Break the mold - From History

Last time I wrote about the business scenario in which breaking from the mold helped Apple become one of the most profitable computer manufacturers. Taking a dig on the same topic from a historical perspective brings to mind two very famous military characters separated by around 2,000 years but similar in many aspects, Hannibal and Suvorov.

Both were great military leaders who have had a deep impact military thought and helped redefine the art of war in their own lifetimes. One charted new course in-order to attack its arch rival and the other again broke all conventional wisdom in order to save his army from dissipation at the hands of the enemy.

Hannibal Barca was the commander of Carthaginian forces in Spain. At that time Carthage and Rome were involved in an all or none battle of survival. The winner of these Punic wars, as they are called would be the master of the Mediterranean.

Rome with its superior naval forces was invincible at sea and had a natural barrier and protector in the north, The Alps. The mighty Alps rose in the north of Italy creating a natural wall to keep enemies, conquerers and attackers at bay. This left Carthage with very little options in terms of means to take the battle to Rome.

But not for Hannibal, knowing the Roman naval might he created a bold plan to attack the empire from the north. This plan not only involved travel through regions controlled by belligerent tribes but also a dash across the treacherous Alps. His already formidable task was made tougher by the fact that he ran into a Roman patrol in the southern Alps region (the only part possible for an army to make a crossing from) thus making the enemy cautious.

So what did Hannibal do, turnaround to come bak with another plan, think of how to get past the Roman navy or just sit back and defend his territory for now. None, instead Hannibal Barca did the extraordinary, the unthinkable, a military and logistical complete break from the traditional school of thought and moved up north on the Alps to make a crossing from there.

It was a dangerous journey, filled with treacherous slopes made worst by the baggage being carried by soldiers as part of the provisions, barbaric tribes ready to take on an entire army on the strength of the knowledge of the terrain and the fast approaching winter which threatened their very existence. But in-sipte of these odds Hannibal persevered and crossed the Alps to throw a great military and logistical surprise on the Romans and bring the war right at their doors.

Two thousand years later Aleksandr Vasiliyevich Suvorov, the Generalissimo of Russia's Ground and Naval forces, re-did a Hannibal when he once again crossed the Alps in a flight to save his surrounded army.

Suvorov was the Russian general during the Napoleanic wars earning fame in conflicts across Europe during the reign of Catherine. He was a man of open and honest disposition, which did not do much to endear him to his superiors. Because of his opinions on the military policies of the new Tsar he fell in disfavour with Paul I. Later as Russian fortunes dwindeled in the war he was called back to lead the troops.

At 70 years Suvorov crushed the French in northern Italy and was ordered to move on to Switzerland to face Messana who was knocking on the doors there. His army was to meet up with reinforcements before the face to face. As with all well laid plans of mice and men the reinforcements did not arrive and precious five days were lost. Suvorov took the most hostile of the passes and fought his way through French held territory to reach Switzerland, only to find himself in a French trap.

Suvorov's options were to fight bravely (take the superior French head on) or press for re-inforcements from the allies and buy time till they arrived, both logical and honorable options for a trapped old general. But instead with the enemy closing in on him everyday, the battle tired Russians under their dynamic leader once again did what was considered a military impossibility, with an army not equipped or clothed for the cold, took on the 9000ft high Alps to save themselves from an imminent French onslaught. Instead of waiting from fresh reinforcements from the allies Suvorov turned military thought on its head to escape by scaling what was a formidable wall.

Suvorov in-spite of losses was able to save a large part of his army from annihilation at the hands of the French by doing that which not many in his age would have recommended.

Both these military leaders show that what has not been done doesn't mean that it cannot be done and sometimes doing just that differentiates between people who make history and people who become history.