I with no shame clipped this from "Commander Salamander", He blogs a lot about Navy issues and is a big proponent of Navy preparedness' and new tactics. If you haven't subscribed to his podcast, do so if you are of a nautical mindset.
Senior White House and
Navy officials are in early discussions to replace the current mix of
warships …
The new fleet would
comprise a number of large warships outfitted with more powerful long-range
missiles, along with smaller ships such as corvettes, the people said. The
Navy has 287 ships in its current inventory, mostly destroyers, cruisers,
aircraft carriers, amphibious ships and submarines. A new class of frigates
is also in the works.
Specifically, the
White House and the Pentagon are in early talks about building a heavily
armored, next-generation ship that could weigh as much as 15,000-20,000 tons
and carry more powerful weapons, even potentially hypersonic missiles, in
larger numbers than current destroyers and cruisers, the current and former
officials said.
OK, out of the box we
should stipulate that, at best, nothing “new” here would displace water for
at least a decade. A ship of 15-20,000 tons? OK, let’s make sure everyone
knows what we’re looking for.
Remember the canceled CG(X)? It was going to
be used as an air defense ship, and before it was killed, there was an
attempt to shoehorn in the Zumwalt’s engineering plant, but the hull and
energy demands simply were not there. Then, right before it was killed, we
were looking at something over 20,000 tons.
For a reference point,
the WWII German pocket battleship Graf Spee displaced 16,280 tons.
If the goal here is to
design a ship around long range missiles, then we’re talking about
Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) missiles.
The U.S. Navy’s
Strategic Systems Programs is continuing on the path toward the nation’s
first sea-based hypersonic fielding with a successful end-to-end flight test
of a conventional hypersonic missile from the Cape Canaveral Space Force
Station, Florida. This test marked the first launch of the Conventional
Prompt Strike (CPS) capability utilizing the Navy’s cold-gas launch approach
that will be used in Navy sea-based platform fielding.
This test was the next
step in the Navy’s flight testing program of the common All Up Round (AUR)
that is being developed in partnership with the Army’s Rapid Capabilities and
Critical Technologies Office. In 2024, the programs completed two additional
end-to-end flight tests of the AUR that will be fielded to both the Navy and
Army.
“The cold-gas approach allows the Navy to eject the missile from the platform
and achieve a safe distance above the ship prior to first stage ignition.
This technical achievement brings SSP one step closer to fulfilling our role
of providing a safe and reliable hypersonic capability to our Navy,” said
Vice Adm. Johnny R. Wolfe Jr, Director, Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs,
which is the lead designer of the common hypersonic missile.
What makes it extra sexy?
It uses the Salamander-endorsed cold launch.
You can see a good view
of the concept here, with the 4x3=12 replacing the forward white elephant
gun.
Will we make the Zumwalts
CAG-3, 4, and 5 after conversions? If a larger ship with even more CPS is a
BB, would the Zumwalts now be pocket pattleships?
The US Navy never had
those, we had battlecruisers (CB) instead. The last ones we had were the
glorious ALASKA Class CB.
That would be CB-7, 8,
and 9, then. Or, because they also have guided missiles, CBG-1, 2, and 3.
All sorts of options…but
really, the Zumwalts whose baseline model weighs in at 14,798 tons were never
destroyers anyway.
So, Zumwalts become
battlecruises.
The “Golden Battleships?”
Not a bad name, as they will (throws something against the wall),
cost 2/3 of a CVN, especially if they are nuclear powered, which they
probably need to be as you will need the “white space” in the design for the
weapons and radars that are coming, all of which are power hungry.
That’s $8.5 billion a
hull, not including the cost of the weapons you’ll put on them.
What does that give you?
Well, look at the USS Salamander at the top of the post. It has 31 Advanced
Payload Modules (APM). That gives you 31x3=93 CPS missiles. The Zumwalts
carry 80 missiles besides CPS, so a battleship should have at least 50% more
than that. Let’s call it 120 missiles in MK-57 or MK-41 VLS cells.
So, a nuclear powered,
guided missile battleship. USS Salamander (BBGN-1)...or if we want to
simplify things as the “G” and “N” are just too much unnecessary clutter, (BB
72).
The "Karen" phenomenon is more than a thing, about the bitter old white harpy that wants to complain and try to control you because her life is crap. She bought into the 4th wave of feminism and thought her life would be perfect, and now in her forties/fifties/sixties after kicking her husband to the curb to "find herself" after listening to her divorced friends, she realized that her life is empty so they are out on a crusade to "change the world" so as to try to fill her life with meaning because they usually have no kids or have alienated them unless she has daughters and she will try to corrupt her also.
They usually have no belief system except gaia, or the state or some other nebulous higher power, believes in "the science" if it is pushed by the state, because you can't question the state. They are the ones that made the most use of "the snitch lines "on your neighbor and called the cops, they are the self important busybodies that made sure that all the edicts pushed by Fauci and crew were complied with on social media or you were "killing people ". They are the ones that screeched and pushed for everyone to get "The Vaxx" or you should go to a camp with all the other non believers and just die. They had the insipid circle on their social media profile that stated "I am vaxxed" and they were proud of it. They were the ones that would swoop on you in a grocery store and screech "Where is your mask?" even in states where it wasn't required. my favorite response after politely telling them to go away was to "FU", yeah I had no love lost for the self important busybodies. The "Stasi" would have loved these people.
I pulled this off "PJ Media".
AP Photo/Olga Fedorova
Back in the bar-hopping days of my youth, the telltale sign of a high-quality nightclub was twofold:
Must have a minimal (or no) cover charge, and the beers can’t be crazy expensive. (Pro Tip: If there’s a clean mint in the urinal, you’re paying too much for your drinks.)
Must have hot babes.
Advertisement
And honestly? The latter outweighed the former by a LOT: We could always “pregame” (with Milwaukee’s Best and/or Natty Light, of course) before going out — but if the bar was packed with nothing but dudes, we wouldn’t hang around.
We’d leave and try to find a bar with babes!
Bar owners understood this dynamic, which is why they invented “ladies night,” where all the women drink for free: As long as your bar is filled with good-looking women, you’ll ALWAYS have plenty of desperate dudes (like me!) paying handsomely for the privilege to drink with ‘em.
That’s how the male mind worked: We wanted to be wherever the women were.
But what if I told you there’s a place that utterly defies this male-female dynamic — a place overflowing with single, desperate women… and young men STILL avoid it like the plague?
Remember those “No Kings” protests? Turns out, the name was dead-on accurate: There were no kings.
At last weekend’s “No Kings” protest in Washington, D.C., inflatable chickens bobbed above a crowd that, according to demographic research, was made up mostly of educated White women in their 40s.
Psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert said the “No Kings” protests were a snapshot of an era when emotional catharsis and civic activism have begun to blur.
“What we’re seeing is a kind of group therapy playing out in the streets,” he told Fox News Digital.
The typical attendee at the D.C. protest was an educated white woman in her 40s who heard about the event either through friends or via Instagram, according to preliminary data collected by American University researchers who track protest movements.
[…]
State of play: 86% of surveyed protesters in D.C. were white, and 57% were women.
It’s eye-opening how lily-white the D.C. “No Kings” protests were — especially for a political party that prides itself on DEI hires, racial diversity, and kneejerk “inclusivity.”
The demographics of D.C. are 43% black! Yet 86% of the D.C. protesters were white?!
How is that even possible?
Meanwhile, President Trump won 46% to 48% of the Hispanic vote, 40% of the Asian vote, and about 15% of the black vote. Which means, the evil, racist, xenophobic MAGA movement is vastly more “racially inclusive” than the left-wing “No Kings” movement!
Axios did find an “expert” to explain the glaring absence of minority participants. You might find it amusing:
"It makes sense that we're not seeing people of color in the streets because people of color are being disappeared," said Dana Fisher, a professor at American University's School of International Service.
Right: “People of color” couldn’t march because — abracadabra! — they’ve already vanished. Makes perfect sense.
(Wait. No, that doesn’t make any sense. Like, none at all.)
Either way, it’s created a radically different image of the “No Kings” movement. Try as they might, this wasn’t anything like the Counter Culture revolution of the 1960s, where college-aged activists led legions of idealistic youngsters into the streets, telling ‘em “Don’t trust anyone over 30.”
Advertisement
Today in 2025? College kids weren’t skipping classes to attend the “No Kings” rallies!
Instead, it was filled with unmarried, post-menopausal white women.
(Who attended the rallies with other unmarried, post-menopausal white women — during their down time between book club meetings, therapy sessions, and trips to Whole Foods.)
The New York Post focused on the convergence of “belonging and community” and the yenta-heavy demo:
“The ‘No Kings’ movement allows people to feel belonging and community,” [psychotherapist Jonathan] Alpert said. “Sharing grievances with like-minded people feels good, but it doesn’t necessarily change anything.”
[…]
That fleeting catharsis, Alpert added, can also mask something darker.
“A lot of times people are unhappy in their own lives,” he said. “They may have anxiety or anger, and they project that onto others. That’s partly what we’re seeing play out at these rallies.”
And it also explains why young people — especially young men — want nothing to do with today’s Democratic Party: What self-respecting 20-year-old man wants to spend his free time with a bunch of angry, bitter, old women?
Especially women who view his masculinity as inherently “toxic”?
The Democratic Party has gone from Camelot to a lot of Karens — from donkeys to cougars. And for all the talk of “No Kings,” in truth it was “no husbands”: These rallies consisted of sad, lonely women commiserating with other sad, lonely women.
(Yeah. All the “good men” have vanished too, eh? Just like the “people of color” vanished from the protests. My God, it’s an epidemic of vanishing!)
The truth, however, is that nobody has vanished: Good men are still here, and 40+% of Washington, D.C. is just as black as it ever was.
They simply don’t want to associate with post-menopausal Karens who run the Democratic Party.
Because this wasn’t Houdini redux: men, young people, and minorities didn’t suddenly vanish into the ether. There was no snap-of-Thanos. Professor Dana Fisher’s theory — that disproportionately large numbers of “people of color” refused to attend a left-wing protest AGAINST Donald Trump BECAUSE of Donald Trump — is beyond absurd. It’s straw-grasping writ large.
No I didn't but I got this off one of my social media, Quora I think. I'm too old, grumpy and can't deal with the stupidity that long, this guy has stones.
"I infiltrated Antifa"
“I infiltrated Antifa to subvert and sabotage, but also to
understand my enemy. I wanted to get inside their heads and the best way to do
that was to get them to let their guard down because they thought I was one of
them.
At six months, I was at the upper limits of my ability to
hold my tongue and blend in while listening to them spew the most retarded
bullshit imaginable. Even someone who’s well-read in Marx would laugh at what
the average antifascist believes about Marxism and left-wing philosophy.
The modern American version of the movement is a shaky
alliance between left-wing anarchists and communists. Hence the black and red
colors in their symbolism. They’ve agreed to set their differences aside and
sort things out after they’ve overthrown the government. Which is their primary
mission, for anyone who thinks it’s something more noble like policy
reform.
No, it’s about seizing power, plain and simple.
One thing I noticed was that each Antifa organization had an
unspoken hierarchy. Black militants would always be in a public-facing
leadership position where they could scream through a bullhorn and agitate the
rank & file into a frenzy.
The organizers were almost always White women and gays. The
trans-element was usually relegated to being mere foot soldiers, and any
straight White guys pretending to be allies in order to f*ck the art-hoes were
at the very bottom.
Being a White guy at their meetings and events felt like how
I’d imagine it would feel to be a White guy at a Black Panthers meeting. It’s
rarely said aloud, but there’s a not-so-subtle tension…an underlying menace
that permeates every interaction with other members, excuse me,
“comrades.”
You’re not welcome, you are tolerated. But only if you’re
useful. Only if you show twice as much enthusiasm. Only if you never speak
except to affirm someone else. Your only purpose is to be a whipping post, to
nod along, smile like a jackass and clap the loudest every time a minority says
the dumbest shit you’ve ever heard.
And to carry heavy shit.
The women and the gays will tell you to carry things anytime
something weighs more than five ounces. They don’t ask. They point to whatever
needs moved and expect you to volunteer yourself. They do it with a satisfied
sneer and a glare of contempt. This victim hierarchy of women, LGBTs, blacks,
latinos, muslims, jews, etc. rules every thought they have.
Everything must be dissected, deconstructed and categorized
according to the oppressor-oppressed dynamic. This is the lens through which
they perceive the world. Nothing exists to them free of its guilt or innocence,
a stone isn’t just a stone. It’s an object attached to a label created by the
language of the patriarchy.
And for that sin, it must be redeemed. Renamed, baptized
into the religion of decolonization and given a new name that doesn’t vibrate
the vocal cords the same way as words invented by evil White men.”
I was driving to work and this song came on and I decided to roll with this. I remember this song was on my "Ronco" records and it was a bit sad listening to this story. But it is a good song and has held the test of time well. I remember hearing the song on the record and yeah it was sad but I didn't really "Get" the song when I was younger, but I did remember the song, because of the pain of the little boy as he seemed to be cast aside for his younger sibling.
"Lonely Boy" is a song written and recorded by Andrew Gold in 1976 for his album What's Wrong with This Picture? When released as a single in 1977, the song became a top-twenty hit in both the United States (#7) and the United Kingdom (#11). While "Lonely Boy" would be Gold's biggest U.S. hit, his "Never Let Her Slip Away" achieved greater success in the U.K. The second verse of the song features backing vocals provided by Linda Ronstadt (for whom Gold had previously worked as a producer and backing musician). The song follows the life of a child who feels neglected by his parents after the birth of a younger sister. Many assume this song to be autobiographical, yet Gold denied the implication, despite great similarities between the lyrics and his life. Regarding the verses' first lines: "He was born on a summer day in 1951" matches Andrew's August 2, 1951 birthday, "In the summer of '53 his mother/Brought him a sister" matches his sister Martha's July 22, 1953 birthday, and "He left home on a winter day, 1969" may well match the formation of Bryndle, of which Andrew was a member, in 1969. The strongly syncopated song was also released as an edited single, eliminating the vocal bridge and shortening the instrumental finale. The song was featured in a number of films including Boogie Nights (1997) and The Waterboy (1998). In February 2000, the Foo Fighters recorded a cover of the song to be used as a B-side for an upcoming single off their 1999 album There Is Nothing Left to Lose; however, it wasn't used as a B-side as planned. In 2007, the song was covered separately by the bands Farrah and Lazlo Bane (whose song "(I'm no) Superman" is used as the main title theme of the TV series Scrubs). In 2013, rock band The Almost covered this song for their album Fear Inside Our Bones.
I own a couple of ex-police pistols, my "Smif" 686 has the "Dekalb Police" stamped on it. and I own a Glock 22C that was a LEO Trade-in from next county over from where I live. I have no issued with former Police pistols, usually they are taken care of...unless they belonged to a big city police than the "gun culture" isn't as ingrained as it is in "Flyover country".
I shamelessly snagged this "American Rifleman"
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
The first decade of the new millennium was something of a golden era for the more casual firearm collectors here in the United States. At that time, the marketplace was replete with internationally manufactured military surplus rifles and handguns selling at impressively low prices. Russian Mosin-Nagant bolt-actions with all-matching serial numbers and the original stocks were selling for $89. I had buddies who were packing Bulgarian and East German Makarovs chambered in the then-plentiful 9x18 mm Makarov pistol cartridge since they were compact, well-made and available for around $200. SKS rifles and Tokarev pistols also abounded at low prices.
But as time marched on, two market factors kicked in to cause surplus gun prices to rise. First off, these retired military firearm caches were fairly expansive, but they were not infinite. The firearms, along with the $0.05 to $0.10 per round surplus ammunition, simply dried up. Secondly, the folks in possession of these overseas caches eventually figured out what American collectors were paying for these guns. As a result, they upped their prices. What are the more budget-minded self-defenders and casual collectors to do now that the military surplus supply is mostly tapped out?
Occasionally, unissued, as-new guns like this Beretta APX will crop up at bargain prices.
There is still a steady supply of quality used rifles, shotguns and handguns that sometimes goes overlooked by the general shooting public. I’m referring to law enforcement officer (LEO) trade-ins. These retired long guns and handguns guns have been toted around a good deal but not fired all that often. Even though they have been swapped out for something new, and they may not win a beauty contest, these guns still have plenty of working life in them. Best of all, these guns can usually be purchased at attractively low prices.
I’ve been dipping into this sleeper surplus supply via AIM Surplus over the last few years. This company has proven to be a top-notch source for a variety of now off-duty pistols and revolvers. The guns have been great to work with and the examples shown here have come from this company. Here is a closer look at the benefits and trade-offs of LEO trade-ins.
Bang For The Buck LEO trade-ins, like other used guns, have the potential to provide greater value per dollar spent than some brand-new guns selling for similar prices. For example, AIM Surplus recently listed an allotment of 9 mm Glock 17 Gen 4 pistols in great shape on sale for $319. Glocks like this often cost somewhere around $600 brand new. As of this writing, the company is offering a golden find. It's a shipment of unissued Beretta 9 mm pistols originally ordered for the Brazilian police in as-new condition. The pistols ship in unfired condition in their original cases with all of the factory accessories, including an owner's manual in Portuguese! When these first-generation guns were launched, they had a suggested retail price of $500. But these unissued Berettas are on sale for $299.95.
A less-expensive used Glock like this G17 Gen 4 can be outfitted with a variety of accessories and upgrades.
The common trade-offs that attend the lower prices include some degree of wear and tear and possibly no factory extras. Unless otherwise specified by the seller, expect dings, scratches, holster wear and possibly some corrosion from long term storage. There's also a good chance these used guns will need a deep cleaning along with the typical inspection, bench checks and lubrication before shooting.
As for the original factory support gear, it can be a coin toss. In a recent evaluation of two Smith & Wesson M&P pistols, one arrived in the original case, two extra backstraps and an owner's manual. The other shipped in a small cardboard box, no additional backstraps and an aftermarket grip sleeve installed. The listings should be clear as to the number of magazines you'll get. It's unusual for pistols to ship without at least one. Make sure to double check the site inventory to see if compatible used magazines are being sold separately. For the M&Ps, the retired factory magazines were selling for around $15 which is notably less than $42 to $49 for new magazines.
Factory original accessories may or may not be included.
Last Year's Fashions Law enforcement agencies tend to stick with firearms from reputable manufacturers. Popular providers include previously mention Beretta, Glock and Smith & Wesson along with other trusted brands including FN, HK and SIG Sauer. And the models selected tend to have a proven track record for desirable qualities including durability, reliability and repeatable defensive accuracy. Although the selection of used models is not as expansive as the commercial market place, the quality is solid.
This Smith & Wesson 5946 was produced before compensated barrels, night sights, accessory rails and optics-ready slides became popular.
As technology and shooting trends evolve, so do the features manufacturers provide. Some of the latest and greatest defensive pistols leave the factory with compensated barrels, night sights, optics-ready slides, dustcover accessory rails and tuned triggers. Older pistols may lack any or all of these features. Some models can be upgraded with some of these features while other cannot. Whether a LEO trade-in is a bargain at that price or not will depend on your needs and objectives.
Cartridge Selection LEO trade in guns are typically chambered in standard calibers. Retired shotguns are going to be 12 gauge. AR platforms will most likely be .223 Rem./5.56 NATO or .308 Win. Double-action revolvers are going to be configured for .357 Mag. or .38 Special. As for pistols, expect 9 mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP options to be the dominant choices. Whether or not this caliber range is a plus or a trade-off depends what you have in mind. If there is a caliber you would like to try, like .45 ACP or .40 S&W, then a LEO trade-in allows you to try this caliber on for size without breaking the bank. The same is true for those who are gifted, inherit or find a great deal on .45 ACP or .40 S&W ammunition but don't currently have a pistol chambered for it. A sub $250 handgun is a great way to put the ammunition to work for you.
Pistol caliber options are usually 9 mm, .40 S&W or .45 ACP
It should be noted that, with just about everyone in a uniform switching to 9 mm pistols, the .40 S&W semi-automatics are selling cheaply! There's certainly nothing wrong with buying one and shooting it as-is. However, with some makes and models, a simple barrel and magazine swap will convert these guns from .40 S&W to 9 mm. Even with the extra parts, the pistol will still cost less than a new 9 mm and you'll have a dual-caliber pistol. That could be useful just in case the 9 mm ammunition supply dries up (again).
Some .40 S&W pistols can be converted to 9 mm with a simple barrel and magazine swap.
Budget Friendly Defensive Options? Over the years, I've evaluated a variety of handguns provided by AIM Surplus, including a SIG Sauer P226 chambered in .40 S&W, a Smith & Wesson Model 5946 9 mm and Smith & Wesson's Model 64 series .38 Special revolvers. These handguns, along with others, exhibited levels of performance, reliability and accuracy suitable for personal protection inside and outside of the home. These guns may be older and outfitted with more basic sets of features, but they will get the job done. And because guns like this are procured by the hundreds and thousands, affordable holsters, magazines and other support gear tends to be readily available.
A used .38 Special like the Smith & Wesson Model 64 is a great way to add a revolver to the collection without breaking the bank.
The test guns mentioned here have all been ready to use when they arrived or only called for minor fixes, like swapping the grip. Much like automobiles, firearms contain what manufacturers refer to as "consumable components." These are the parts that wear out based on frequency of use and are likely to be swapped out, or possibly upgraded, within the working lifespan of the machine in question.
In most cases, the parts are designed to be relatively easy to replace and affordable to purchase. For cars and trucks, the consumables consist of air filters, brake pads, windshield wiper blades, tires, etc. For handguns, these parts can include sights, action springs (hammer, trigger, striker, etc.) grips, magazines and magazine components like the follower, spring or baseplate.
The author gave this SIG Sauer P226 a good cleaning and installed a new set of Hogue rubber stocks.
The way to know if your gun might need parts replaced is to vet it properly before staging it for personal protection. Give it a thorough cleaning and proper lubrication, then run a set of bench checks to verify that all of the controls and functions are cycling properly. If it all looks ship-shape, then head to the range and fire 100 to 200 rounds, including at least two or three of magazines worth of your preferred defense hollow-point loads. If there are no malfunctions, clean and lubricate once more and you are good to go. But if you run into problems you can't resolve, put the gun back in the safe until it can be inspected and repaired by a qualified gunsmith.
The key to making the most of the LEO trade-in market is vigilance. Great deals like those discussed here show up regularly, but they may not stick around for long. The available inventory is constantly changing. Keep an eye out and, if you find a good fit for your needs, don’t wait too long to buy it. For more information about the handguns mentioned here, and other currently available LEO trades, visit aimsurplus.com.
I am reading Red Storm Rising.....again, LOL I kinda touched on the subject on Monday's Music.
This movie was mentioned in "Red Storm Rising", as one of the movies used to inflame the passions of the Russian against the Invaders. The movie is a production of the 1930's and the director was Sergei M. Eisenstein. The characters are right out of a John Ford Movie, The stand alone heroic figure in Prince Alexander Nevsky, the 2 buffoonish sidekicks and the expected love interest. The German invaders are arrogant and mostly faceless behind helmets designed by Eisenstein. The invading Germans have already partitioned Russia amongst themselves, one knight was made "Prince of Pskov", and in a horrible example of pacification, would throw babies on bonfires and kill anybody that resisted. The battle was a truly epic affair on a frozen lake and the German knights attacked with casual disregard for tactics and the Russian peasants supurbly lead by Alexander Nevsky defeated the Germans in a cannae like maneuver then vanquished the leader in a one on one battle. The rest of the movie resolved the love interests and liberated Pskov, Alexander hoist a bunch of children onto the saddle as they ride in and disregarding any love interest, he started a sermon standing by himself and talking about what happens to those that invade Russia. Alexander plays the strong father figure and he emulated Joseph Stalin mannerism, this was by design since Stalin commissioned the movie.
ALEXANDER NEVSKY
In the 13th century, Russian lands suffer from foreign invasions. The opening shows an undulating field with relics of a battle: moldering uniforms, human skulls with helmets and a horse's skeleton. In 1242, attacks come from the East by Mongols and from the West by Teutonic Knights of the Holy Roman Empire. The first sight of Alexander (Nikolai Cherkasov) is as a fisherman. A courier arrives with news that neighboring Pskov has been conquered by Teutonic knights. A Mongol governor in an impressive carriage escorted by soldier’s approaches. Soldiers force the fishermen to kneel and answer questions. When the soldiers consider the attitude of a young fisherman insolent, they whip him and a skirmish starts, but stops as Alexander approaches. Alexander was known to the Mongols for having chased a Swedish army away.
The Mongol ruler is looking for Alexander to propose for him to join his forces with the rank of captain. Nevsky diplomatically refuses and replies: "Die in your homeland, don't leave it". He intends to fish, build ships and trade. Nevsky warns his followers that the Germans are a more dangerous enemy. The scene shifts to Novgorod, busy with trade, the last unconquered city in Russia. A pretty maid Olga (Vera Ivashova) is shopping for fabrics. Two friends who have recently fought in battle, Vasily and Gavrilo (Nikolai Okhlopkov and Andrei Abrikosov) are looking at weapons made by Ignat, a Master Armorer (Dmitriy Orlov).They talk about wanting a peaceful life with a wife and family, and recognize Olga. They are both attracted to Olga, and Gavrilo approaches speaks to her asking permission to send a matchmaker to her father.
Gavrilo is serious and devoted, while Vasily is jolly and garrulous. Vasily says he is just as interested, and asks Olga to choose between the two, but she smiles and says she needs time to think it over. In the square in front of the church, a wounded warrior speaks to the crowd, giving news of the conquest of neighboring Pskov by the Germans, and telling of their bloody oppression. More inhabitants join the crowd as various individuals give speeches. Rich merchants want to purchase their liberty, but the common people want to resist. Olga, Gavrilo, and others say they want Alexander as their leader to fight. Despite opposition from the boyars and merchants of Novgorod, urged on by the monk Ananias, the crowd in Novgorod to decides to battle the invaders.
Visitors from Pskov are present and wholeheartedly approve. It is arranged for emissaries, led by Gavrilo to call on Prince Aleksandr Nevsky, who had led the battle against the Swedes, to organize a defense. Nevsky is busy with fishing when the emissaries arrive, He first asks to be dressed in his prince costume, and receives the envoys. He agrees to lead, but not for defense, as he prefers to attack. He takes charge with the condition they all fight for Russia and not for themselves. Putting aside petty differences and issues, an army is raised from peasant volunteers. The scene shifts to Pskov. Pskov is burning, conquered with the help of the traitor Tverdilo. The marauding occupation forces distribute the loot.
The Grand Master of the Teutonic Order (Vladimir Yershov) speaks: a blond, cold, arrogant man of regal bearing and extreme pride. The Teutonic knights feel invincible and have just a smug smile for the Russian women who witness helplessly how their fathers and sons are killed at the least sign of resistance. When a prominent Pskov elder speaks in protest, he is bound in ropes. Before he is led to hang over the large fire, his daughter Vasilisa ( Aleksandra Danilova) pleads for his life but she is yanked off him and he is led to his death. As punishment for resistance offered, children are ripped from their mothers arms and thrown in the fire while high dignitaries of the church look on. Back in Novgorod, Nevsky arrives, and the inhabitants promise to make weapons and armor for a thousand fighters. Vasilisa puts on a helmet and armor. In scenes at the invaders camp, the invaders attend religious services and boast of wanting to bait the "Russian bear".
On the Russian camp, Nevsky's plans are described. He decides to battle on the ice. His men know the territory but the Germans, who are heavier, will break through the ice...Olga promises to marry whoever proves the more valiant of her two suitors, each of whom is given command of an important sector. The night before the battle, the Russian troops gather on shore, and the old man tells a funny fable about how a hare trapped a wolf. In the battle with the Germans, Nevsky uses his fisherman's knowledge of the ice as well as his experience of their military tactics to defeat them. Battle scenes follow: masterful, repetitive, with people advancing, swinging weapons around, people riding horses, people getting bopped on heads, some arrows flying. The Germans have heavier steel weapons, and more horses but the Russians have poles, hooks and axes of greater reach. Close-ups of the battle concentrate on Vasily, Gavrilo, a blond youth, an old man, and Vasilisa, who come to rescue each other from time to time.
Wave after wave of advancing Germans are defeated, so they regroup and move in again. After some give and take, the entire German fighting force forms a sort of fort surrounded by a shield wall, and sallies from the inner protected area take a heavy toll on the Russians. In a wedge attack, Gavrilo breaks the shield wall, the fight continues inside the formerly protected area, and when attacked in a pincers movement from outside, they are forced to regroup and mass towards the West side of the lake, where the ice is thinner. The turning point of the battle comes when Gavrilo battles single handedly against the Grand Master, a duel with ordinary fighters from both camps surrounding and watching
The old man who came to the battle is killed by treachery by Tverdilo after feigning surrender, and only because his iron shirt was too short and the knife pierced him in the open part of his neck. In the disordered rout of the Germans, most knights are killed or drowned as the thin ice cracks and breaks. At the end of the battle, heaps of corpses are plunged in cosmic light under an endless horizon.
At nightfall, Olga and other women search with torches for survivors. A devoted falcon sits on his master's dead body while a crow waits for the right moment to pick out the eyes of the deceased. The song after the battle as Olga is looking for her suitors is emotionally devastating. Olga finds Vasily and Gavrilo, wounded and unable to walk without help, and holds them up as they walk very slowly back. In the early morning, victors and vanquished file into the walled area of the town, first the dead, then the prisoners, and finally the victors Slain heroes are conveyed on sleds, burning candles in their hands. The most striking is the blond youth, shown on the screen in profile from head to hands. The wind is blowing and his blond hair is dancing in the wind, in tune with the flicker of the candle flame.
At the end, Nevsky displays his generosity, as he pardons and frees the foot soldiers and keeps the knights as prisoners for ransom. Only the bearded traitor Tverdilo and a traitorous cleric who played organ are turned over to the mob. We see the gloomy faces of the angry Russians who had lost their relatives in the battle, and when they start tearing the traitor apart. The trials have ended. The time for celebrations arrives. Vasily publicly states that neither he nor Gavrilo was the bravest in battle: that honor goes to Vasilisa, and that after her came Gavrilo. Vasilys mother (Varvara Massalitinova) objects that her son has never been second to anyone, but Vasily respectfully insists. Gavrilo and Olga are united, while Vasily chooses Vasilisa as his bride to be, with her consent amply expressed in body language, and his mother acquiescing with broad smiles. Nevsky gives a final warning: He who comes to Russia with sword in hand will die by the sword.
Eisenstein made Alexander Nevsky, his first completed film in 10 years, during the Stalin era, at a time of strained relations between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. The film contains elements of obvious allegory that reflect the political situation between the two countries at the time of production. Some types of helmets worn by the Teutonic infantry resemble mock-ups of Stahlhelms from World War I. In the first draft of the Alexander Nevsky script, swastikas even appeared on the invaders' helmets. The film portrays Alexander as a folk hero and shows him bypassing a fight with the Mongols, his old foes, in order to face the more dangerous enemy.
The film also conveys highly anti-clerical and anti-Catholic messages. The knights' bishop's miter is adorned with swastikas, while religion plays a minor role on the Russian side, being present mostly as a backdrop in the form of Novgorod's St. Nicholas Cathedral and the clerics with their icons during the victorious entry of Nevsky into the city after the battle.
The film stemmed from a literary scenario entitled Rus, written by Pyotr Pavlenko, a Soviet novelist who conformed to socialist realist orthodoxy. The authorities could rely on Pavlenko, in his role of "consultant", to report any wayward tendencies on Eisenstein's part.
Alexander Nevsky stresses as a central theme the importance of the common people in saving Russia, while portraying the nobles and merchants as "bourgeoisie" and enemies of the people who do nothing, a motif that was heavily employed.
While shooting the film, Eisenstein published an article in the official newspaper of recordIzvestia entitled "Alexander Nevsky and the Rout of the Germans". He drew a specific parallel between Nevsky and Stalin. As a result, the Kremlin requested an advance screening and, without Eisenstein being consulted, his assistants showed the footage to the General Secretary. During the process of this screening, one of the reels, which featured a scene depicting a brawl among the populace of Novgorod, disappeared. Whether it was left behind in the editing room inadvertently or whether Stalin saw the footage and objected to it, the filmmakers decided to destroy the reel permanently, since it had not received Stalin's explicit approval. Stalin was reported to be very happy with the cut of the film he was shown.
The picture was released in December 1938, and became a great success with audiences: on 15 April 1939, Semen Dukelsky – the chairman of the State Committee for Cinematography – reported that it had already been viewed by 23,000,000 people and was the most popular of the films made in recent times.
After 23 August 1939, when the USSR signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, which provided for non-aggression and collusion between Germany and the Soviet Union, Alexander Nevsky was removed from circulation. However, the situation reversed dramatically on 22 June 1941 after the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union, and the film rapidly returned to Soviet and western screens.
I pulled this off "Wiki"
Literature
Tom Clancy's novel Red Storm Rising (1986) depicts two American intelligence officers watching Alexander Nevsky (on an unauthorized Soviet state television satellite feed) on the eve of World War III. The officers take note of an improved sound track, as well as the anti-German sentiment and strong sense of Russian (as opposed to Soviet) nationalism. The next day, as part of a plot to split the NATO alliance politically, KGB agents detonate a bomb in the Kremlin, killing a group of children from Pskov, and later arrest a West Germansleeper agent on charges of terrorism.
