WHO/WHAT AM I

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Richie said:
His nickname was "Stonewall" as he never took a backward step in battle even against all odds.
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Might be Thomas Jackson.
If so, I confess that I'd not heard of him, which would kick me out of the league of "people with a good general knowledge" as per your definition.:confused: Yet that's what I'm here for: to broaden my horizon. Even old geezers have not finished learning.;)
 
looker-on said:
Even old geezers have not finished learning.;)
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🤣Except I use the term 'old farts' . We are always learning from the cradle to the grave.

Yes Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson. Nobody asked what side he was on. The Confederates. Never survived the devastating American Civil War as he was accidently shot by one of his own men and died a lingering death a week later. There is a movie, Gods and Generals about the mans exploits during the war that shamed a nation.

YIKES my text has gone big on me.
 
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Richie said:
🤣Except I use the term 'old farts' . We are always learning from the cradle to the grave.

Yes Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson. Nobody asked what side he was on. The Confederates. Never survived the devastating American Civil War as he was accidently shot by one of his own men and died a lingering death a week later. There is a movie, Gods and Generals about the mans exploits during the war that shamed a nation.

YIKES my text has gone big on me.
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On what occasion did you hear about him first? Did do further reading?
 
Grier said:
I was going to say Stonewall Jackson too but you beat me to it Thomas. He was a Confederate General.
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Do you know when he was named 'Stonewall' Terry. During one of the first battles of the war. With cannons firing and bullets whizzing around the Confederate ranks, Jackson stood his ground on his horse. One of his officers then said to his frightened men who were stuck on the spot instead of advancing, "look at the General, he is like a stonewall''. This inspired the rookie soldiers to almost gallop forward into the Union lines. The Confederates won the battle and the nickname of 'Stonewall' stuck.
 
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Richie said:
Do you know when he was named 'Stonewall' Terry. During one of the first battles of the war. With cannons firing and bullets whizzing around the Confederate ranks, Jackson stood his ground on his horse. One of his officers then said to his frightened men who were stuck on the spot instead of advancing, "look at the General, he is like a stonewall''. This inspired the rookie soldiers to almost gallop forward into the Union lines. The Confederates won the battle and the nickname of 'Stonewall' stuck.
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We have an example of a royal stonewall and that's the Prussian king Frederick the Great who is known for not hiding in the hinterland but for fighting on the frotline. In one battle he lost three horses that were shot under him and was lucky when a fatal bullet fired at him was stopped by his snuff box, which was tucked in his uniform. It's on display in the national museum where I took a look at it some time ago.
 
looker-on said:
Might be Thomas Jackson.
If so, I confess that I'd not heard of him, which would kick me out of the league of "people with a good general knowledge" as per your definition.:confused: Yet that's what I'm here for: to broaden my horizon. Even old geezers have not finished learning.;)
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Best we never stop learning Thomas, for many beneficial reasons and most especially for fun imho.
 
Might be my turn then.
Since there's been some politician-bashing here as well, let me just counter that by introducing a politician whom I've always been very grateful to, irrespective of the fact that he may have been a contradictory character and not everybody's darling.
Guess who it is?
 
looker-on said:
Might be my turn then.
Since there's been some politician-bashing here as well, let me just counter that by introducing a politician whom I've always been very grateful to, irrespective of the fact that he may have been a contradictory character and not everybody's darling.
Guess who it is?
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German I suspect.
Alive?
what party does/did he belong to.
 
Richie said:
German I suspect.
Alive?
what party does/did he belong to.
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Not Brandt.
German, dead, active earlier than Brandt who was a man of the 70s; CDU-member, a man of the 50s/early 60s; opponent of Nazi-Germany, former mayor of Cologne; known as "the old man from the Rhine" and for being a rose grower; a man who had all the curtains of the train closed when travelling to Berlin; who thought that the Asian steppe began right behind the river Elbe; conservative, disputed (who is not) but a man of clear principles and a vision.
When I was retiring and hosted a farewell party, I answered the usual question about what I would be doing as a retiree by referring to him indirectly and said "growing roses".
 
I'm more grateful to Adenauer than to Brandt. Brandt was only in a position to pursue his policy of change through rapprochement because Adenauer had made that fundamental decision of at least integrating West Germany with the West rather than risking a united Germany under Russian rule. That was his major achievement.
 
looker-on said:
I'm more grateful to Adenauer than to Brandt. Brandt was only in a position to pursue his policy of change through rapprochement because Adenauer had made that fundamental decision of at least integrating West Germany with the West rather than risking a united Germany under Russian rule. That was his major achievement.
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How did that help East Germany where you where.
 
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