What causes armies to lose the will to fight? Here's what history tells us... (CNN)

[Pluvious]

Interesting piece

There are moments throughout history where entire armies suddenly stop fighting, though they are evenly matched or even numerically superior to their enemy.

What causes armies to lose the will to fight? And how might that play out with the Russian army in Ukraine?

This is the question that CNN asked combat veterans and military historians. While history is full of embattled armies like the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II, which fought with ferocious intensity even though they knew they would not win, it also records other armies that “quiet quit” — stopped attacking the enemy or did the bare minimum to stay alive.

Russia’s troops may be approaching that precipice, says Jeff McCausland, a combat veteran of the Gulf War and a visiting professor of international security studies at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/29/europe/russian-army-ukraine-blake-cec/index.html

[crickets]

1. Excellent read.

I was especially touched by the concluding paragraphs. Bonus points for anyone recognizing the quote:

"How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"

[SamKnause]

2. John Kerry after fighting in the Vietnam War.

He testified in front of the Senate and said the famous line.

[crickets]

3. Yes, he did. And his question was a good one. nt