Interesting examples about Italians as more aggressive than they’re stereotypically depicted.
My grandmother’s recollection from Salonica was more like the stereotype though - she said the Italians wanted to preen their feathers and sing. The Germans were calling them pieces of shit and tended to be more ruthless. But we can gloss over the other examples too easily and it is important to point them out. It is too easy for people not just to see things in black and white terms, but to think they are the ‘good invader’ when that is really a non sequitur when we think about it.
The Greeks often like to describe Alexander in this way (he encourages intermarrying, was kinder to civilians than they were expecting). We probably lack lots of accounts on the other side which would say the polar opposite. It would be interested to hear about that if you study him. I didnt get to do paper on Alexander at uni, as the papers were quite strictly prescribed, but as you can imagine I wanted to know more, so I did a couple of postgraduate ones, two on the Byzantine period / Constantinople and one on Alexander (just a couple of months at Birkbeck). I think it could have easily been a whole year.
We do study about Alexander but more so during the last semester we studied the Hellenistic era and his diadohoi which very much fascinates me, especially the Greco-bactrian and the greco-indian kingdoms that were formed from the Seleucid empire. I have written a couple of stacks about the Hellenistic era actually. One of them it was an assignment I took last Spring. I don't know if you read it already, but here it is:
The best historical 'good invader' I can think of is the Allied invasion and occupation of Iceland, which took place after Germany removed the lawful government in Denmark, had no casualties, provided massive economic development for the island, and resulted in what many Icelanders refer to as the blessað stríðið or 'Lovely War.'
While in Kastoria, I was athonished learning of the italian hard bombing of the town, leading also to the destruction of the doom of the Panagia Koubelidiki.
Interesting examples about Italians as more aggressive than they’re stereotypically depicted.
My grandmother’s recollection from Salonica was more like the stereotype though - she said the Italians wanted to preen their feathers and sing. The Germans were calling them pieces of shit and tended to be more ruthless. But we can gloss over the other examples too easily and it is important to point them out. It is too easy for people not just to see things in black and white terms, but to think they are the ‘good invader’ when that is really a non sequitur when we think about it.
The Greeks often like to describe Alexander in this way (he encourages intermarrying, was kinder to civilians than they were expecting). We probably lack lots of accounts on the other side which would say the polar opposite. It would be interested to hear about that if you study him. I didnt get to do paper on Alexander at uni, as the papers were quite strictly prescribed, but as you can imagine I wanted to know more, so I did a couple of postgraduate ones, two on the Byzantine period / Constantinople and one on Alexander (just a couple of months at Birkbeck). I think it could have easily been a whole year.
We do study about Alexander but more so during the last semester we studied the Hellenistic era and his diadohoi which very much fascinates me, especially the Greco-bactrian and the greco-indian kingdoms that were formed from the Seleucid empire. I have written a couple of stacks about the Hellenistic era actually. One of them it was an assignment I took last Spring. I don't know if you read it already, but here it is:
https://open.substack.com/pub/studyinghistory/p/200bc?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
The best historical 'good invader' I can think of is the Allied invasion and occupation of Iceland, which took place after Germany removed the lawful government in Denmark, had no casualties, provided massive economic development for the island, and resulted in what many Icelanders refer to as the blessað stríðið or 'Lovely War.'
This case was pointed our to me in another comment and I admit I didn't know about it. So interesting!
Super interesting! My girlfriend is Bulgarian, I shall certainly bug her about this lol
Oh. 😅
Bulgarians make hell of companions but not so good as invaders. 😛
I'll let her know😝😝😝
Thank you for the history.
My pleasure, Robert.
While in Kastoria, I was athonished learning of the italian hard bombing of the town, leading also to the destruction of the doom of the Panagia Koubelidiki.
Indeed! Italians had also air superiority.
What troubles you, Helen?