MCab Posted October 10, 2001 Share Posted October 10, 2001 I've heard that drugs have been used to enhance a soldiers' ability to fight since antiquity. I've been wanting to do a presentation in my class on this subject, but have been running into dead-ends. Does anybody have any resources on this? Thanks a lot. MCab 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JunoReactor Posted October 11, 2001 Share Posted October 11, 2001 I remember reading somewhere (this somewhere is the internet, trust if you will) that MDMA was first synthesised in Germany during WWI to enchance soldier's performance and reduce their apetite. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carter Posted October 12, 2001 Share Posted October 12, 2001 Interesting topic. Unfortunately I don't know of any sources. I tell you what I know: I suppose that stimulants, sleeping pills, and pain relievers have military use. I've heard that hashish has been used since the time of the ancient middle-eastern "assassins" group. This may not be true. I've heard that Somali gunmen chewed khat all day long, but I can't imagine the drug was really performance enhancing. [ 10-12-2001: Message edited by: Carter ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyrene Posted October 13, 2001 Share Posted October 13, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> I've heard that Somali gunmen chewed khat all day long, but I can't imagine the drug was really performance enhancing. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Khat is Somalia's Marlboros, like Betel nuts in the Southeast. It's an upper, like a high dose of caffeine rather than an amphetamine if I remember correctly. Gyrene 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanir Ausf B Posted October 14, 2001 Share Posted October 14, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Carter: I've heard that hashish has been used since the time of the ancient middle-eastern "assassins" group. This may not be true.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> IIRC, they smoked it the night before the mission as a reminder of the pleasures they will enjoy in the soon-to-be-entered afterlife. They didn't actually go on the mission stoned. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wacky Posted October 16, 2001 Share Posted October 16, 2001 How about the Berserkers? I dont think that they still know whether or not they actually ate hallucinagenic mushrooms before going into battle. Personally I have a hard time believing that they would do so, for a couple of reasons: There is no mention of them in any Viking sagas (to my knowledge). The berserkergang seems to be self-induced. Perhaps it was a genetic trait-but then why wouldn't modern Scandanavians have it? They have given the mushroom to people in university experiments to see whether it was viable to take before battle. The results didn't support this at all-the people could barely stand up and walk in a straight line, let alone wield a weapon and fight effectively in the middle of a battle. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWB Posted October 16, 2001 Share Posted October 16, 2001 Intoxicants and combat go nearly hand in hand; who wants to go off to die sober? See John Keegan, In the Face of Battle, for some good examples. The other theory about the Assasssians use of Hasish was that of using it to achieve a state of religous exctacy to help to focus on the suicide mission. The Germans were very into speed during the second world war. In fact, they invented the modern method of distilling crystal meth. They figured out a way to make it in a suitcase with some relatively common chemicals. Which is also why you can get a $20 bag of the stuff in any club which will keep you up for the next 2 days or so. I have seen some specualation that the panzer troops were especially fond of the stuff. A 16 year old, Stg 44 toting Hitler youth twerking his ass off of a couple bumps of meth is a scary thought. Mainly because I have seen enough unarmed 16 year olds twerking their ass of to know that one with an assualt rifle would not be pretty. Don't know about MDMA vis-a-vis the german army, but I really do not see how it would help you out in combat. Not that I would know or anything. . . WWB 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMplayer Posted October 19, 2001 Share Posted October 19, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Captain Wacky: They have given the mushroom to people in university experiments to see whether it was viable to take before battle. The results didn't support this at all-the people could barely stand up and walk in a straight line, let alone wield a weapon and fight effectively in the middle of a battle.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I'd have to disagree. I heard a first hand report from some people who took that poison and described it as creating physical fearlessness. Among other things they climbed in trees and jumped from branch to branch with a heightened sense of control and prowess. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWB Posted October 19, 2001 Share Posted October 19, 2001 Well, that is the problem with hallucinogens---the effects are very unpredictable. Sometimes you think you are king kong and other times you talk to the trees. Just avoid the Hawian mushrooms in Amsterdam. That is a bad town for psychadelic drugs. WWB 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.