Disclaimer: notes transcribed as is, no editing has been made so as to preserve my original feelings as I read the chapter.
Part 3, The Great Panic; Chapter 7, Todd Wainio.
The imagery of this chapters opening is very vivid.
Max must have gotten the idea of the statue from the iconic “Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima”.
Max’s description of Todd’s physical appearance is just evocative as the statue. From the old before his time look to the parallel gouges on his cheek, Todd has obviously not only seen it all but had to live through the experience.
I can kind of see where Max may have gotten some of his ideas from, for this chapter. Historical events like World War 1 & 2 and the Zulu wars all have that “lions led by donkeys” syndrome. Most generals think that they’re the ones who win the wars but it’s not. It’s just an ordinary soldier with a gun and some guts. Especially the soldier who can’t see the reason (if any) behind the whole debacle.
I can envision the battle of Isandwala as being the most similar to Todd’s recollections. An advanced army, with vast numbers and superior weaponry getting their heads handed to them on a silver platter.
At Isandwala, the Zulu people royally kicked the British Army (and rightly so). An advanced professional army verses a bunch of natives armed only with shields, iklwa’s & assegai’s. Later learning to use their enemy’s weapons.
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