Quote:
Originally Posted by Oberon
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As an armchair-general I own the book „Military Blunders“ by Saul David which describes military disasters from ancient times to modern times of military history. The book is devided into 5 chapters:
- incompetent commanders (e.g. Crimean war-charge of the light brigade)
- catastrophic plans (e.g. Arnheim Fiasco)
- interference by politcans (e.g.Stalingrad)
- exaggerated self-conficence (e.g.General Custer)
- troop failure (e.g.Kasserine Pass)
(my translations)
The book starts with the chapter „incompentent commanders“, subchapter: „Elphey Bey and the retreat from Kabul“, 1842, during the Frist Afghan-British war (1838-1842). Is that what you are refering too?
If so, military historians seem to agree that the incompetence of the commander was the reason for the British defeat.
Then my question would be: do the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and the US-lead Nato occupation of Afghanistan belong into one of the five categories as described above, and if so, which one and why.