Indian Revolt of 1857

[Tipy]

Gottcha, not American Indian.

Any comparison of the current American position in Iraq, compared to the Indian Sub continent revolt/massacre against the British in 1857? Hope theres a "few" artillery batteries in Iraq that are not doing "MP" duty.

Semper Fidelis,
Tipy

[SteveMetz]

Gottcha, not American Indian.

Any comparison of the current American position in Iraq, compared to the Indian Sub continent revolt/massacre against the British in 1857? Hope theres a "few" artillery batteries in Iraq that are not doing "MP" duty.

Semper Fidelis,
Tipy

Do you plan to lash insurgents to barrels?

[wm]

Hope theres a "few" artillery batteries in Iraq that are not doing "MP" duty.


Al Jazeera photography of folks being "blown from the guns" would not be a IO coup for the Coalition's side.

Kididng aside, I suspect that the number of disanalogies between the Sepoy Mutiny and current Iraq operations far outweigh any analogies. As such, this makes dubious the prospects of drawing any meaningful lessons from the British operations supressing the mutiny in India for application in Iraq (or Afghanistan). However, I would be more hopeful about reviewing the history of British 19th C. involvement on the Northwest Frontier as a source for insights into how not to engage the Afghans.

[davidbfpo]

Gottcha, not American Indian.

Any comparison of the current American position in Iraq, compared to the Indian Sub continent revolt/massacre against the British in 1857? Hope theres a "few" artillery batteries in Iraq that are not doing "MP" duty.

Semper Fidelis,
Tipy

Tipy,

I cannot see any comparison between the two conflicts. I would recommend David Saul's recent history of the Indian Mutiny and for one example Soldier Sahibs by Charles Allen, which ends with the Mutiny. As for the artillery batteries analogy, just what our enemies want. I know there was much British Imperial incompetence before the Mutiny, let alone in Afghanistan; there many lessons to be learned from our failures.

davidbfpo

[marct]

Hi David,

I cannot see any comparison between the two conflicts.

I've got to agree with that! After all, Britain didn't control the Indian states before the Revolt, the British East India Company did. India didn't even exist as a nation state, even as poor a one as Iraq - it was a collection of States ranging from Princely successors to the Mughals, to the Deccan states, to independent kingdoms.

As for the artillery batteries analogy, just what our enemies want.

Too true! The Sepoy Mutiny is probably one of the inspirations for AQ and other irhabi groups. I'm sure they are hoping and praying that they can spin Gitmo and Abu Ghraib into the Black Hole of Calcutta.