Now Playing: The El Paso El Catchos vs. the Walhalla Toothless Vikings
A recent study by two political scientists from Princeton and West Point examined 250 asymmetrical conflicts (wars in which one side had a huge advantage in numbers or technology). They concluded that, prior to 1850, the more powerful nation or army was 85% likely to win one-sided battles. Since 1950, the more powerful nation has won only 21% of the time.
The reason the odds have changed is that warfare itself has changed. Modern bands of guerilla soldiers (insurgents, rebels, terrorists, freedom fighters, whatever you want to call them) are usually more mobile, more motivated to defend their land, culture, and religion, more familiar with the terrain, and less reliant on complex technology, logistics, and lines of communication than a large attacking army. When larger armies try to draw out guerrilla fighters to fight on their own terms, they're usually unsuccessful. The smaller army just has to dig in and wait. This was not the rule prior to the 20th century, when the rules of warfare dictated that both armies line up facing each other in an open field, with infantry and pikemen in the center, cavalry off to the side, and artillery at the rear.
It's quite interesting to observe, then, that the 300 Spartans were ahead of their time in their brave stand against the Persians. Like a modern-day army, Frank Miller's Persians relied heavily on technology (i.e., arrows, exploding urns, rhino shock troops) instead of actually engaging the Spartans in battle. When they did meet in hand-to-hand combat, the Spartans had the clear advantage of training, motivation, and especially terrain. In fact, both Thermopylae and Agincourt hinged on the underdog army having the better position. At Agincourt, the larger French army became trapped inside a funnel-shaped piece of high ground, where they were easily routed by Henry V. (It didn't help that there was 4 inches of mud and the French were wearing extremely heavy armor, of the sort that, once you slip and fall, you're not getting up again.)
After rambling on in a such a nerdy fashion, now I feel the need to switch to a more shallow topic. So close your eyes, and I'll tuck you in and tell you a fairy story.....
GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE SPARTANS
Once upon a time, a little girl named Goldilocks went for a walk in the forest.
She came to a cinema. The door was open, so she went in.
Nobody was home. There was a movie about 300 Spartans playing on the screen.
Goldilocks sat down and began to watch the beautifully honed men.
"This Spartan is too skinny," she said.
The camera panned across the line of warriors waiting for battle.
"That Spartan is too bulky."
Dilios appeared on the screen.
"Oh! This Spartan is juuuuust right!" cried Goldilocks.
Then the fighting began. The captain spoke.
"This Spartan is too British," said Goldilocks.
She waited for the next scene. The king began yelling.
"This Spartan is too Scottish."
Then the theater filled with the dulcet, honeyed tones of the narrator.
"This Spartan is just right!" Goldilocks sighed. She fell asleep with a smile on her face.
While she was sleeping, Frank Miller and Zach Snyder entered the theater.
"Someone's been ogling my characters!!" cried Frank Miller.
"Someone's been ignoring my super-cool color crushing and CGI effects!" cried Zach Snyder. "AND THERE SHE IS!"
Goldilocks was frightened. She jumped out of her seat, ran out of the door, and back into the forest.
And she never went exploring in strange theaters again without a personal bodyguard.
