Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2022 December 17

= December 17 =

William the Elder?
Who is the William that William the Younger, Duke of Brunswick, is "the Younger" of? Clarityfiend (talk) 09:13, 17 December 2022 (UTC)
 * This biography claims that he was "younger" to his cousin Wilhelm of the Brunswick line, brother of Henry V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and son of Henry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (another, though more straightforward Elder/Younger pair). A second reference is here. --Wrongfilter (talk) 09:52, 17 December 2022 (UTC)
 * Thanks. Clarityfiend (talk) 04:13, 18 December 2022 (UTC)

Leonhard von Moellendorff (1918-1945)
Please, can you search in exist a photo and maybe upload it on commons? Thank you very much. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.207.217.218 (talk) 15:11, 17 December 2022 (UTC)


 * If one exists, Google can't find it I'm afraid. Alansplodge (talk) 16:51, 17 December 2022 (UTC)
 * Note that there is no guarantee any photo can be uploaded to Commons. Most likely, Commons:Commons:Copyright rules by territory/Germany will have to be considered and if the photo was published with an identified author, it might not have entered into the public domain yet. (Commons:Commons:Copyright rules by territory/United States could also be a factor but for that age I think it's not that likely except for press photos and similar.) Nil Einne (talk) 17:00, 18 December 2022 (UTC)

Battle strategy of delay
I remember learning in university about a historical battle, I think in the ancient world, in which a city intentionally allowed itself to be captured and occupied and then, when the enemy had gotten settled and lax, the city‘s original inhabitants rose up and killed all their occupiers, thereby winning the battle. What I recall is that the legacy of the battle was that the city eventually lent its name to a phrase meaning the strategy of delaying something in order to gain some advantage. Does any of that sound familiar to anyone? If so, I’d be glad to know which battle or city it was or what the strategy is called. 2607:FEA8:F18D:F000:D826:6641:D472:5B86 (talk) 21:24, 17 December 2022 (UTC)


 * Fabian strategy? I'm not seeing anything in there which matches your story about an occupied city, but it's a strategy of delay from the ancient world. Card Zero  (talk) 23:13, 17 December 2022 (UTC)


 * It seems very, very unlikely. All it would take is for one person to switch sides, and the whole thing ends in disaster. Also, in ancient times, conquerors were not known to be gentle in their occupation. Who in their right minds would have subjected themselves to murder, rape and pillaging for such a risky proposition? Clarityfiend (talk) 03:39, 18 December 2022 (UTC)
 * It is a plot element in the post-apocalyptic novel The Postman; some women allow themselves to be captured so they can later kill their captors at a predetermined time, but one betrays the others. Clarityfiend (talk) 03:43, 18 December 2022 (UTC)
 * While not what the OP is looking for the fictional The Mouse That Roared and its film version The Mouse That Roared (film) are a fun variation of the situation. MarnetteD&#124;Talk 18:42, 18 December 2022 (UTC)