By Blake Stilwell
When fighting in close quarters combat, the posture which gives a warrior the best advantage is a necessary advantage. What better way to intimidate an enemy than throwing him off balance with an aggressive auditory clash to make him quake in his boots? Yelling as foreplay to a physical altercation is as old as War itself. Persian warriors in the epic Shahnameh had voices “like an enraged elephant” and voices “like a drum beat.” In the Iliad, one character is literally named “Diomedes of the Loud War Cry.”
It’s now scientifically proven that screaming during physical activity increases energy and power and anecdotal evidence throughout history shows it has an significant effect on both sides of a battle. With that in mind, here are history’s most legendary battle cries.
- “Uukhai!” – The Mongols
Since the Mongols controlled the largest empire in history, they were really good at winning battles, and even better at killing people. They defy expectation. They are always the exception to conventional historical knowledge. There must be something to this battle cry. It was a both a cheer and a prayer, like “Amen” mixed with “Hooray.”
Read the Remainder at Real Clear Defense
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