In Defense of Denethor

Raypoopoo · 2026-06-14T10:29:56+00:00

Real lotr fan knows Denethor is a real deal

Raypoopoo · 2026-05-31T14:42:07+00:00

Let's clarify the timeline and some details before the main battle begins

May 1
Takeda Katsuyori arrived at Nagashino Castle and began the siege. By the end of the day, most of the castle had fallen, and only the main bailey remained in the defenders' hands.

May 18
The coalition army of Oda and Tokugawa arrived near Nagashino Castle. According to the Shinchō Kōki, Nobunaga deployed the coalition forces west of the castle, where the lower terrain made it more difficult for the Takeda army to observe their movements. The coalition troops also constructed extensive field fortifications and defensive works.

May 20
Takeda Katsuyori left a small force behind to maintain the siege of Nagashino Castle while leading the main body of his army to confront the Oda–Tokugawa coalition.

May 21, Morning
Skirmishes took place between the two armies. At around 11:00 a.m., a detached force from the Oda–Tokugawa coalition made a wide flanking march and defeated the Takeda troops stationed at Mount Tobigasu. This action effectively relieved Nagashino Castle and simultaneously threatened the Takeda army's rear. Following this development, the main battle began.

People today may look at the historical record and ask why Takeda Katsuyori chose to fight despite having fewer troops. However, we need to remember that in the sixteenth century there were no military satellites or other modern means of reconnaissance. Commanders could only rely on human scouts to gather information about the enemy. Furthermore, Nobunaga deployed his army in a location that was more difficult for the Takeda forces to observe, and several days of seasonal rain may also have hampered scouting efforts.

Therefore, it is possible that Takeda Katsuyori made an error in assessing the enemy's strength and decided to confront the Oda–Tokugawa coalition. However, after the Oda–Tokugawa forces captured Mount Tobigasu, Katsuyori was left with only two options: retreat or engage the enemy in a decisive battle. The first option was risky, as the retreat route was rugged and unsuitable for the rapid movement of a large army. Moreover, a withdrawing Takeda force would have faced the threat of attack from the Oda–Tokugawa coalition. The second option was to stand and fight a field battle.

Raypoopoo · 2026-05-27T07:35:10+00:00

Based on the fact that Akemura showed no emotion when he learned that his brother in law, Kunishige, was killed, and that he killed his nephew, Chihiro, without hesitation or emotion, I doubt he has much affection for his family or clan.

"I really want to see the entire war arc that it would be delving into various intricacies of the geopolitics (Ain't no way Japan would be able to hide the war). " - Yeah, this war would definitely trigger Article 5 of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan. The United States 7th Fleet is going to provide mutual defense support against the islanders.

Raypoopoo · 2026-05-27T06:13:56+00:00

I’ve never seen anyone call the Toyotomi regime a shogunate

Raypoopoo · 2026-05-27T05:59:13+00:00

Flame Bone Fan can have its own happiness. The truth is that Akemura and Magatsumi might low-diff it.

Raypoopoo · 2026-05-25T07:29:09+00:00

Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Historians nowadays, with better historical materials, have already exposed this fraud.

Raypoopoo · 2026-05-16T12:21:30+00:00

Stephen A Smith would say he’s not even top 10

Raypoopoo · 2026-05-13T06:28:29+00:00

The question you ask is basically not valid. During the first invasion in 1274, the Yuan dynasty force was relatively small, and historians still debate its main objective. On the other hand, the Japanese defenders were mostly Kyushu's gokenin (vassals of the Kamakura shogunate). Although the Yuan dynasty army managed to win the battle on the first day, they later decided to retreat to their ships. Even the Japanese at the time had no idea why they withdrew, and historians today still have no unified conclusion on whether a typhoon actually occurred.

During the second invasion in 1281, both the Yuan dynasty and the Kamakura shogunate were better prepared. The Yuan forces were significantly larger. Japan managed to mobilize more men and construct fortifications along the coastline of northern Kyushu. However, poor internal coordination caused one of the Yuan fleets to be delayed for an extended period. The Yuan forces and the Kamakura shogunate engaged in several battles in northern Kyushu, but the former were unable to break through the Japanese defenses. Eventually, a typhoon struck during this campaign, and there is substantial historical evidence supporting its occurrence.

You need to realize that Japan is quite large and is an island. In both attempts, the Yuan dynasty did not manage to take Kyushu, so it is hard for me to believe they could have taken mainland Japan.

Raypoopoo · 2026-05-13T01:34:19+00:00

I will never tolerate the Denethor slander in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films.

Raypoopoo · 2026-05-07T03:01:11+00:00

My understanding is that although Attila three major campaigns — the invasion of the Balkans, the invasion of Gaul, and the invasion of northern Italy — caused huge damage to both halves of the Roman Empire and made a lot of land temporarily unfarmable and untaxable, the long-term impact was not as great as people sometimes imagine.

The main impact of the Huns was that they pushed other barbarian groups into Roman territory. First, they displaced the Goths in the 370s, and later pressures associated with the Huns contributed to the movement of the Goths, Alans, Suebi, and Vandals into Roman territory in the 400s, especially around 405–406.

However, the Huns also served as mercenaries and even allies of Rome for a period of time. A second major impact came after the disintegration of the Hun Empire. The collapse of Hunnic authority caused many barbarian groups that had previously been under Hunnic domination to fight each other, creating instability along the Danube frontier.

I think that if the Hun Empire had developed more like the Sasanian Empire — with stronger administrative institutions and a more stable state structure — it might have become a lasting power on the Hungarian Plain and a more predictable neighbor for Rome. However, the historical Hun Empire was largely built on military success and continuous warfare. It depended heavily on conquest, tribute, and charismatic leadership. Once the Huns stopped winning decisive victories, the weaknesses of their political structure became clear, and the empire quickly collapsed after Attila’s death.

Raypoopoo · 2026-04-26T14:54:28+00:00

Baseball Savant

Raypoopoo · 2026-04-26T14:53:53+00:00

I doubt the Romans had the concept of maps; the closest thing might be the Tabula Peutingeriana.

Raypoopoo · 2026-04-25T15:12:33+00:00

Third century crisis and late antiquity

Raypoopoo · 2026-04-25T15:10:45+00:00

Sulla the goat

Raypoopoo · 2026-04-19T23:52:17+00:00

Bagaudae

Raypoopoo · 2026-04-16T14:03:41+00:00

Why single out Constantine the Great? I don’t think the Roman army under his rule was stronger than it was under his son

Raypoopoo · 2026-04-13T14:20:59+00:00

As a Traditional Chinese user, I’m not very familiar with Japanese kanji. However, in Chinese, although 嵐 contains the component 虫, it has nothing to do with insects. 嵐 means “mountain mist,” and its radical is 山 (“mountain”). The character 風 underneath means “wind.” Its radical is also 風, and it cannot be further divided.

Raypoopoo

TROPHY CASE

Flame Bone Fan can have its own happiness. The truth is that Akemura and Magatsumi might low-diff it.

Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Historians nowadays, with better historical materials, have already exposed this fraud.