Donkeys were actually widely used in the wars, and not just ones in ancient history. During the two world wars, they played a key role in transporting supplies over rugged mountains and jungle terrain inaccessible to motorized vehicles. They've also played a large role in more recent wars.
During the World War I Battle of Gallipoli, a medic from New Zealand named James Gardiner Jackson took a photograph of a fellow countryman transporting a wounded soldier to a field hospital on donkey back. The photograph became immortalized when artist Horace Moore-Jones, another New Zealander who also fought in Gallipoli, drew a number of paintings based on that image. It turned out that the stretcher-bearer, Dick Henderson, had used his donkey to save many other wounded soldiers.
Mules were also heavily used in World War II. In the Allied campaign against the Japanese in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, the animals were used to carry heavy loads through the jungle. They were also often the first line of defense protecting soldiers from shrapnel when bombs landed nearby.
Donkeys and mules continue to be used in recent conflicts such the war in Afghanistan. In this country’s rocky and steep terrain, donkeys are often the only means available to transport supplies and weapons. They are indispensible when mountain passes are closed or when flooding knocks out roads and bridges.
While they may not seem the striking manifestation of a veteran, donkeys and mules have proven to be reliable, hard-working, patient and even heroic companions.
But the question remains unanswered: Can you haul ass?
Upon doing some research, the weight of an adult donkey can range from 180 to 1,100 pounds, with the median wartime donkey weighing around 260 pounds. And, as you can tell by the picture above, it is clearly feasible to haul ass.
Postscript: The situation in the picture shown above was likely soldiers walking through a minefield, and a soldier leading a donkey is six legs' worth of mines, whereas a soldier carrying a donkey is only two legs' worth of mines. Hauling ass might be the best choice given the situation.
Sources:
https://www.quora.com/Why-would-a-soldier-carry-a-donkey
http://www.photorientalist.org/donkey-soldiers-unsung-heros/
But the question remains unanswered: Can you haul ass?
Upon doing some research, the weight of an adult donkey can range from 180 to 1,100 pounds, with the median wartime donkey weighing around 260 pounds. And, as you can tell by the picture above, it is clearly feasible to haul ass.
Postscript: The situation in the picture shown above was likely soldiers walking through a minefield, and a soldier leading a donkey is six legs' worth of mines, whereas a soldier carrying a donkey is only two legs' worth of mines. Hauling ass might be the best choice given the situation.
Sources:
https://www.quora.com/Why-would-a-soldier-carry-a-donkey
http://www.photorientalist.org/donkey-soldiers-unsung-heros/
I loved this post because it was very interesting and funny! I love how you took Mr. Stewart's joke and transformed it into an informative blog post. I think it's important to recognize all species used in war, not just humans (although they do most of the work). And it's not just donkeys! There are many animals that have been used in war. For example, pigeons were used to carry messages to animals, a Syrian brown bear named Voytek was raised by the Polish army and carried crates of ammunition during battle, and camels are still used for military patrol mounts in the desert. There are a dozen more animals, and you can read about their roles during war at this link: https://www.livescience.com/60518-animals-used-in-warfare.html
ReplyDeleteThis post was interesting as it connected a term used to define a war strategy to the application of donkeys. I never thought mules and donkeys could be so valuable in a war effort. Horses and camels have also been used to carry supplies and ammunition, and canaries have been used to detect poisonous gas attacks. Cats and dogs have even been trained to hunt down rats in the trenches so they are more habitable for the soldiers.
ReplyDeleteSource: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/15-animals-that-went-to-war
The title of this post was what made me want to read it, the post itself delivered. I really liked it because it tied in donkeys/mules to war, and you even answered the question whether or not one can actually "haul ass". Apparently, it is an odd mistake that some see the word "ass" and associate in other ways other than to a mule/donkey. In British English, "ass" means a donkey while "arse" is glutes. From there the words have different origins yet are associated as the same thing. Overall, I enjoyed this post and thought it did a good job applying a humorous spin on war tactics.
ReplyDeleteSource:
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/01/science/facts-about-donkeys.html