#war heroes

[historyandarthijinks]

Historical People:  Red Baron

The Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen, was a famous ace pilot during WW1 who fought in the air force of the German Empire. Despite Richthofen fighting for the offensive military he is hailed a war hero, and good man to this day.

Manfred von Richthofen was born in Prussia, which was once it’s own nation, but then a unified part of the German Empire. Now a days this territory of land is in modern day Poland. He born into an aristocratic family making him a Freiherr which more loosely translates to what we would call a baron.

In his early life Richthofen showed a lot of talent in many different activities. This included hunting, horse back riding, school, and gymnastics. He’d enter military school at the age of 11.

Richtofen would write, and like a lot. He already wrote one of his own autobiographies before his death in war. In it he writes about his childhood disappointment about becoming a cadet in military school, stating that his father “wished it” of him. 

Richthofen was a fan of risky tricks. Most notably in his autobiography he wrote that a friend and him climbed the steeple of Wahlstatt using the lightning conductor. He had tied his handkerchief at the top, and was delighted to see 10 years later with his brother, it still flittering in the wind.

WW1 began, being known at the time as the great war, and the worst war that man had ever seen. It took the world by storm, and especially Europe. Millions of young of men, no matter how they felt, were forced to the front lines on all sides. That included the German Empire, who is credited as one of the major aggressors in the war.

Richthofen served on both western and eastern fronts as a cavalry reconnaissance officer. Trench warfare had made cavalry units mostly useless, so he’d find his regiment turned into dispatch runners and telephone field operators. This upset him greatly.

The baron became incredibly interested in the German Air Force after getting to behold one of their planes himself. He decided to transfer and apply to become part of the Imperial German Air Service. It’s reported that he wrote, “I have not gone to war in order to collect cheese and eggs.”. His transfer was granted.

His first time ever riding in a plane changed Richthofen’s life for both better and eventually worse. The feeling of being above the world in the flying machine, even as a passenger, was thrilling and breathtaking. Although very nervous to fly on his own, his first ever time as a pilot during training proved to himself that this was where he was meant to be. His own flying mentor, Boelcke would collide accidentally with another plane in battle and die.

Richthofen’s first ever confirmed kill happened to his rival, and British ace, Lanoe Hawker. Richthofen referred to Lanoe as the British Boelcke. This fight would cause Richthofen to begin searching for faster planes that suited his own flying style. From then on his victories skyrocketed. By the end of the war he would be credited with downing 80 planes. The most he ever took out in one day was 22.

Richthofen became the Red Baron, and his crew the flying circus, after he had added a red painting motif to the planes he flew. Most notably the Fokker Dr I. He went by many variations of the name Red Baron, including Der rote Kampflieeger, Le Petite Rouge, and Red Pilot. He became a commander of his own flight crew. His crew became known as the flying circus when they all followed in his footsteps painting their own planes a various amount of bright colors.

Richthofen became a propagandist for the Imperial German Military, a symbol of moral, and eventually part of the cult that was hero-worship during the world wars. However in his own writings and recorded behaviors, the war was certaintly something he didn’t enjoy or endorse. 

During the war his autobiography was published with heavy signs of temperament and censorship. Lines were often added to make him seem even more blood thirsty and pro-war than he actually was. English translations did the opposite as well, adding lines making him even more remorseful for the war. However he truly did show signs of both, more so a transition over time, from young war hero to equally young regretful soldier.

He even began to hate his own book before his death, stating that he’s changed. There was nothing he could do though, he was now a legend among both sides. Special rewards and calls to bring him down from Allied forces were spread around British and French Air Forces. It didn’t help that he himself shared a strong sense of honor towards his fellow pilots, calling the Englishmen his friends.

He even would even speak to two that he downed without killing. He found the situation comical as he had to land due to last minute engine problem. He said they landed perfectly despite being on fire, while he ended up in the barbwire of his own trenches and flipped his plane. The honor was shared among the Englishmen and other Allied pilots in return.

Richthofen was obsessed with downings. Originally he had a jeweler make him a silver cup per each person, which he would decorate his dashboard with. But the jeweler started to say no due a shortage of silver. After that the Red Baron would track down his downed opponents and pluck a souvenir from their plane. One his most notable being a plane engine he had turned into a chandelier.

The soldier would have a major head injury which changed a lot about him in the war, most notably making flight very migraine inducing and difficult to focus on doing. The war itself was also taking a great toll on him, especially in both his physical and mental health. Other sighted his face as becoming sunken. His family noted he was growing very no-nonsense and quiet. He himself wrote of his growing hatred to the war.

His mother mother had a diary of her own in which she wrote about her son. She wrote, “I think he has seen death too often.”. One evening while he showed her pictures from his time in Russia, she began asking about the other men in the photo. She wrote he became harsh with her, stating that all where dead except him. She knew to stop asking. She wrote that his final visit with her before his death was like talking to a ghost.

Other of his revealed writings, including a diary unveiled that he began to hate himself truly. He wrote about depression, wanting to lock himself up in a room and never seeing another person ever again, about debating his future death. He talked frequently about how awful he felt after every battle now. There was no longer pride in his flight, the deaths began to weigh on him, and his head was truly hurting.

All of this lead to Richthofen’s death at age 25 in the war. Although being chased down by planes the Red Baron wasn’t knocked out of the sky by them, but AA instead, or at least that was most probably. There are several candidates about who dealt the killing blow, but no one truly knows for sure. Wilfred May was the pilot chasing after him that day, or really the Red Baron pursuing him. Arthur Brown, Cedric Popkin, and W.J. Evans were the AA on the ground that day trying to protect May. There are other variations of who killed him though, including pilots in the air.

Brown is overall credited with the kill, but to be honest as much the Englishmen wanted him dead, they were still disappointed to see him actually so. Richthofen had been shoot through the side, the .303 exited his chest, killing him within minutes. Richthofen managed to land his plane although very roughly, breaking his nose, fracturing his jaw, and beating up his face. Englishmen rushed to his plane to hear his apparent final words, “Kaput.”

There is still an air of mystery to his death has that following week, and especially that day Richthofen was flying out of character. The ground men reported him being unusually low and flying recklessly, going much farther into friendly air space than stratigically okay. This all even goes against his own words where he advocated for tactics and smoothness.

Richthofen is thought to have been suffering from CSR (Cumulative Combat Stres), and he wasn’t the only ace pilot at the time to have this problem. He also was suffering from his head trauma awfully, and was likely experiencing target fixation. Some even speculate, especially due to his writing and tone, he may have wanted to be shot down that day. He was noted to be flying extremely fast on top of everything.

Major David Blake organised Richthofen’s military funeral when the Allied forces found him. They could do nothing to stop souvenir scavengers from tearing the Red Baron’s plane apart though. He would have a few more funerals as his body was moved back home, and when he was held as a war hero. He received many awards. His grave is now in Südfriedhof in Wiesbaden.

The Red Baron became a pop culture icon among both sides, becoming the face of Ace pilots. Like most pilots or snipers his kill count and victories were questioned. This time however it’s more likely all his victories were true and that he more so had more unconfirmed kills under his belt.

[vox-anglosphere]

Indeed, our war heroes need to be treated with dignity and respect.

[profound-ninjasalad11]

[waggleman2]

Is it wrong to glorify war heroes? Is it wrong to celebrate them? Are they the same thing?

As a cishet male I have often fantasised about standing alongside my brothers in arms as we face down impossible odds and we are sure to meet our doom, but we fight anyway, knowing that it may be worth something in the end.

However I often think about 'war heroes' as well. From multitudes of wars, on both sides. Adrian carton de Wiart was an absolute unit from the Boer War and both World Wars. He was injured in just about every location you can think of and when asked for his experiences of WW1, he said 'frankly I had enjoyed the war'. Should he be celebrated? Without him, many battles may have been lost since he excelled in his position as a general, but in glorifying him, are we not glorifying a man who enjoyed war, and therefore war itself? I don't know

And is it wrong to find the achievements of a man who was fighting on the enemy side impressive. The Red Baron who fought on the side of the Axis Powers in WW1 was one of the most impressive fighter pilots there was. But also he was on the axis sides. Is it wrong to recognise his exceptional performance for what it was? I don't know

I was kinda just thinking about it. War is obviously bad. But when war happens and people are there who perform amazing feats, should they be remembered for that greatness? I would honestly love to hear people's thoughts, if they have time to give them

[superartsy-carnival-0]

Rasengan!

[classicartverso]

Marc Silvestri - War Heroes 

[the-overanalyst]

it's always so fascinating and heartbreaking when a character in a story is simultaneously idolized and abused. a chosen prophet destined for martyrdom. a child prodigy forced to grow up too fast. a powerful warrior raised as nothing but a weapon. there's just something so uniquely messed up about singing someone's praises whilst destroying them.

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

Of the 19 hijackers who carried out the Sept 11 attacks:

15 were from Saudi Arabia (a powerful/oil-rich country the U.S. works hard to maintain diplomatic relations with)

2 were from the United Arab Emirates (also a powerful/oil-rich country the U.S. works hard to maintain diplomatic relations with)

1 was from Egypt, 1 from Lebanon.

None of the hijackers were from Iraq.

None of the Sept 11 hijackers were Iraqi.

None of the 9/11 hijackers were from Iraq.

[the-evil-clergyman]

Ajax and Cassandra by Solomon Joseph Solomon (1886)

[froody]

American trans men prior to the mid 20th century were like. I’m going to get into shootouts with the sheriff. I’m going to date 5 women at once. I’m going to drive a stage coach at 60 mph. I will be a menace to society. And I will be so sexy and cool while doing it.

[kattliet]

[naboosands]

Every now and then Master Fisto *accidentally* lands on the Vogue Coruscant cover and the rest of the Council lose their minds

Bonus:

[gone2soon-rip]

Squadron Leader GEORGE ‘JOHNNIE’ JOHNSON (1921-Died December 7th 2022,at 101). British Royal Air Force officer who was the last surviving original member of No. 617 Squadron RAF and of Operation Chastise, the "Dambusters" raid of 1943.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Johnson_(RAF_officer)

[azertyrobaz]

Pedro Pascal as the best dad parent

[jedi-starbird]

Rex: So General Kenobi, how come you speak mando'a?

Obi-Wan: I've always been interested in the culture and I spent a year on Mandalore for a mission in my youth :)

Rex: I see, what about you, General Skywalker?

Anakin: Huh? Oh Obi-Wan used to drop me off in mando daycare when he went to get laid in little Keldabe, fun times, they taught me how to headbutt someone.

[classicartverso]

Frank Cho - War Heroes