Max Brooks on the Courage to Champion Creativity in the Military

Max Brooks, bestselling author of "World War Z," speaks at West Point on why creativity is vital to success on the modern battlefield.

[@ragasthegascap1]

Max is so wise because he is the son of a 2000-year-old man.

[@bobobrien1304]

As a former Army officer with 2 combat tours, I can say with full faith and confidence that Max Brooks is dead on!

[@bxr2k1]

Excellent talk...thank you for posting

[@kindnessfirst9670]

This gives me (even more) faith in the U.S. military. I never served but my son-in- law is an Air Force Pilot/ Captain.

[@jorman360]

Dang this was good. I teach cadets now and I am showing this to them. This should be seen by all of our future leaders.

[@ShogunMongol]

Oh hey, I have something in common with Max Brooks, we both owe our lives to the M1 Carbine, albeit for different reasons. My great-grandmother, back in Korea, had one, probably a battlefield pick up, but anyway, she kept it in her house just in case. One day, she hears someone break into her house, kicked the door open, classic case of a home invasion. So, she picks up her Carbine, racks the bolt on it, next thing she knows, guy is running out, as fast as he can manage, scrambling over a wall to escape. Apparently, she saw him the next day in the marketplace, limping along because he hurt himself. So, the M1 Carbine, yeah, it's the finest weapon ever made in my book.

[@CrossOfBayonne]

Imagine taking the M1 Carbine back to the American Revolution since it's a symbol of American innovation and a country itself founded upon Rebellion against the British Empire

[@SEBASTIV]

33:14 hits different in 2022

[@doncasca]

watch a movie called,"the pentagon wars" starring Kelsey Grammer.

[@ellisonpearson3387]

mel brooks survived ww2. this explains a great deal.

[@brutustantheiii8477]

I think this is why the future of US land warfare will rely on the USMC (Semper Fi from a civilian). The reason is that they are masters at improvisation (assets acquired through the navy means they don’t get as much funding for their needs as the army does comparatively) AND apparently their command structure places more emphasis on the more junior field officers taking a more independent approach to solving an objective. Their senior officer give more general objectives and it’s up to the lower officers to find ways to do it.

[@werewally3156]

I will think Max has his wires crossed about the m1 carbine. "Blow back chamber?" It's a short recoil gas tappet action. Blow back .30 carbine would BLOW UP.

[@watata1t]

Thats not the point of the fucking story you silly goose, actually quite the opposite is the point

[@werewally3156]

@@watata1t explain

[@sadisrmaacy4341]

well regardless, he invented a cool gun that shoots when you pull the trigger, and the implication of the name of the mechanism that was added and possibly mispoken doesn't matter to the story

[@20thcentury94]

What dialect are the soldiers speaking? The pronunciation of some words sounds interesting ;)

[@kosongkanaku6810]

Max brooks predict malaysia but reflect to themself

[@Sakuodo]

#OperationPaperclip

[@sithisarcanis]

Ok as someone who is here in the future of this discussion. The Russian “hacks” had no appreciably influence on the Clinton/Trump election. As stated by multiple investigations. Otherwise I love listening to Max Brooks. He is an amazingly smart guy and needs to at the very least have his ideas very seriously considered.

[@tarjei99]

There is a problem. The Germans were very flexible, but sought only solutions that involved military force. They could live with a certain amount of losses and then they did something to reduce the losses. The British were flat broke after WW2 and could not afford a military solution. Except in Northern Ireland where they failed miserably until they decided they needed a political solution.

[@watata1t]

And somehow they still formed the NHS after the war

[@tarjei99]

@@watata1t That was internal money.

[@watata1t]

@@tarjei99 by taxing what?

[@tarjei99]

@@watata1t themselves. Everybody paid tax. And you pay a bit more for health insurance. The important bit is that they did not have to use foreign currency to have the NHS.

[@watata1t]

@@tarjei99 you really think, there was private health insuranse in GB after the 2nd World War??????

[@thomasjefferson7584]

The weapon was not “so good”

[@pieterwillembotha6719]

M1 carbine is shit. Who is this guy trying to kid?

[@CrossOfBayonne]

Actually the Carbine was a good gun at close to mid range but even then many of those I spoke to didn't like or care for it much.

[@pieterwillembotha6719]

@@CrossOfBayonne compared to the Stg44 or the AS-44? Not in the least bit does it stand up to either, but perhaps as a submachine gun round it is better than a usual smg round I suppose. M1 carbine is still shit.

[@CrossOfBayonne]

@@pieterwillembotha6719 What about the Russian SKS

[@pieterwillembotha6719]

@@CrossOfBayonne I was talking about WWII weapons, but the SKS modded to accept ak mags isn't so bad really; longer range, better precision the like.

[@collinboyd6337]

I tried to leave a reasonable rebuttal but gave up as there this was so full of bad analysis and anecdote. Why did someone pay for this lecture to happen?

[@amandaharig1978]

collin boyd How so? This guy's input serves as a futurist. Goosestep doesn't suit what sits on the horizon.

[@elninoxtorresxet5634]

Amanda Harig Zionism doesn't suit what sits on the horizon.

[@amandaharig1978]

ElNinoXTorresx ET ... Wow. Really. What in the Sam Hell does Jewry have to do with championing initiative? Now I do not approve nor subscribe to the Israeli dominance narrative, but contending that insight is negated due to someone's ancestry is a base level of argument that I do not engage in.

[@02nf2i]

ElNinoXTorresx ET typical. When unable to make an educated argument, the bigot responds with prejudice. Are you too lazy to give a thoughtful response to the lecture or too stupid?

[@FinneySP]

@@02nf2i hating Zionism is not bigotry is quite the opposite. Also him saying how small guys like him best the Germans. Wow way to totally forget the red army. This dude is a rich kid prick