If we must honor significant defeats, let's at least honor those whose leaders who were not the initiators of their defeats. Commander Cunningham at Wake or General Wainwright at Correigedor both come to mind; they executed solid defense against an oversized enemy while surrendering only after being put in untennable situations. Custer was an above average cavalryman (among the federals, they were rare) who lived a charmed life, until he didn't.
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Elvis was far more influential on music than Custer was on military tactics or strategy; few beyond the widows of cavalrymen, north, south, Sioux and Lakota, were affected, while Elvis, regardless of your thoughts for the man or his music, integrated the blues into mainstream rock more successfully than any other white performer of the period. I have never been a fan, but I've appreciated the contribution he's made to modern music. Without Elvis in the 50s, the Stones and Beatles would have had a much tougher slog, BB King would never have been known to white or mainstream audiences, and the likes of Dave Clark Five and Herman's Hermits would have ruled the airwaves ever more.
However, 0 Custer and 1 Elvis seems quite enough
David
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"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"
I agree that Elvis was a big influence on music in the 1950s. Another influence, and one acknowledged by both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones was Buddy Holly. Both groups used Holly's music and made a tribute to him. Of course that influence was tragically ended.
Custer is generally credited with saving the Union Army at Gettysburg with a cavalry charge against Jeb Stuart's cavalry on the 3d day that save the Union Army's rear area during Pickett's charge.
Lee's plan was to catch the Union Army in a pincher with Pickett charging the front to occupy attention while Jeb Stuart cavalry raced around to the rear side. Stuart's cavalry got turned back and Pickett's charge got decimated.
Not just that. If anyone has stood on the battlefield at Gettysburg at the location where Pickett's Charge began and looked how far it was across that open field to the Federal line, it was a military action destined for doom.
Not everyone is perfect.... good at Gettysburg ... saved country... bad at Little Big Horn... lost the meaningless battle (except less you were of those killed...like Custer and his brother.
Oldguy.I .looked up to so many people growing up..and then find out they are not perfect. Theodore Roosevelt did things that were not right also..but the National Parks, The Panama Canal ! with him what you saw was pretty much what you got. Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen also but he only lived to 25.
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