Military Orientalism - Patrick Porter
KORTE INHOUD
From the Ancient Greeks' obsession with the armies of the Persians, Westerners have been irresistibly drawn to the exotic nature of 'Oriental' warfare and have sought either to emulate their enemies' imagined ways of fighting or to incorporate Eastern warriors and 'martial races', such as the Sikhs and Gurkhas, in their own forces. The alluring yet terrifying prospect of Samurai warriors, obedient to an ancient code of chivalry, or of the Mongol cavalry thundering across the steppes, continue to grip our imagination, while the courage and fighting prowess of today's 'Eastern' warriors, the Taliban and Hezbollah, have been grudgingly acknowledged by the hightech armies of NATO in Afghanistan and the IDF in Lebanon. Such romantic notions are based on a highly questionable premise, namely that race, culture and tradition are separate and primordial, and that they determine how societies fight. But how far does culture shape war? Do non-Westerners approach strategy, combat, or death in ways intrinsically differen...
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2009Uitgever: C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd263 paginasTaal: EngelsISBN-10: 1850659591ISBN-13: 9781850659594Koop dit boek tweedehands
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2009, paperback with boards, good copy [Auteur: Porter, Patrick] [Taal: en] [Uitgever: C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd] [Jaar: 2009] [Titel: Military Orientalism / Eastern War Through Western Eyes]
