This chart was created by a Frenchman named Charles Joseph Minard who wanted to show the losses suffered by Napolean's army that invaded Russia.
I love this graphic because it tells a story using several variables. The brown band depicts the size of the army as it invaded Russia with 422,000 men. As they travel eastward in the cold weather, the band thins as men die or run off. By the time they get to Moscow, there are only 100,000 men left. The black band represents their return journey. The line at the bottom of the graphic shows the falling temperatures during the return. That little tiny black band that meets up with the beginning of the brown band represents the number of men who made it home -- about 10,000.
After analyzing this graphic, I've come to the conclusion that invading Moscow was a tactical error.
Amazing insight. I think you're management material.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Why are you wasting your genius in some 9-to-5. You could be solving the worlds energy problems with the keen intellect.
ReplyDeleteOK, seriously, that is a cool graphic. I'm starting to think Napoleon was a little deluded.
A lightning tank attack into Russia would have been a much better strategy.
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There's a remarkably similar graphic that tracks Dubya's approval rating as the war in Iraq continues. I wonder if he'll end up in Elba, too. Actually, maybe Guantanamo Bay would be the better bet.
ReplyDeleteerm, tactic, not strategy.
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Steve, thank GOD Obama's going to get elected and EVERYTHING'S going to change!
ReplyDeleteAfter all, he's an agent of change, opposed in every way to the failed Bush/McCain policies.
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i invaded russia once. maybe i'll write about it sometime.
ReplyDeleteIt was only a tactical error in so far as they didn't take enough thermal underwear for the return journey. Obviously the 10000 who made it back had around 20 pairs of socks each (assuming they were smart enough to scavenge from their fallen comrades from the very beginning and half died/half went AWOL).
ReplyDeleteI wish I would have seen your chart 75 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI invaded Russia once too...no wait...it was just ONE Russian...and the "invasion" was more like an "invitation"...but it DID happen in Leningrad and it WAS a conquest...so...there you go...but I came back with all my "men".
ReplyDeleteI am reading War and Peace this summer. Love it, love it, love it.