On thoughts
Aimee Mann-- Its Not Going to Stop
I just spent three and a half hours watching The Longest Day, some D-day special film on arts central.
Its ingenious really, the whole event. The dummy parachutes, the jamming of radar, the cutting of lines, the taking over of the highway and railway. Never read anything detailed on D day before but the film gave me the impression that the Allies were actually pretty much close to losing the day, in which case we’d probably be speaking German, or more likely, Japanese now. Actually one wonders whether inventions like the internet would have occurred if Germany and Japan had taken over Europe and Asia, leaving the Russians and the USA as they were and vice versa. Back to the point. According to the film, or what I got from the film, the Germans lost simply because
1) key officials were all on leave, presumably enjoying life in France
2) complacency when the word of invasion got around; many simply couldn’t believe the allies would attack in such poor weather conditions, and at Normandy. Plus, the higher-ups didn’t take much notice of their communications being jammed, since it always occurred—even when the lower-down stated that it was “particularly efficient” that night
3) Hitler took sedatives on that night. His word was needed to release the panzer divisions, and his aide refused to wake him up. A pity really, it would’ve been nice to see how the Allies would’ve coped with the tanks and their attendant dive bombers.
The Germans were so close to a victory, or at least the refutation of a direct defeat, that one can almost feel pity for them.
Mind games. Both sides were aware of the weather condition. The Germans knew the Allies wouldn’t strike in such poor weather. The Allies would know that, and thus strike in poor weather to catch them unawares. And yet, the smart-aleck German would know that the Americans know that, and therefore assume the Allies would strike in better weather because the Americans would know the germans would only be ready for invasion in poor weather condition. And so on, it can go on forever.
And then theres the issue of the nearest point between France and Britain and the furthest. The Germans would assume the Allies would strike at the nearest point. But it’d be too simplistic to think that way wouldn’t it, and so they’d guard the furthest point, which would be Normandy btw. And then one could think that would be simplistic too, because the Allies would know the Germans should be guarding the furthest point, and so you decide to guard the nearest point. And so on.
Combine both elements. Put yourself in the Germans shoes. Which would you have prepared for? An invasion at the furthest point, or at the nearest? And in what type of weather condition?
If you think it through you actually realize that when everyone has such perfect knowledge, except knowledge of your opponents minds at the very instant they make their decision, any decision made would be the equivalent of a gambled guess. As a side note, the Germans actually had the additional dimension of considering between a diversionary attack at which point and the real one at which; they had thought Normandy would be the target of the diversionary attack unless Im very much mistaken.
There are times where you think so much that your thoughts degrade into little more of absolute rubbish. We shouldnt dwell too much on certain things.
Oh yes, what are those spikes on the beach for? See them in troy, see them in normandy. They dont seem to do much do they, if they were meant to keep the enemy out.
Heres something you might find interesting. Do bookmark it.
http://www.mannishversion.mindsay.com/
I just spent three and a half hours watching The Longest Day, some D-day special film on arts central.
Its ingenious really, the whole event. The dummy parachutes, the jamming of radar, the cutting of lines, the taking over of the highway and railway. Never read anything detailed on D day before but the film gave me the impression that the Allies were actually pretty much close to losing the day, in which case we’d probably be speaking German, or more likely, Japanese now. Actually one wonders whether inventions like the internet would have occurred if Germany and Japan had taken over Europe and Asia, leaving the Russians and the USA as they were and vice versa. Back to the point. According to the film, or what I got from the film, the Germans lost simply because
1) key officials were all on leave, presumably enjoying life in France
2) complacency when the word of invasion got around; many simply couldn’t believe the allies would attack in such poor weather conditions, and at Normandy. Plus, the higher-ups didn’t take much notice of their communications being jammed, since it always occurred—even when the lower-down stated that it was “particularly efficient” that night
3) Hitler took sedatives on that night. His word was needed to release the panzer divisions, and his aide refused to wake him up. A pity really, it would’ve been nice to see how the Allies would’ve coped with the tanks and their attendant dive bombers.
The Germans were so close to a victory, or at least the refutation of a direct defeat, that one can almost feel pity for them.
Mind games. Both sides were aware of the weather condition. The Germans knew the Allies wouldn’t strike in such poor weather. The Allies would know that, and thus strike in poor weather to catch them unawares. And yet, the smart-aleck German would know that the Americans know that, and therefore assume the Allies would strike in better weather because the Americans would know the germans would only be ready for invasion in poor weather condition. And so on, it can go on forever.
And then theres the issue of the nearest point between France and Britain and the furthest. The Germans would assume the Allies would strike at the nearest point. But it’d be too simplistic to think that way wouldn’t it, and so they’d guard the furthest point, which would be Normandy btw. And then one could think that would be simplistic too, because the Allies would know the Germans should be guarding the furthest point, and so you decide to guard the nearest point. And so on.
Combine both elements. Put yourself in the Germans shoes. Which would you have prepared for? An invasion at the furthest point, or at the nearest? And in what type of weather condition?
If you think it through you actually realize that when everyone has such perfect knowledge, except knowledge of your opponents minds at the very instant they make their decision, any decision made would be the equivalent of a gambled guess. As a side note, the Germans actually had the additional dimension of considering between a diversionary attack at which point and the real one at which; they had thought Normandy would be the target of the diversionary attack unless Im very much mistaken.
There are times where you think so much that your thoughts degrade into little more of absolute rubbish. We shouldnt dwell too much on certain things.
Oh yes, what are those spikes on the beach for? See them in troy, see them in normandy. They dont seem to do much do they, if they were meant to keep the enemy out.
Heres something you might find interesting. Do bookmark it.
http://www.mannishversion.mindsay.com/
4 Comments:
mannishversion is honored.
"....thoughts degrade into little more of absolute rubbish" it sure happens, i couldnt agree more. and i was wanting to ask, does that mean u'd cease the thinking when rubbish is being churned out?
anyhow, i think this entry is worthy of note.
jj
i'm reading something about the US army and in it, all these wars are talked indetails. i have something to day, but just cant put my finger on it.
How nice of you to put an ad for jojo.
cheers,
Linghui
Actually it was meant to be "thoughts degrade into little more THAN absolute rubbish", as would be the normal way of putting it. Somehow it turned to, "thoughts degrade into little more OF absolute rubbish". It must be the night, but anyway, come to think of it, the latter makes more sense than the former.
Anyway, yes, I still do think even as the rubbish gets churned out. In the context of NYJC, its the case of thoughts degrading into rubbish on rubbish. I hope I dont offend too much, with emphasis only on too much.
The wine has been drunk. the bitterness has enriched, the sweetness has sweetened but it has all culminated into a vacuum of nothingness. The existing pleasures of solitude have now disintegrated slowly but steadily. why? Perhaps I drank the wrong wine. Perhaps the hermit has been prodded into awareness by some unknown forces. But worry not, the isolation still continues despite this hangover.
jj
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