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    Military parades

    Today is Romania's 100th birthday (to be more accurate it's the 100th anniversary of the creation of modern Romania). This is being marked not by joyous street parties (though to be fair it is - 10°), but by military parades. Why do countries do this? I mean I know historical reasons, but in the 21st century why would a democratic vaguely forward looking country choose to "celebrate" a huge national event by waving its dick around in this way and being all serious? It genuinely baffles me.

    (I realise that Romania is far from alone in this. Why does France do it for example? I get why North Korea does it since its military is the only part of society which is fed, but them aside?)

    #2
    Well, you've said it, historical reasons. Aren't most states born of armed struggle? That, and being a pillar of the state.

    Isn't the whole point of this to remind the people of national myth building, shared history and common culture?

    And living in a democratic, vaguely forward looking country, Romanians have the choice to ignore it, or embrace it, or whatever.

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      #3
      One of my brothers is in the army and he and his lot were marching through the centre of Liverpool the other week. No tanks or missile launchers, but they had a military band. As far as I know, these smaller scale events are quite common because local links are still valued.

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        #4
        This state in its modern form was born of imperial collapse, no armed struggle. I dunno do people really get a sense of shared culture and national identity when they look at some tanks and some soldiers?

        It just feels so fucking joyless.

        (It's obviously not aimed at me or anyone that I really understand, but I do struggle with imagining people enthusiastically going out to watch this kind of thing.)

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          #5
          Isn't it also the most visible example of the paraphernalia of the state? It would be nice to have judges or teachers marching, I suppose.

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            #6
            We used to do military parades, Until they became too embarrassing. You need to commit to spend a lot of money on pointless shiny things, and lets just say that wasn't a priority for the govt of a dying economy.

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              #7
              Most armies do seem to know how to put on a good marching band. One gets the impression that the three things the British Army teaches its soldiers is how to polish their boots, strip their rifles and play a brass instrument.

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                #8
                were the Irish military parades a tribute to the armed struggle? when did they stop? any films of them?

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                  #9
                  This was the first thing that came up on youtube.

                  The thing was that by 1966 it still basically looked like this. I particularly like the armoured Fordson tractors.

                  There used to be a parade on St Patrick's Day, and I think there used to be regular commemorations of the Easter Rising.

                  This is the one from 1966.

                  you get to see the full extent of our armoured forces. (Apart from the two or three tanks that we didn't have spare parts for, and which couldn't move) We had to buy these armoured cars because the ancient useless yokes we sent to the congo had to be abandoned there.
                  Last edited by The Awesome Berbaslug!!!; 01-12-2018, 12:36.

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                    #10
                    They pretty much stopped once the Troubles started, but there have been minor parades again at Easter since the centenary.

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                      #11
                      Yeah. When the troubles started, we stopped doing military parades, and basically stopped teaching people about Cromwell, and we toned down the whole tricolour thing, until Jack Charlton came along.
                      Last edited by The Awesome Berbaslug!!!; 01-12-2018, 12:42.

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                        #12
                        thanks for those links- love the hat iconography in 66- de Valera's topper. the veteran's shapeless soft felt and the berets . And the Cyclist battalions of 1939.

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                          #13
                          the thing was we didn't even have enough motorized stuff to fill a parade, so we had to be more honest. The thing about military parades is that they're basically a lie about what your army is like and you are showing all your best stuff. You wouldn't get the impression from German military parades of the Era that the overwhelming majority of tanks that invaded france were about the size of a car, or that the German Army that invaded Russia was primarily horse drawn.

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                            #14
                            Originally posted by The Awesome Berbaslug!!! View Post
                            Yeah. When the troubles started, we stopped doing military parades, and basically stopped teaching people about Cromwell, and we toned down the whole tricolour thing, until Jack Charlton came along.
                            Speak for yourself Berba, one of my teachers was very passionate about teaching us about Cromwell and his misdeeds, of course when he died, to everyone's surprise, an IRA colour party appeared at the graveside, so there was that.

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                              #15
                              Hahaha. He still got a mention of course, but before the troubles, lets just say he featured a lot more prominently.

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                                #16
                                Even with the more nuanced history I was taught in the Nineties/2000s, Cromwell still came across as the major villain, with William of Orange a distant second, and Pearse sounding slightly unhinged, as he undoubtedly was.

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                                  #17
                                  Originally posted by ad hoc View Post
                                  This state in its modern form was born of imperial collapse, no armed struggle. I dunno do people really get a sense of shared culture and national identity when they look at some tanks and some soldiers?

                                  It just feels so fucking joyless.

                                  (It's obviously not aimed at me or anyone that I really understand, but I do struggle with imagining people enthusiastically going out to watch this kind of thing.)
                                  It is joyless. Even more joyless if you're involved in them. The best part of parades I was involved in was the piss up after.

                                  As for history and shared culture, that depends on your politics I suppose.

                                  What's does the Romanian media and social media make of it all?
                                  Last edited by NickSTFU; 01-12-2018, 15:14.

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                                    #18
                                    Originally posted by Benjm View Post
                                    One of my brothers is in the army and he and his lot were marching through the centre of Liverpool the other week. No tanks or missile launchers, but they had a military band. As far as I know, these smaller scale events are quite common because local links are still valued.
                                    Probably the freedom of the City parade.

                                    The old County regiment system built these links back in the day.

                                    The Rifles (ex-Light Infantry, ex-Kings Shropshire Light Infantry) still parade through Shrewsbury and other towns in the county.

                                    No one pays any attention though.

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                                      #19
                                      Originally posted by The Awesome Berbaslug!!! View Post
                                      This was the first thing that came up on youtube.

                                      The thing was that by 1966 it still basically looked like this. I particularly like the armoured Fordson tractors.
                                      It reminds me of those fantasy sequences in the film of Billy Liar, especially the commentary. They were spot on piss-takes, and the whole notion must have seemed hopelessly old fashioned even back then when it was made in the early 60s.

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                                        #20
                                        Originally posted by The Awesome Berbaslug!!! View Post
                                        This was the first thing that came up on youtube.

                                        The thing was that by 1966 it still basically looked like this. I particularly like the armoured Fordson tractors.

                                        There used to be a parade on St Patrick's Day, and I think there used to be regular commemorations of the Easter Rising.

                                        This is the one from 1966.

                                        you get to see the full extent of our armoured forces. (Apart from the two or three tanks that we didn't have spare parts for, and which couldn't move) We had to buy these armoured cars because the ancient useless yokes we sent to the congo had to be abandoned there.
                                        What's striking about those video clips is the influence of the British Army in dress and weaponry.

                                        Apart from the tractor.

                                        Now it could be any European army.

                                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuU_CD9S3XM

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                                          #21
                                          Chauvinistic, macho breast beating.

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                                            #22
                                            I don't know AHC, the lyrics to that march are....

                                            "Let him Go, Let him tarry
                                            Let him sink or let him swim.
                                            For He doesn't care for me,
                                            Nor I care for him.
                                            Let him go and get another
                                            Whom I hope he will enjoy,
                                            Coz I'm Going to marry
                                            A far nicer boy."

                                            The Real Ruby Murray

                                            Nick, where do you think we got that stuff? There's plenty of Lee Enfield's on display in 1966
                                            Last edited by The Awesome Berbaslug!!!; 01-12-2018, 16:59.

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                                              #23
                                              Please don't misunderstand Berbs. The tune and the lyrics are fine but the whole concept of flexing military muscles in public seems, to me, an anachronism. An expensive one at that.

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                                                #24
                                                ah now AHC, sometimes we have to remind the people of Dundalk who the legitimate authorities of the state are. Some of them are slow to learn.

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                                                  #25
                                                  Originally posted by adams house cat View Post
                                                  Please don't misunderstand Berbs. The tune and the lyrics are fine but the whole concept of flexing military muscles in public seems, to me, an anachronism. An expensive one at that.
                                                  Well, it's not always about that.

                                                  Freedom of the Town/City parades are really about establishing links with communities. The band plays music, and, at most, a platoon of squaddies will parade. Hardly flexing of muscles.

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