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Oh, man. Ungern-Sternberg was absolutely batshit. I mean, I'm sure the communists told stories about him, but even his fellow anti-communists regarded him as a

Oh, man. Ungern-Sternberg was absolutely batshit. I mean, I'm sure the communists told stories about him, but even his fellow anti-communists regarded him as a bloodthirsty psychopath: Ferdynand Antoni Ossendowski's Beasts, Gods & Men is a firsthand account of Ungern-Sternberg's lunacy, and it seems likely that Ossendowski would be more disposed to downplay what a whacko he was rather than make up stories. I've never actually seen or heard of anyone admiring the old basket case before, it's actually kind of impressive. While I was reading this I just kept hearing Dennis Hopper's voice in my head: "What will they say about him? That he was a kiiiind maaaan? That he was a wiiiise maaaan? That he had plaaaans, maaaan?" :-D

clarionbell 3y ago
So, what is the worst thing he did? I mean from what I know he wanted to be a conqueror of sorts, liked Buddhism (that doesn't imply pacifism), restored monarchy and independence of Mongolia and tried to institute some measure of modernization. Yes, he did have people executed. But he never got close the the numbers accomplished by Lenin and his bolsheviks.
- cstross 3y ago
  Raging anti-semite, wanted to exterminate all the Jews, rode across Asia under a red banner with a white circle containing a swastika (in 1920!) -- where have we heard this before? He used to ride into villages and round up all the men. Those who were of an age to fight, he conscripted: the rest he put to the sword -- "they'll fight for us in their next incarnation". He was a proto-Nazi monster with genocidal ambitions.
- dragonwriter 3y ago
  > Yes, he did have people executed. But he never got close the the numbers accomplished by Lenin and his bolsheviks. If this is the best “not that bad” comparator you can come up with, I will submit that thing you are using it for is, ipso facto, pretty bad.
DeathArrow 3y ago
> Ferdynand Antoni Ossendowski's Beasts, Gods & Men is a firsthand account of Ungern-Sternberg's lunacy Great book, by the way. And not only the part about Ungern was interesting but also the part about buddhists and their "miracles".

clarionbell 3y ago

So, what is the worst thing he did? I mean from what I know he wanted to be a conqueror of sorts, liked Buddhism (that doesn't imply pacifism), restored monarchy and independence of Mongolia and tried to institute some measure of modernization. Yes, he did have people executed. But he never got close the the numbers accomplished by Lenin and his bolsheviks.

cstross 3y ago
Raging anti-semite, wanted to exterminate all the Jews, rode across Asia under a red banner with a white circle containing a swastika (in 1920!) -- where have we heard this before? He used to ride into villages and round up all the men. Those who were of an age to fight, he conscripted: the rest he put to the sword -- "they'll fight for us in their next incarnation". He was a proto-Nazi monster with genocidal ambitions.
dragonwriter 3y ago
> Yes, he did have people executed. But he never got close the the numbers accomplished by Lenin and his bolsheviks. If this is the best “not that bad” comparator you can come up with, I will submit that thing you are using it for is, ipso facto, pretty bad.

DeathArrow 3y ago

> Ferdynand Antoni Ossendowski's Beasts, Gods & Men is a firsthand account of Ungern-Sternberg's lunacy Great book, by the way. And not only the part about Ungern was interesting but also the part about buddhists and their "miracles".