Men of Determination

Rather they had Stingers or not? I see no proof. I see lots of hearsay. Heck, maybe a covert op killed Kennedy, who knows. I bet you could find a picture of it somewhere too.

.....

I'll give you that one, who knows, maybe they had top secret Phaser Guns too.
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Your location says California...are you sure you don't need a permit before you pile that much straw?

Yet you seem to know quite a bit of Afghanistan's history it would appear.
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Only because this is one instance where Afghani history and American history intersect. Aside from that my knowledge of Afghani history is sketchy at best.

At any rate, the point of my OP was that determined citizens with bolt action rifles were able to successfully fight an insurgency against aggressors with modern weaponry.
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But see, if they had weapons other than bolt-action rifles (and they did), your point holds a little less weight. They weren't bringing down Hinds with bolt-action rifles. Stingers or no (again, a mountain of evidence...though not "proof" by your standards...points to yes) they still had access to a lot of weaponry aside from bolt-action rifles...and most of which didn't seem to be manufactured in their country. At least some of it may have been captured from Soviet troops, but again a mountain of evidence suggests that not all[ of it was.

I'll never understand why people feel the need to exaggerate when the truth is impressive enough on its own.


And again, I'm still wondering what you would accept as proof, short of an Afghan insurgent with a Stinger in his hands (in person) or original copies of classified documents. If everybody required the standard of proof you seem to be asking for, the history books would be awful thin.
 
To get back to the point of the OP, I am pleased to see the Fates of the Founders were posted, even with correction.


Whatever weapons the Afghanis had or didn't, they have been a worthy combatant for the English, Russians and about anyone else who has tried to push them around. Let's move on.

Pappy Boyington comes to mind as a determined fellow.

Corrie Ten Boom, a determined woman.
 
How about some information on them? What did they do to make them noteworthy? Lets have some background.
 
Let us not forget the Spartans and the other Greeks at Themopyle. 1 Thousand or so holding off Thousands.

The determination, dedication, and right tactics by one or a few can thwart the biggest and baddest enemy or obstacle.

As for Copenhagen's disbelief about the Stingers; he is still trying to decide if Layfayette actually existed and if he did maybe he was just a colonist with a funny sounding name.

I see Corry Ten Boom being in the list as a determined individual, but "Pappy"Boyington. Granted a great warrior and all but I do not believe he fits into the category of a determined individual with little resources overcomming incredible odds, when most people would think twice before even trying. Heck Pappy was equipped and supported. Whereas Corry was taking on the Nazis with just her faith and her family.
 
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In the movie The Longest Day there is scene where a girl grabs a Germain sentry and jumps into the river to stop him from interfering with demolition of a bridge. This was a true event, she was the equivalent of a general in the under ground and was on the general staff for same. She had fought from the start of the war and personally killed a number of Germans, her deadliest weapon being a short skirt. It is said that she stole a Germain tank ,smuggled it through a road block and used it against the Germans. This woman had guts and brains.
She married a GI who came ashore in Normandy that day and they lived there for the rest of there lives. She fought the entire war and survived, the average resistance fighter had a life span of six months.
She was awarded the highest medal that could be given to a resistance fighter. She was 18 in 1944.
She died , on her farm in Normandy, a few years ago.
 
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Under equipped determined individuals don't always win

But they can have a lasting effect, even in defeat. We still remember the "300" Spartans (and while the movie was fun, it was NOT history)

And in some parts of this land, we still

REMEMBER THE ALAMO!!!!!!
 
On June 5, 1944, a Germen tank battalion started for Normandy and should have arrived late on the 6 th. They never made it. They ran into a small resistance group, who, with only rifles and a few mines, delayed them for the better part of a week. They did this by contaminating the fuel ahead, slowing refueling. And buy placing diner plates on the road. The Germans would see the plates and stop to check. When they stooped checking, the resistance mined them. The Germans were forced to check every plate. Then the resistance sniped the mine clearing crews. It became, see plate, stop, deploy infantry and secure area, clear plates. Repeat every mile, When the battalion reached Normandy it was exhausted and in no condition to fight, then the fighter bombers got them.
 
No, the movie 300 Spartans is not history, but it does have its points. I like how, in some cases, it shows how a phalanx worked. We know surprisingly little about Thermopile, this is because the Spartans were dead and the Persians were not talking. But as the Spartans met there requirements, to delay the Persians until the Greek army mobilized, and the Persians, to reach Athens before this, did not. It was therefor a Spartan victory.
Score Sparta 1, Persia 0
 
If you like WWII examples, here's one from the other side

July 13th, Villers-Bocage Michael Wittman, commanding a single Tiger tank destroys over a dozen British armored vehicles, including several tanks, and stops the advance of an entire British battalion as a result.

Or, one from our side, On Okinawa, in 1945, Pfc Pflug singlehandedly destroys 7 Japanese tanks, armed with a bazooka and a .45 pistol.

One need only do a casual look through history to find where single men, or small groups of men have managed extraordinary feats. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes not. Sometimes they survive, sometimes not. They are found on all sides, and believing in all ideologies. The one thing thay all have in common is, that they did something worthy of being remembered.
 
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