Inscriptions and wars

Peter Nagle · 26 Nov 1998, 05:37 · from urth-v0021.mbox · original

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From: Peter Nagle <petern at naa.gov.au>
Subject: (urth) Inscriptions and wars
Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 16:37:51 +1100
Message-ID: <urth-v0021-0093 at digest.urth.net>
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IAM*REDIT*ET*VIRGO*REDEUNT*SATURNIA*REGNA

is probably better translated as

'Virgo also now returns, they re-enter Saturnian realms',

but, especially with this type of latin, any translation could vary
considerably depending on context.

The idea of massed attacks against machine guns isn't as simple as it
sounds ... it was based on the concept of the 'front' as a strong but
relatively thin barrier, which needed to be broken in only one place and
then you could spread out behind it like water through a broken dyke.
Given this concept, and lots of artillery, you could feel justified in
trying this approach several times, thinking that it would only need to
work once and you would be home free. To some extent the successful
german offensives of 1918 were based on this theory but failed because
the support services couldn't keep up. I know this is oversimplified but
there is some feeling initially, at the time, that these attacks might
stop a war of attrition. Yea, I know in hindsight ...

I think maybe the period of the Napoleonic Wars are a more useful way of
trying to get a feel of the battles on Urth during this period,  ...
massed infantry of different types, light and heavy cavalry and armor
providing protection from some sorts of missiles, etc. Not exact, I
know, but closer.

Peter Nagle
National Archives of Australia

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