Re: Trying to learn and religion - in for it for 30 years?

> From: Meðal Mikit Stór-ljon Oddhinsson <medhal8@...>
>
>I was a Mikkyo follower, including Shugendo, for several years in my past,
>and even if no longer a buddhist, I still respect this way due to their
>tolerance towards others religions, unlike certain ones that promoted a real
>bloodshed in Europe, Japan, Brazil, etc...
>
>Octavio Augusto Okimoto Alves de Carvalho
>
>

You should say their current attitude since in periods Japanese history
the Buddhists showed very little tolerance for other beliefs including
other Buddhist sects!

> From: Dave Jackson <nihontonut@...>
>
>In addition to the reasons allready mentioned is the fact that they were
>actually used in combat. Of the officers and nco's,
>(the people who actually took swords into battle in WW2) many of them had
>training in iado, kendo and kenjutsu. They complained that the kyugunto, a
>western style saber used during the Russo-Japanese war until the mid 1930s
>was to brittle and inflexable for combat and it also did not allow for a two
>handed grip.
>

Also many of the Western sabre patterns had degenerated into inferior
shapes that were dressy rather than useful. If I remember correctly
George Patton redesigned it in the early 20th century so that it was a
better weapon!

> From: Nate Ledbetter <ltdomer98@...>
>
>
>Turn the question around: Why do we in the US military
>carry cavalry sabers as our ceremonial weapons (and
>why did they carry them back in the day when they
>actually used them?) Because that's what we
>used--that's what fit with our Army. Why should the
>Japanese Army change what had worked for their culture
>for 1000 years?
>
>

It is interesting about how the social aspects of being in the cavalry
vary from country to country. Being in England it's considered
prestigious, while for a long time in the US it was the province of
runaways, neer-do-wells and criminals. (My grandfather and granduncle
were in the US horse cavalry prior to WW1) Was there ever this split
between foot and horse in the various Japanese periods? Or was it just a
matter of money and usage when you used a horse?

Jim

--- James Eckman <ronin_engineer@...> wrote:

> Also many of the Western sabre patterns had
> degenerated into inferior
> shapes that were dressy rather than useful. If I
> remember correctly
> George Patton redesigned it in the early 20th
> century so that it was a
> better weapon!

He did. God, I love Georgie!

Being in England it's

> considered
> prestigious, while for a long time in the US it was
> the province of
> runaways, neer-do-wells and criminals.

As was the ARMY in general...same for England. Other
than your officer ranks, generally ALL soldiers in the
English Army, whether infantry or cavalry or whatever,
were from the "bottom" of society. It's just that the
ones who could ride became cavalry. As a "current"
cavalry officer, I STILL think it's the PREMIER place
to be.

(My

> grandfather and granduncle
> were in the US horse cavalry prior to WW1)

As the saying goes...if you ain't CAV...you ain't
sh#t!

Was there

> ever this split
> between foot and horse in the various Japanese
> periods? Or was it just a
> matter of money and usage when you used a horse?

Just like in Europe, I would assume, in the feudal
period, if you had money, you rode. If you were poor,
you couldn't afford a horse, so you didn't. If you
look at the breakdown of what samurai were expected to
provide based on stipend, the more money, the more
horses they were supposed to provide.

Nate

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