How do you see Genghis Khan?

[TopGearFanatic]

I'm taking inspiration from Genghis Khan's Civilopedia page here. Do you see him as a cruel warmonger or an excellent leader and statesman?

 

[Skwink]

I see him as a great general. It doesn't matter though, because I don't care much for that part of history. Therefore I'm not qualified to answer this question.

 

[Lord Baal]

I'm taking inspiration from Genghis Khan's Civilopedia page here. Do you see him as a cruel warmonger or an excellent leader and statesman?

Can't he be both?

 

[Tee Kay]

Can't he be both?

Is what I was thinking.

 

[TopGearFanatic]

Can't he be both?

It's not, "Out of these, which is he?", it's whatever your opinion of him is.

 

[Lord Baal]

It's not, "Out of these, which is he?", it's whatever your opinion of him is.

A fantastic statesman who united a disparate group of ribal tribes before turning them into the most violent, brutal war machine this world has ever seen (and that includes the Nazis!).

Basically, Genghis Khan Temujin is Emperor Paul-Muad'Dib.

 

[Kraznaya]

Cheng Ji Si Han was a great Chinese hero of the Mongolian nationality.

 

[Tee Kay]

You mean Yuan Taizu.

 

[Winner]

He was the Hitler of his era, only many times worse. If only it was possible to resurrect him, torture him to death, resurrect him again, torture him to death, and repeat this for a thousand years.

 

[NovaKart]

I see two sides to the issue.

1. It doesn't make sense to judge people from the past based on our current values.

2. We're so far removed from the death, violence and destruction he inflicted on a huge number of people that it's easy for us to ignore it.

 

[NedimNapoleon]

Temujin was a great leader, he spread his genes far and wide so he is a great man.

 

[Godwynn]

It's frightening to me that a man responsible for the deaths of probably a larger percentage of the world than Hitler has statues in Mongolia. Conquering sociopathic murderers should not be idolized.

 

[Lord Baal]

It's frightening to me that a man responsible for the deaths of probably a larger percentage of the world than Hitler has statues in Mongolia. Conquering sociopathic murderers should not be idolized.

But then who will we make movies about?

 

[Tahuti]

Do you see him as a cruel warmonger or an excellent leader and statesman?

Both. Though he was in fact quite merciful towards cities who immediately surrendered, while committing atrocities against anyone who didn't immediately surrender. It arguably helped him deal in his success.

 

[Winner]

It's frightening to me that a man responsible for the deaths of probably a larger percentage of the world than Hitler has statues in Mongolia. Conquering sociopathic murderers should not be idolized.

This. Obviously, wholesale butchery of cities is a thing to be admired...

---

Seriously, so bloody what that he united some worthless nomadic tribes in Mongolia? He used them to destroy countless civilizations, some of which have never recovered (Central Asia, Mesopotamia). The only remotely good thing about the Mongol rule was the re-opening of the Silk Road, and that was just a side effect of the genocidal bloodbath he and his followers perpetrated.

Also, in Europe, they warped and twisted the soul of Russia and left a permanent wound in the Russian soul - as a result, Russia has imitated their expansionism, cruelty, and utter disregard for human life ever since.

 

[Tee Kay]

Conquering sociopathic murderers should not be idolized.

 

[Louis XXIV]

I used to think of the cruelty aspects first. Now I tend to think of him as a conqueror. If his campaigns were less effective, it might be easier to think otherwise, but he did too much to reduce him to his cruelty. Not that I'm excusing it, just that it's not the first thing I think of anymore.

 

[Masada]

The only remotely good thing about the Mongol rule was the re-opening of the Silk Road, and that was just a side effect of the genocidal bloodbath he and his followers perpetrated.

The Silk Road was a piss-poor substitute for the sea route.

 

[Azale]

This. Obviously, wholesale butchery of cities is a thing to be admired...

I'm sure you feel the same way about famous European conquerors too.

Also, in Europe, they warped and twisted the soul of Russia and left a permanent wound in the Russian soul - as a result, Russia has imitated their expansionism, cruelty, and utter disregard for human life ever since.

Oh god you are good

 

[Tahuti]

I didn't give this a full read though, but I laughed as soon as I saw the title!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...eople-forests-grew-carbon-levels-dropped.html