sergeant David Bellavia repeatedly noted and acknowledged the bravery and cleverness of the ambushes he and his troops were encountering. There was some rage and contempt, but an equal amount of respect and admiration for the insurgents they were fighting.
** This is probably due to the changing nature of warfare in the 20th-21st centuries, with emphasis shifting towards irregular forces, guerrilla warfare, false-flag operations, killing civilians, terrorism, and all the rest of it. It was different back when armies clashed formally on more or less pre-designated battlefields.
** This is probably due to the changing nature of warfare in the 20th-21st centuries, with emphasis shifting towards irregular forces, guerrilla warfare, false-flag operations, killing civilians, terrorism, and all the rest of it. It was different back when armies clashed formally on more or less pre-designated battlefields.
* "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Casabianca_<!-- 28poem29&action=edit Casabianca]]", also known as "The boy stood on the burning deck", is a poem by British poet Felicia Hemans, first published in August 1826. The poem commemorates an actual incident that occurred during the Napoleonic Wars. In the 1798 Battle of the Nile, the French ship "Orient" caught fire while fighting the ships of the British Royal Navy. Giocante, the young son (his age is variously given as ten, twelve and thirteen) of commander Louis de Casabianca, remained at his post and perished when the flames caused the magazine to explode. Many generations of romatic young Englishmen were taught to admire the heroic young Casabianca and seek to emulate him, despite his having been an enemy who died fighting against their country. -->
* "[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Casabianca_%28poem%29&action=edit Casabianca]", also known as "The boy stood on the burning deck", is a poem by British poet Felicia Hemans, first published in August 1826. The poem commemorates an actual incident that occurred during the Napoleonic Wars. In the 1798 Battle of the Nile, the French ship "Orient" caught fire while fighting the ships of the British Royal Navy. Giocante, the young son (his age is variously given as ten, twelve and thirteen) of commander Louis de Casabianca, remained at his post and perished when the flames caused the magazine to explode. Many generations of romatic young Englishmen were taught to admire the heroic young Casabianca and seek to emulate him, despite his having been an enemy who died fighting against their country.
* What with the glorification of chivalry, the Middle Ages should have been full of these, but one outstanding example is Saladin of the Third Crusade who treated Richard the Lionheart with a profound respect. Given the contention surrounding the events that took place during the Crusades, how true this really was may never be known.
* What with the glorification of chivalry, the Middle Ages should have been full of these, but one outstanding example is Saladin of the Third Crusade who treated Richard the Lionheart with a profound respect. Given the contention surrounding the events that took place during the Crusades, how true this really was may never be known.
** Since a good deal of Saladin's praise comes from christian monks who chronicled the events, it's hard to argue. On the other side, muslim chroniclers exclaimed that Balian, who had defended Jerusalem, held a rank in their eyes equal to a king. He had asked Saladin for leave to evacuate his wife and children from the Holy City, and Saladin agreed on the condition that he does not return to take up arms. When Balian got there though, the people implored him to stay, citing the greater need of Christendom. He stayed and defended the city, and when the time came to negotiate terms with Saladin, the sultan reportedly held no ill feelings to Balian for breaking his oath, and sent an escort to guide his family back to Tripoli.
** Since a good deal of Saladin's praise comes from christian monks who chronicled the events, it's hard to argue. On the other side, muslim chroniclers exclaimed that Balian, who had defended Jerusalem, held a rank in their eyes equal to a king. He had asked Saladin for leave to evacuate his wife and children from the Holy City, and Saladin agreed on the condition that he does not return to take up arms. When Balian got there though, the people implored him to stay, citing the greater need of Christendom. He stayed and defended the city, and when the time came to negotiate terms with Saladin, the sultan reportedly held no ill feelings to Balian for breaking his oath, and sent an escort to guide his family back to Tripoli.
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* [[Adolf Hitler]], who had fought Canadians in [[World War One]], paid his respects to the Vimy Ridge Memorial. During the Germany occupation of France in [[World War II]], he posted guards to make sure that the site was not desecrated in any way.
* [[Adolf Hitler]], who had fought Canadians in [[World War One]], paid his respects to the Vimy Ridge Memorial. During the Germany occupation of France in [[World War II]], he posted guards to make sure that the site was not desecrated in any way.
* In the special features of one DVD version of ''[[We Were Soldiers]]'', [[Colonel Badass|Hal Moore]] says that he would like to meet the NVA commander.
* In the special features of one DVD version of ''[[We Were Soldiers]]'', [[Colonel Badass|Hal Moore]] says that he would like to meet the NVA commander.
* The legendary [[World War II]] dogfight between [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabur<!-- C58D_Sakai Saburō Sakai]] and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pug_Southerland James 'Pug' Sutherland]], which saw both men display astonishing courage and skill in a dogfight that lasted several minutes in an era where dogfights were typically over in seconds. It eventually ended when Sakai shot down the crippled and disarmed Hellcat, but he had such respect for its pilot that he took care to aim his finishing shot at the engine rather than the cockpit so as to give the pilot a fighting chance of surviving. He did, but unfortunately died in a jet training accident in 1949. -->
* The legendary [[World War II]] dogfight between [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabur%C5%8D_Sakai Saburō Sakai] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pug_Southerland James 'Pug' Sutherland], which saw both men display astonishing courage and skill in a dogfight that lasted several minutes in an era where dogfights were typically over in seconds. It eventually ended when Sakai shot down the crippled and disarmed Hellcat, but he had such respect for its pilot that he took care to aim his finishing shot at the engine rather than the cockpit so as to give the pilot a fighting chance of surviving. He did, but unfortunately died in a jet training accident in 1949.
* Perhaps all the more poignant for the fact that the [[Worthy Opponent]]'s name or even his unit is not known, Israeli pilot Asher Snir's story of an encounter with a Syrian [[Mi G]]-17 during the 1970 War of Attrition: [http://www.mirage4fs.com/iaf_m3cj.html The Man in the MiG]
* Perhaps all the more poignant for the fact that the [[Worthy Opponent]]'s name or even his unit is not known, Israeli pilot Asher Snir's story of an encounter with a Syrian [[Mi G]]-17 during the 1970 War of Attrition: [http://www.mirage4fs.com/iaf_m3cj.html The Man in the MiG]
* At [[The American Revolution|The Battle of Bemis Heights (Second Battle of Saratoga),]] Daniel Morgan ordered sharpshooter Timothy Murphy to kill British General Simon Fraser with these words: "That gallant officer is General Fraser. I admire him, but it is necessary that he should die, do your duty."
* At [[The American Revolution|The Battle of Bemis Heights (Second Battle of Saratoga),]] Daniel Morgan ordered sharpshooter Timothy Murphy to kill British General Simon Fraser with these words: "That gallant officer is General Fraser. I admire him, but it is necessary that he should die, do your duty."
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