Who hasn't heard of George Armstrong Custer? He has been written about time and again. Movies tell the story. The story has a finality simply called "Custer's last stand". A better statement might be "Custer's greatest error". Lieutenant Colonel George Custer was in a position for heroics and possibly General ranking. He was a part of forces moved to Montana to engage the Sioux and Northern Cheyenne indians. Gold had been discovered in that territory and people were swarming to get it. The Indians saw their way of life and existence on the land threatened and they fought back. The army was sent to protect the people and bring these warring tribes under control. Custer had a regiment of about 650 men. He was to be the advance guard. He located the indians and decided on a plan of attack. He ignored the fact that General Terry also had forces and they were to do this as a joint effort. Custer ignored or simply did not know the size of the Indian forces. They were FIVE TIMES larger than his Regiment. They also had a battle plan and it worked perfectly. Chiefs Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse were neither sitting or crazy. Their strategy wiped out the entire regiment. Heroics aside, Custer's last stand was a foolhardy mistake. He did not know his enemy. He did not know their size or armament. These tribes usually did not fight together, but they saw that they must on this occasion, and they did. Today one can visit Custer Battlefield National Monument near Little Big Horn.
History can teach us if we let it. This event is a military teacher. It is also a personal one. We should never underestimate our own Enemy and enemies. To do so will bring about pain and defeat. It was June 25, 1876. What have we learned from history?
