| In courses on military history I've had from officer training, King Gustavus Adolphus (as he's also known) was credited as the "father of modern warfare". It was he who among many other concepts created the use of firing in ranks. One rank fires, reloads and while doing so the next rank fires and reloads and so on thus keeping a continuous volume of fire on the enemy. Seems simple to us now but at the time it was revolutionary. He also used the latest weaponry and conceived new mobile tactics. He should've quit the field when he was wounded at Lützen, but felt his presence was necessary when the battle had reached its height and victory was at hand. His death at the hands of the Croatian cuirassiers was nothing less than the murder of a wounded defenceless man.
I'm sure the Europeans here can tell you more about him, especially the Swedes of course.
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"Do not forget your dogs of war, your big guns, which are the most-to-be respected arguments of the rights of kings."
- Frederick the Great, King of Prussia  |