1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,040 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve Camray. 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you welcome to stuff you should know 3 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: from house Stuff Works dot com. Hey, and welcome to 4 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: the podcast. I'm Josh Clark. With me is always a 5 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: smiling Chuck Bryant. I'm smiling. How are you doing, Chuck? 6 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: I feel like I was just whisked in here, like 7 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: Elvis or something. You were you like Krusty the clown 8 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: when he comes in to do the recording for a 9 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:33,920 Speaker 1: Crusty Doll? Right you remember? Yeah again? Hey, Hey, that's 10 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: my best. Yeah. So Chuck came in on a sick day, 11 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: on a wing and a prayer. I just walked in. Yeah, 12 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: traffic is bad, it's nasty out, raining, raining, cold, and 13 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about something else that is cold. Hey, 14 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: nice mercenaries, Yeah, Chuck, we've talked about Delta Force before. Remember, 15 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: we had to keep our composure sure, because we were 16 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: tittering and excited and all that. Yes, you're taken to 17 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: task a little bit by liking violence that's not necessarily 18 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: going to happen in this one. I have a feeling mercenaries, 19 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: which are as I think everybody knows our soldiers for 20 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: hire are pretty much universally hated by everybody. Yeah, okay, 21 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 1: I didn't get that. Yeah, nobody likes a mercenary. One 22 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: of the reasons why is because when you go to war, 23 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: because people go to war because somebody is getting pushed 24 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: around by some other big jerk country or um, you know, 25 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 1: there's some dictator that should be toppler. It's ideological on 26 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: the suite, on the surface, and that's what attracts you know, 27 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: brave men and women, braver people than us much who 28 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 1: go into service not for money, but because they want 29 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: to protect democracy or freedom or what have you. Mercenaries 30 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: don't do that. They go and say, uh, this country 31 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 1: is paying a lot right now for this war that 32 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: they're in, and I'm gonna go kill for them. Sure 33 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: for money, I'm killing for money. They're pretty much man. Yeah, 34 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: I didn't realize that the fascinating history of the mercenary 35 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 1: until I read this. No, and William Harris, by the way, 36 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: did a hum dinger of a job. Job. Yeah, So, Chuck, 37 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: let's talk about mercenaries. Where did they come from? Well, Josh, 38 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: the earliest account that we know of is about twenty 39 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: four hundred years ago when uh Persian prince in general 40 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: Cyrus the Younger, which I like that Cyrus the Younger, 41 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,960 Speaker 1: not to be confused with Cyrus the elderly guy, right, 42 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,239 Speaker 1: the bald Uh he hired the ten thousand, which was 43 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: an army of Greek mercenaries, to seize the throne in Persia, right, 44 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: and what a sarces? Yeah, and I'm not sure, but 45 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: I've seen the movie three hundred, so I bet the 46 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: ten thousand were pretty tough. Yeah, And I was wondering, 47 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:46,519 Speaker 1: are the three hundred and the ten thousand related? Are 48 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 1: the three hundred the remains of the decimated ten thousand? 49 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 1: If so, they're tough dudes. They were tough dudes. That 50 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: was a great movie. That's stupid disfigured guy gave him up? Yeah, 51 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: and oh the abs did you know? In that movie? 52 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: They they wanted to recreate what these guys probably looked like. 53 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: So when they were training, they didn't use any equipment. 54 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: They did things like roll tires up hills, did like 55 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: real like earthy um, like the Strongman competition very much. 56 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 1: It carried like concrete beer kegs and stuff, right, and 57 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:22,519 Speaker 1: like pickup tractor trailers like the beer cakes what a 58 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,239 Speaker 1: waste of beer. Seriously. So yeah, so that was back 59 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: in what four oh one BC, right, and since then 60 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: we've pretty much used mercenaries almost uninterrupted. Yeah, they made 61 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: a pretty big splash, I guess you could say in 62 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: the Hundred Years War, which lasted longer than a hundred years, 63 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: But they did. But I mean, they're not gonna say, 64 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 1: what the hundred and sixteen year War that doesn't have 65 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 1: the same ring between the English and the French from 66 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: s to fourteen fifty three. Well, that's the problem with 67 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 1: the long War is that your armies are going to 68 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: be decimated precisely, so you have to turn to the 69 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: you know, the paid for higher guys. Well, not only that, 70 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: the standing political army didn't really appear until I think 71 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: the seventeenth century. So back back in this time, all 72 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: these disparate landowning earls and dukes and princes, Um, they 73 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 1: had their own private armies and they were all for pay. 74 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:23,040 Speaker 1: But um a lot of them were drawn from their 75 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: own countrymen. But yeah, you make an excellent point. When 76 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: you have a hundred year war, you're gonna go through 77 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 1: a lot of your countrymen. That's just kind of one 78 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: of the aspects of war. So yeah. Um. In the 79 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: Hundred Year War, a guy named Edward of Woodstock who's 80 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 1: known as the Black Prince, which, by the way, from 81 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: now on, I want you to call me the Black Prince. 82 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:43,479 Speaker 1: I was gonna call you Josh of Woodstock. Not for 83 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: many years, buddy. Um. He made use of mercenaries in 84 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 1: what how do you pronounce this, chuck, I'm gonna go 85 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: with cheval sha yes, which basically means burned, pillage, loot 86 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,160 Speaker 1: and rape. Yes, And that's our war. I think fans 87 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: of Blazing Saddles might know that better as the number six. 88 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:05,280 Speaker 1: That was where they go riding into town whipping in 89 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 1: a wamping every living thing. Yeah, yeah, that's what they 90 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: say in Blazing Saddles. Then they also had a number 91 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: six dance later on, which was a really great line dance. 92 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,720 Speaker 1: Maybe so, probably not. I think it's a little more 93 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: bloody and horrifying. Yeah. Um. And then the the Hundred 94 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: Years War ends, and I guess the use of mercenaries 95 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:27,119 Speaker 1: kind of dried up for a little while, right, Yeah, 96 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 1: So my earlier comment about them being used uninterrupted was 97 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: totally baseless. Well, I bet you there were some mercenaries 98 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,039 Speaker 1: used here and there, just not as widely. Right, Let's 99 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: talk about some famous mercenaries there, Chuck, Okay, like the 100 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:43,719 Speaker 1: Swiss Guard. I think that's pretty tough. Yeah. They made 101 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 1: the point in here. William made the point in here 102 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:49,799 Speaker 1: that sometimes a soldier would get a specialty, a combat specialty, 103 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 1: so they would be sought out because of a particular 104 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: war or a battle they might be in. And the 105 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: Swiss Guard was such because they were masters of the pike. Right, 106 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:02,679 Speaker 1: and they're still around. There's a pretty cool photo of them, um, 107 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:05,840 Speaker 1: and they are holding their pikes and they look Yeah, 108 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,720 Speaker 1: it's it's it's pretty awesome. It sounds like a euphemism. 109 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:11,160 Speaker 1: They're holding their pikes. Yeah, I'm not gonna go there. 110 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 1: What about the other one? You speak German? I found 111 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: out Chuck speaks Germans and Chuck, how do you pronounce 112 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:19,160 Speaker 1: this one? And you're gonna ask this and I practiced it. 113 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go with lan. Okay, that's better than what 114 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 1: I was gonna And you know I do speak German, 115 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 1: but that's a really tough one. Even if you are German, 116 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: I'm gonna can you can you say say hello to 117 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: my little friends Zach to mankind and freunden. Yeah, checks 118 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: of Beverly Hills Chuawa fame by the way. So yes, 119 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: those German soldiers actually also used the pike, and but 120 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: they also used guns, which was kind of new in 121 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 1: the fifteenth and sixteenth century, right, muskets, arquebus, arquebus. Yeah, 122 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:55,280 Speaker 1: so those guys made a pretty big impression. One of 123 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:59,119 Speaker 1: the reasons why they were I guess heavily sought after 124 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 1: was because unlike the Swiss Guard, they I mean they 125 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:06,040 Speaker 1: specialized in different weapons, but they had like different aspects 126 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 1: of their companies, Like you know, somebody would use the 127 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: must get, somebody else would use a pike, somebody else 128 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: would use a sword. So they were like everything you 129 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: needed all in one right. And actually, did you know that, um, 130 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: in the Revolutionary War there were tons and tons of mercenaries, 131 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: not until this and I'm surprised I have not made 132 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: a film about it yet because William and he even 133 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: has this uh sourced said that during the Revolutionary War 134 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: Americans probably fought more Germans than they did English British. 135 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: Is that true? Is that possible? I could see that. Yeah, 136 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: it's crazy. You never hear about that. And uh, the 137 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: one of those um. One of those mercenaries, German mercenaries, 138 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: I think they're called hessians um, turned out to be 139 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: the headless Horseman. Oh yeah, yeah, well they could Bud. 140 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 1: It could Bud's foe. Oh yeah, that's right, sorry, it 141 00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 1: could was the he was the nerve act manager. So yeah. One, 142 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: Like we said, standing armies kind of became popular in 143 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 1: the sixteenth century and never really the popularity never waned much, 144 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:13,239 Speaker 1: unlike the twist um they so you know, political standing 145 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 1: armies have been around for a while, right, you mean 146 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 1: the dance a twists um. So as a result, mercenaries 147 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 1: have kind of fallen to the wayside until um, World 148 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: War two, Yeah, which kind of changed everything and a 149 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 1: lot of a lot of World War two was a 150 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 1: probably the most landmark event in the last I don't know, 151 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:41,320 Speaker 1: since the Magna Carta. Maybe everything changed after that. You know, 152 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:45,719 Speaker 1: Germans got volunteers actually, so technically they weren't mercenaries. We'll 153 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: go over in a minute what the Geneva Convention actually 154 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 1: says as a mercenary, but I think the Germans actually 155 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 1: had volunteers from other country but Fry will just call 156 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 1: them free willie free willies. So yeah, was in World 157 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: War Two. Actually they were um. Yeah, and since they 158 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: were volunteers and they weren't paid, they weren't technically mercenaries, 159 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 1: but they fulfill a lot of the other stuff, a 160 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: lot of the other criteria. Um. So then yeah, after 161 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: World War Two, UM, part of the Geneva Convention, this 162 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:19,839 Speaker 1: agreement among all the warring nations and the allies on 163 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: the Rules of War UM, mercenaries and their use and 164 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 1: their definition is very much addressed, right, Yes, in the 165 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,440 Speaker 1: first Protocol of nineteen seventy seven. Should we go with 166 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: the criteria. Yes. In order to be considered a mercenary, Josh, 167 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 1: you must be specially recruited to take part in the conflict, 168 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: but not a member of the armed forces of the 169 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:44,360 Speaker 1: state that recruited you. Right, that's kind of a big one. 170 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 1: Like the German volunteers and World War Two, they're from 171 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 1: other countries. Exactly. You need to actively engage in hostilities, otherwise, 172 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 1: I guess you probably wouldn't be very good mercenary. If not, 173 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:57,719 Speaker 1: you're just some guy standing on the sideline. Exactly. Uh, 174 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 1: you were motivated by private gain and your p its 175 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: substantially more than the ordinary armed forces of that state. 176 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: Soldier of fortune. Yeah, we'll get into that too, though 177 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: it's not quite as lucrative when you factor in some 178 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: other things. You know, I was kind of surprised about that. 179 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 1: And um, what else is that the last one? Yeah, no, Chuck, 180 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: that pretty much does wrap it up. I think you 181 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: covered all the big points, um. And even earlier than that, 182 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,319 Speaker 1: mercenaries were kind of put on the fringes um, right 183 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:26,760 Speaker 1: after World War Two when the original Geneva Convention was established, 184 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: because they created the definition for a lawful combatant. Yes, 185 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 1: basically what we think of as a soldier, somebody who 186 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: belongs to a nation that's important to that's a war right, 187 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: because if you're a lawful combatant, Um, you can engage 188 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: in offensive conflict, yeah, with with people in other countries. 189 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: You protect people, and if you're caught, you are expected 190 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:52,719 Speaker 1: to be treated as a prisoner of war. If you're 191 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: a mercenary, you're way far out there on the edge. Yeah, 192 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 1: you're kind of on your own, like you can be 193 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 1: tried for murder and half towards whatever. Um. And remember 194 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:07,680 Speaker 1: I think in September two thousand seven, Blackwater, very very 195 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: famous UM outfit. I thot you're talking about the DeBie 196 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:15,319 Speaker 1: brother song No black Water. No, No, we're not talking 197 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: about that one different guys. Um, yeah, you know Blackwater? Right. 198 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:21,200 Speaker 1: Actually I responded to someone asked to do something on 199 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: black Water, and I responded, yeah, maybe we should do 200 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: one of the Dubie Brothers as a whole. And he 201 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:27,959 Speaker 1: didn't get the joke at all. He wrote back and said, no, 202 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: that's weird that you thought that I was really talking 203 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: about black Water. Well that's weird you didn't get the joke, right, Yeah, 204 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 1: Um you remember. Okay, so you are aware of black Water? Okay. 205 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:41,319 Speaker 1: And they I think that right after this they changed 206 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 1: their name to Blackwater Worldwide and now there's z x E. Yeah, 207 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: they keep changing their name with very horrible travesty. But um, 208 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:52,599 Speaker 1: you know a lot of people call them them mercenaries. 209 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: They're now called private military contractors, but basically they supply 210 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:01,959 Speaker 1: soldiers of fortune, right, yeah, for secure mainly. And um 211 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: that we remember in two thousand seven there was this 212 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: horrible thing that went down in Baghdad where I think 213 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 1: seventeen Iraqi civilians were killed. Um when when black Water 214 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:18,400 Speaker 1: um contractors opened fire, Yeah, got real trigger happy, and 215 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: I think they found that fourteen of those deaths were unjustified. Yeah, 216 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:25,960 Speaker 1: they broke the deadly forced rules, right, and Iraq was 217 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 1: chomping at the bit to prosecute these guys. And I 218 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 1: believe the US stepped in and protected them, but I 219 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 1: mean they it was very possible for them to be 220 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: prosecuted because they weren't lawful combatants. Well, the US uses 221 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 1: a lot of these UH contractors, as it turns out, 222 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 1: because I saw the U n Pastor resolution in the 223 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: late eighties outlawing this kind of mercenary, but the US 224 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 1: conveniently has still not signed that document because what we 225 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: want to hire the mercenaries because they What happened is, 226 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: and William makes a great point, is with UH the 227 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 1: different rules of warfare. Now you have lots of weapons 228 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 1: systems and UM soldiers that are trained to man these 229 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 1: systems and operate these systems. So what happens is they're 230 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: spread a little thin with UM some of these day 231 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 1: to day duties like UH security of like high ranking 232 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: civil servants, that kind of thing, right, which the military 233 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 1: would usually take care of. Right. UM. Anytime you see 234 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:22,080 Speaker 1: hummed cars, I you'll see a couple of white guys 235 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:26,560 Speaker 1: who wear Oakley sunglasses and have beards with um, I 236 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:31,319 Speaker 1: guess uh Heckler and cock um guns. And they are 237 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: I think former Delta Force, but now they work for Z. 238 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: They're not smiling, no, but they provide security. And they 239 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 1: can do that lawfully. You can provide security. You can 240 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 1: provide um a defensive security where you're not engaging in 241 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:51,199 Speaker 1: any offense whatsoever. Um supposedly, right, and then you're a 242 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: lawful or your your a mercenary under the Geneva Convention, 243 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:57,560 Speaker 1: the guidelines and the protocol and all that. Right, I 244 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 1: gotta staff for you. Okay. It's said that the US 245 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 1: likes to use these these soldiers of fortune. There's uh, 246 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 1: there's no hard numbers, but they suggest that more than 247 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:10,480 Speaker 1: a hundred and eighty thousand of these contractors are working 248 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: in Iraq alone, and that all together, all over the world, 249 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 1: that they outnumber the United States military in total. Yeah, 250 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:22,440 Speaker 1: and we've spent about a hundred billion dollars in the 251 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 1: Iraq war on these mercenaries, which I think something like 252 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: a quarter or a third of the total that we 253 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 1: had spent. Yeah, when this article was written, I think 254 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: in late two thousand and eight, right, which of course 255 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: is smaller now. So Chuck. You know, Africa has been 256 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 1: a big site for mercenaries and it still continues to be. 257 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 1: That's what I hear. There's pretty much anytime there's a revolution, 258 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: a coup attempt, something like that, and anybody has some cash, 259 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:50,320 Speaker 1: they hire outside mercenaries, right yeah. Uh. And there's a 260 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: guy named Simon man Do you remember this, Yeah, back 261 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: in two thousand four. In March two thousand four, man 262 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: Um was the head of two companies UM that were 263 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 1: private military companies, contractors, but basically mercenary outfits. Right, yeah, 264 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 1: sand Line International. And I love the name of this one, 265 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 1: Executive outcomes, right. I don't know what that means, yeah, 266 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: but it sounds so shady. Yeah, it does. Executive Like 267 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: you can just see like their their company headquarters, executive outcome. 268 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: It's like one of those offices that you wander into 269 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 1: to ask, like to use the bathroom, and they never like, 270 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: what is this place? What do you guys do here? 271 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 1: And you just escorted out. When you wake up and 272 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 1: on the park bench and take a lump on your head, 273 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 1: you have like ink on your fingers. Right, So well, 274 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 1: man Um in March two thousand four led a group 275 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 1: um of mercenaries from South Africa and I guess his 276 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 1: company um to Equatorial Guinea and he didn't make it. 277 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 1: He got picked up in Zimbabwe at they were going 278 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea. UM the president 279 00:15:54,600 --> 00:16:00,080 Speaker 1: Teyodoro Obang A right nice and uh they got picked 280 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 1: up and held and apparently he was just recently pardoned 281 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 1: by President Obang and released in November. UM and he's 282 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: out and he is naming names. The story that he 283 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 1: tells now he's back in Great Britain is that Mark Thatcher, 284 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 1: Sir Mark Thatcher, whose last name he might recognize. His 285 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: mom was the PM for a while UM and as 286 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 1: some other people from around the world had an interest 287 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: in the oil fields at Equatorial Guinea and hired allegedly 288 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 1: hired time and man to overthrow the government so they 289 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 1: could move in uh and get these oil revenues or 290 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 1: control these oil fields. And he was condemned pretty roundly. 291 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 1: Man was but he was fully pardoned by Obang. He was. Yeah, 292 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 1: it was in prison for five and a half years, 293 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 1: but he did have to shut down executive outcomes apparently, right. Yeah, 294 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 1: and sand Lie, Yeah, they're they're probably opened up under 295 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 1: another name. Though probably probably not. But if you think 296 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 1: about thinking about how people think of Blackwater or UM. 297 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: You know, Simon Man, no one cared. He was in 298 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: prison for five and a half years, like and the 299 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 1: reason why is because he was a soldier of fortune. 300 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 1: These are mercenaries, you know, and people just don't think 301 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 1: of them very highly. True. You can we name some 302 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,360 Speaker 1: of these other companies? Yeah, sure, just because I thought 303 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 1: it was kind of funny some of them. And if 304 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: I had a mercenary company, I don't know what I 305 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:21,679 Speaker 1: would name it, but it would probably not be the 306 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 1: Olive group that was one of them. Yeah, And triple canopy, 307 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 1: that's that's probably a military term. And what's another goal 308 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:37,160 Speaker 1: on this? One's good kroll k R O L L Government. Yeah, 309 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:39,920 Speaker 1: that probably stands for something. UM. The one that got 310 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:42,439 Speaker 1: that I think stands out above all the rest is 311 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 1: Global risk Strategies. I can see us if you go 312 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:49,640 Speaker 1: to Guatemala calling on Global Risk Strategies to come get 313 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 1: us out. You know, I'd love to have that number. Actually, 314 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 1: maybe we should look that up. So, Chuck, let's talk 315 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,080 Speaker 1: about another famous group of mercenaries that aren't necessarily and 316 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,960 Speaker 1: a look down upon UM. The French Foreign Legion. You know, 317 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:08,160 Speaker 1: the guys with the white Caps with the with them. 318 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 1: Do you remember in the eighties, like when did you 319 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:16,000 Speaker 1: break dance? No? Do you remember those hats though? They 320 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,240 Speaker 1: were like baseball caps, but then they had the flapping 321 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 1: back yeah, yeah, yeah, they were kind of based on 322 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: the engineers hats and what's up with that? Who knows? 323 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 1: Weird time. They're always leading the way fashion forward. Alright, 324 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:31,399 Speaker 1: So these guys with the white Caps, right, yes, the 325 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 1: French Legion are technically you could call them mercenaries, although 326 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 1: they they can't eventually gain French citizenship through joining the 327 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 1: Foreign leagus right after three years and they have to 328 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 1: sign up for five year tour of duty, five year contract. 329 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 1: And the French Foreign Legion was established in eighteen thirty 330 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 1: one because when the French Revolution happened in July of 331 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 1: eighteen thirty apparently this opened the floodgates for people I 332 00:18:57,760 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: guess seeking their fortune in the newly free France for 333 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:05,199 Speaker 1: French republic Um. And so the French said, well, you 334 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 1: know what, let's put all these ragamuffins and no good 335 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 1: knicks to good use, and they started the French Foreign Legions. 336 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 1: So if you came in if you wanted to become 337 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:16,120 Speaker 1: a Frenchman. Uh, and I guess you're an able bodied man. 338 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:18,439 Speaker 1: They said, sure, you can become a friendman. Sign up 339 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: five years, we'll put you in the foreign legion. After 340 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:23,440 Speaker 1: three years you can become a citizen. After the fifth 341 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:25,440 Speaker 1: year you can come back and do whatever you like. 342 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: And many were no good knicks actually in the early days. 343 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:33,919 Speaker 1: And still it's Mike joining the circus or you know, 344 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,679 Speaker 1: sometimes we have some no good knicks that joined up 345 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:40,719 Speaker 1: in the army at eighteen because they're you know, parole 346 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: officer says that might be a good move for him, 347 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:44,680 Speaker 1: and the army will shape them up and turn them 348 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: into good citizens hopefully or vengeance killers. So can we 349 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:54,440 Speaker 1: talk more about the legionnaires. I think we should. Yeah, okay, Well, 350 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: they get um recruited and they get a proof of 351 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: preselection and that means you get a little medical check 352 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,480 Speaker 1: up and what they call a quote confirmation of motivation. Right, 353 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 1: they want to make actually do want to do this? 354 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 1: Or you're aware that you're signing up for five years 355 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 1: to go be in the military, right, And once you 356 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 1: pass through that stage, you go to another set of 357 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 1: like more thorough questioning and medical uh checkups, and then 358 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 1: you go to basic training for fifteen weeks a little 359 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 1: country town in the south of France. And at the 360 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 1: end of that they introduce you to your you know, 361 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,159 Speaker 1: your comrades and your military life. They teach you French 362 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:33,159 Speaker 1: ideal you can speak a little French at the end 363 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:34,679 Speaker 1: of this. And then at the end you get your 364 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:38,120 Speaker 1: cape blanc, which is that goofy looking white at right, 365 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:40,879 Speaker 1: And it isn't it? It is? And it kind of 366 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: stands out it's not very practical. No, and uh, there's 367 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:48,280 Speaker 1: a picture of a modern foreign legionnaire, French foreign legionnaire, 368 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: and he does he's wearing like a beret and camo 369 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 1: and all that stuff. So I think it's kind of 370 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 1: like their dress. Sure thing. Um, but so okay, so 371 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 1: you have gone through basic training, you're a legionnaire now. Um, 372 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 1: apparently there's eight thousand of them at any given point 373 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 1: in time right now. They hail from a hundred and 374 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 1: thirty six different countries, strangely including France itself. How does 375 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 1: that work? I don't know. We'll have to find out. Yeah. Um, 376 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:18,960 Speaker 1: so the uh, they after you get through basic training 377 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,000 Speaker 1: and you're you're now a legionnaire. They send you to 378 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: I guess one of eleven regiments all over the world, 379 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:27,879 Speaker 1: Chad Ivory Coast, Afghanistan, all over the place, some places 380 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: you don't really want to be. I would imagine you 381 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:32,639 Speaker 1: want to get a Chad. No, I got another staff 382 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: for you. Eighteen thirty one, Josh. Since then, more than 383 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:39,440 Speaker 1: thirty five thousand legionnaires have been killed in combat. Right, 384 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:42,399 Speaker 1: it's a lot. Yeah. I think part of the reason 385 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:46,200 Speaker 1: we mentioned that legionnaires aren't necessarily looked down upon, even 386 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 1: though they are pretty much a mercenary group, because they 387 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 1: do get paid and they don't they're not doing it 388 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,480 Speaker 1: for ideology. But I think the fact that you sign 389 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 1: up for five years, you can attain citizenship through this, 390 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 1: and you're serving a specific nation kind of ads like 391 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: kind of a military tinge to it, you know what 392 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 1: I mean. Well, they're no more as soldiers instead of contractors. 393 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:10,480 Speaker 1: Let's talk about the contractors there, chuck. Yeah, these guys 394 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:16,679 Speaker 1: are typically ex military or former police officers. Um, the 395 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:21,160 Speaker 1: batter the better, you know, like Green Berets as Delta Force. 396 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:24,879 Speaker 1: This is who you want in your PMC. Yeah, Like 397 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:28,160 Speaker 1: Simon Mann was a x S a S guy. Right, 398 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:30,960 Speaker 1: So these these dudes are brought in, they are paid 399 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:35,400 Speaker 1: UM it says six hundred, seven hundred dollars a day, 400 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 1: sometimes up to a thousand dollars a day for their work. 401 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:40,760 Speaker 1: Not bad, it's substantial. But what we're saying earlier is, 402 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 1: and this is kind of funny, is they typically don't 403 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:46,480 Speaker 1: get benefits, which surprised me. I thought any company would 404 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 1: want to get a benefit pay together. But no, you 405 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:51,639 Speaker 1: can't get a break as e mercencey risk. So you 406 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 1: gotta pay for your own benefits. You have to cover 407 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: your own taxes and all that. Yeah, and how much 408 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 1: is life insurance if you're a soldier of fortune? I 409 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:03,239 Speaker 1: have no idea, but it's astronomical. So at the end 410 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:05,119 Speaker 1: of the day, once you take out all the money 411 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:07,439 Speaker 1: for all those things and for you know, milk and sugar, 412 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 1: they're probably not paid a whole lot more than a 413 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 1: regular military personnel. Probably not maybe who I think if 414 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:18,439 Speaker 1: you went to work for Blackwater something, you can probably 415 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 1: make a pretty decent amount of cash. Um. There's some 416 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:27,120 Speaker 1: other things that UM private military companies and contractors do 417 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 1: that aren't necessarily war based, and there are actually kind 418 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 1: of cool. Um, there is a group that train UH 419 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:41,679 Speaker 1: guides who combat poachers in the Congo um to prevent 420 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 1: the extinction of things like the black rhino. That's pretty cool. 421 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 1: Private security for corporations obviously, when de Beers is poking 422 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:53,040 Speaker 1: around Africa, and Exxon and VP or the Beers definitely 423 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: needs the security. They're traveling around the country in hostile areas, 424 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: so they need the best of the best. And like 425 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:03,080 Speaker 1: you said, um, guarding high risk dignitaries like common cars, 426 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 1: eye that kind of thing. Um. And then apparently they 427 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 1: also are used in counter drug operations. Yeah. I didn't 428 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 1: realize that. I didn't either. I mean, hey, the A 429 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:15,920 Speaker 1: can't do it all right, Yeah, good point. Yeah, So 430 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 1: especially now in the use of private military contractors really 431 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,400 Speaker 1: exploded in the nineties and they become, like you said, 432 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: so far entrenched in our military. That is, there's almost 433 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,439 Speaker 1: no separating and we become so dependent on them. And 434 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 1: they also don't necessarily engage exclusively in um, you know, 435 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 1: gun toting missions, like they could cook they the same 436 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:44,639 Speaker 1: company can can sing, cooks, drivers, like all all this 437 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 1: stuff that frees up our soldiers. Yeah. I didn't even 438 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,640 Speaker 1: think about that. But there are some risks, some definite 439 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:53,159 Speaker 1: downsides to using mercenaries, right, Yeah, I would say that 440 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 1: the one that stood out to me the most is 441 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: what you really want in a situation like war is 442 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 1: loyalty above all out, definitely, And when you're hiring a 443 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:04,280 Speaker 1: mercenary there after the buck and they're not necessarily even 444 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 1: from your country, so you can't really count on that nationalism, right, 445 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:11,040 Speaker 1: that ideology that motivates you to go, you know kill. Yeah, 446 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:13,119 Speaker 1: that's that's the biggest issue. I would say. There's actually 447 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: a famous story from the fourteenth century about the Almo Gavaris. Yeah, Almogavaris. Yeah, 448 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: that's good. The how you say, almogo veris finish frontiersman, Right, 449 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 1: Some Byzantine leaders hired these guys to defend uh Byzantium 450 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:36,159 Speaker 1: right against the Turks. Yeah, and they did successfully, and 451 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:39,719 Speaker 1: then they turned on the Byzantines and um basically just 452 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 1: walloped them, did a what number six, number six, number 453 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:45,879 Speaker 1: six on them for the next two years, So I 454 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,120 Speaker 1: didn't work out too well. Yeah, you're the the very 455 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:50,399 Speaker 1: people you hire to defend. You can say, you know what, 456 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:52,680 Speaker 1: let's um, let's just go ahead and take everything you 457 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:57,720 Speaker 1: got afterward, you know, it's much like hiring a hit man. Ah. Yeah, 458 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:01,919 Speaker 1: I really really trained former mill terry hit man. Right. Um. 459 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:06,360 Speaker 1: There's also uh that if you're in a military detachment, 460 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 1: a standing military detachment, right, political army. Um, there's a 461 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: lot of like you said, loyalty to the state, but 462 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: there's also a lot of um, interpersonal loyalty among soldiers 463 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: that doesn't necessarily happen with um with mercenaries, So there 464 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 1: can be a communication breakdown. They're not sharing intelligence, that 465 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:27,560 Speaker 1: kind of imagine. They look out for each other. And 466 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:30,640 Speaker 1: that's about it, right and whoever, probably they were hired 467 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,520 Speaker 1: to protect specifically. But all bets are off at the 468 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:35,879 Speaker 1: end of the day when you got a mercenary. I 469 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 1: think that's pretty much the key takeaway here, Chuck. All 470 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:44,359 Speaker 1: bets are off when buddy that was that that's in 471 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:48,879 Speaker 1: this in the fine print when you write that initial contract, Chuck. 472 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:51,440 Speaker 1: We talked about this article. I think we covered most 473 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:53,919 Speaker 1: of it, but there's a bunch more information that we 474 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:57,439 Speaker 1: didn't get in this fine article by William Harris. And 475 00:26:57,520 --> 00:26:59,640 Speaker 1: if you want to learn more about mercenaries is type 476 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 1: that war into the handy search bar at how stuff 477 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:08,880 Speaker 1: works dot com, which leads us, of course, to listener mail. Yes, Josh, 478 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna call this one from Anya from Boston, just 479 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 1: simple and this is about a near death experience. And 480 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 1: we we got a few of these, but I liked 481 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:22,359 Speaker 1: Anya's just listen to your podcast on inde ease if 482 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 1: you couldn't tell from the subject. I had one that 483 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 1: I find interesting. I had one myself. I can't remember it, 484 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:29,920 Speaker 1: but my mom told me what I said about it. 485 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:32,000 Speaker 1: At the time, I was three years old and was 486 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 1: stick in the hospital. I can't remember why now, but 487 00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:37,439 Speaker 1: my lungs were mostly solid. Not a good way to 488 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: be born. Or I guess, yeah, she had the people 489 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: one that way. It's like breathing through butter. Yeah. Uh. 490 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:46,359 Speaker 1: Suddenly she flatlined and she lived through it, and she 491 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:50,600 Speaker 1: woke up. Her mom said she had a dream, or 492 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:52,240 Speaker 1: that the girl had a dream where I was standing 493 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:54,520 Speaker 1: at the entrance to the hospital and a big yellow 494 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,480 Speaker 1: school bus pulled up. There was no driver, and when 495 00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,000 Speaker 1: I tried to get on the bus, a little ball 496 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: girl about a year older than me told me I 497 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 1: could not get on the bus because I was too young. 498 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:05,400 Speaker 1: Just a note. I had no idea of what even 499 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:07,879 Speaker 1: a school bus was at this point in time, because 500 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: I've been living in England, so that is my near 501 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:13,280 Speaker 1: death experience. She tried to board. It sounds like a 502 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: bus to heaven, and the little gatekeeper said you're too young, 503 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 1: You're not ready to go, so go back. She goent back. 504 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:23,880 Speaker 1: So look out for bald school girls. You know you're 505 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: dead when you encounter one of those. And that's one 506 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:28,040 Speaker 1: from Boston. Well, thanks a lot, and yeah, we did 507 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:30,600 Speaker 1: get a lot of pretty cool emails. Thanks to everybody 508 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:34,200 Speaker 1: who sent in and shared their near death experience with us. 509 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 1: Somewhere just off the charts chilling indeed. Yeah. Um, if 510 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:41,400 Speaker 1: you have any kind of story you want to share 511 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 1: with Chucker I. If you are a soldier of fortune, 512 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:48,920 Speaker 1: somebody for hire. Uh, if you are a line cook 513 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 1: in a chain restaurant, we want to hear from you. 514 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 1: Send us an email to stuff Podcasts at how stuff 515 00:28:55,560 --> 00:29:02,720 Speaker 1: works dot com. For more on this and thousands of 516 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: other topics, visit how stuff works dot com. Want more 517 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:09,000 Speaker 1: how stuff works, check out our blogs on the house 518 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 1: stuff works dot com home page. H Brought to you 519 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 1: by the reinvented two thousand twelve camera. It's ready, are 520 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:17,480 Speaker 1: you