Historic Replicas

Hindsight, as they say, is 20-20, so it’s hard to believe that the Union and Confederate troops originally predicted a quick, neat end to the American Civil War. For their part, the rebels assumed that if they showed enough willingness and determination to break away from the United States, the North would accept that choice. The Union underestimated the South’s steely resolve and well-disciplined fighting force.

Any pretenses about the war ending early came to a screeching halt during the First Battle of Bull Run – known in the South as the Battle of Manassas – which took place in summer of 1861. Just a few months after the Confederacy fired on Fort Sumter, the Union was feeling overconfident. Several generals decided to march on Richmond and secure a quick victory. When the smoke from the cannons and Civil War guns cleared, several thousand troops on each side had been killed. The prospect of a short, tidy war vanished with that smoke.

Looking back now, so many decades after the fact, it’s easy to find irony in President Woodrow Wilson’s claim that World War I would be “the war to end all wars.” At the time, the major participants called it the Great War. They never imagined that another conflict would come along just 35 years later and that the casualties and consequences would be even greater.

By the end of World War II, the world had been virtually rid – however temporarily – of a great fascist threat. It didn’t take long for movies to romanticize the conflict to the point of obscuring many of the facts. There’s no denying that World War II was one of the bloodiest, hardest-fought in all of history. WWII guns represented physical proof of just how far military technology had advanced during the 20th century.

Those interested in cultivating a new hobby would be well served by checking out historical reenactments. This pastime is especially popular among veterans who yearn to honor the warriors and tacticians who came before them. For instance, a Vietnam vet might be reticent to talk or think too much about his experience overseas. Some things just hit a little too close to home. But what about reliving the thrill of a Civil War battle?

The Civil War has become known as the campaign that eventually saved our union from becoming divided in two. Exhaustive histories have been written, and every principal participant has earned at least one biography. Re-enactors dedicate a special level of realism for their Civil War battles, utilizing replica Civil War swords and other convincing armaments. This is a hobby that commands respect as well as dedication.

In ancient times, just as in modern times, the outcome of battles was often decided by which foe had the superior weaponry. In the Age of Steel, soldiers, knights, and warriors wielded medieval swords made from steel. While the weapons were all made with the same blacksmithing techniques, the length and width of the blades differed greatly. The effectiveness of a blade often depended on the foe it went up against. A long blade, for example, would be suitable for cutting down several enemies with medium length blades. The tradeoff with a long blade was its weight, and the effort required to swing it. If the first swing missed with a long blade, an opponent with a short blade might be able to close the gap to strike before the long blade wielder could swing again. With medieval swords, most blades were about 24-28 inches in length. A short blade would be 12-16 inches, and a long blade would be in excess of 36 inches.

Armies of soldiers clashed wielding these blades, and the outcome of many battles was decided by the technique of warriors and the quality and length of their blades.

Throughout history, war and religion have often been closely linked.  The Ancient Romans and Vikings both believed their Gods compelled them to attack and conquer neighboring peoples, and while the idea of a religiously motivated empire state can seem primitive and outdated, many more modern cultures have had a similar attitude.  America has always been a religious country, and American politicians and religious leaders have often described us as God’s “chosen people.”  They pointed to the vast country they’d been given to inhabit, a “new Eden,” as it was sometimes called, and the abundance of natural resources that lay within its borders. 

In 1845, a newspaper columnist named John O’Sullivan coined another phrase, “manifest destiny,” to describe the role of the American people in human affairs.  The phrase has meant different things over the centuries; at best, it implies a sense of responsibility to other peoples and an obligation to use our nation’s power and influence to ensure their well being.  To most Americans, this meant encouraging the spread of democracy and the God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as well as the spread of Christianity in order to save souls of more primitive peoples.  Unfortunately, those noble goals could be used to justify almost anything.  It basically meant that Americans believed their values and way of life were superior to all others, and that they had a right to impose these things on other people.  This was how the government defended turning its western guns against the Native Americans, which is great evidence that religion and politics don’t always mix.  

It’s somewhat unclear whether dueling existed in Ancient Greece and Rome.  The Roman costumes / uniforms definitely weren’t made for it.  Both were military societies whose men were trained for war, and they took their honor and reputations as warriors very seriously.  They probably didn’t hesitate to defend their honor with a sword when they felt they’d been wronged.  Dueling was a more sophisticated concept, though, involving combat between equals armed with the same weapons, and restricted to noblemen, since only they had honor to satisfy.  Dueling as we know it today wouldn’t take shape for several more centuries.  The Greeks and Romans had an equally exciting tradition though, and one with much higher stakes.  It was the practice of single combat, in which a lone warrior could decide the outcome of an entire war.  There have been accounts of single combat since biblical times (David and Goliath, for example), but the Greeks and Roman appear to have been particularly fond of it.  If a warring king or general wished to spare the lives of his men (or just conserve his resources), he could select a champion to fight on his army’s behalf.  The opposing leader was compelled to choose his own fighter, and this one battle would decide the victor. Both armies were honor-bound to respect the outcome of the battle, and be prepared to surrender if their champion lost.  The two men donned their Roman armor and met in the no-man’s-land in the middle of the battlefield while their comrades cheered them on from afar.  Can you imagine the terrible excitement these warriors must have experienced, knowing the fate of their homelands rested on their shoulders? 

For much of its history, war was a part of life in Japan.  Only 20% of the country is usable farmland, and powerful Japanese clans clashed frequently as they attempted to seize and control it.  Japanese swords have been used on the battlefield for thousands of years, and have deep cultural significance for the Japanese people.  The first swords in Japan on record were a gift from China to the Japanese Queen Himeko in 240 A.D.  Many more swords were imported from China in the next several years, and they became common on the battlefield around that time. 

By the 5th century, the Japanese were using straight, single-edged swords called chokuto.  These swords were made of steel, but still weren’t of the highest quality.  It wasn’t until 700 A.D. that the legendary swordsmith Akamuni forged the curved, folded-steel blades made famous in movies and cartoons.  Japanese combat had evolved from foot to horseback, and the cavalry were usually swinging their blades downward; smiths discovered that swords with curved blades had much greater cutting force, and the classic Japanese sword was born.  Originally these swords were called tachi, and had some flaws.  For example, the tip of the sword broke easily and couldn’t be fixed.  Japanese smiths were persistent, though; for five centuries, they diligently improved the sword’s design.  Finally, in the 14th century, they produced the katana, one of the most famous swords in history.  Thanks to its shape and the special steel used to build it, the katana’s cutting ability became legendary throughout the world.

One of the best ways to experience the culture of your city is by patronizing the local theaters. Even if the institution is small, these theaters always seem to have a way of attracting the talented individuals of a city. One of the easiest ways, however, for a play to be successful is to make the audience forget they are watching a play at all. To that end, the set designs and props should be so realistic that audience members can actually forget they are sitting in a theater at all.

If you’re involved in your local theater production and you’re trying to put together a period piece, don’t forget the importance of these props. Especially when it comes to dramatic fight scenes, make sure the highly choreographed routine isn’t nullified by having cheesy guns or swords. Invest in high quality replica guns, and you will help the audience buy into the false sense of reality you’ve created onstage.

If you want to impress your friends with cool headgear, try putting on a war helmet that will really catch everyone’s attention. Medieval helmets available in the market today are mostly replicas of the original items. Companies that make these often sell them to film makers and prop experts in theater plays. They also sell these to schools for stage play activities or as teaching tools.

Manufacturers spend time to do research on each helmet so that the products get the best quality replication. Some medieval fanatics use these helmets as additional articles to their collections. Medieval helmets can also be used to decorate a restaurant aiming for the medieval look. Add some spears, swords and shields to complete your awesome wall displays.

Swords have long been the most famous and highly regarded weapons in human warfare.  Our site features replica swords from many different historical eras, and I thought it would be cool to take a look at the way they’ve changed over time.  The development of new and more effective weapons was dependent on man’s ability to work with metal.  The first bladed weapons were daggers, short, knife-like weapons used at close range.  As Bronze Age blacksmiths gradually uncovered the secrets of metallurgy and the forge, they found they could make longer, more durable blades. The sword had obvious advantages in battle; it was balanced, relatively lightweight, and could be used both to attack and defend.  It’s no wonder, then, that peoples across the globe eventually learned to craft and use them.  The oldest known swords were discovered in Harrapa, Pakistan, and were made around 2300 BC.   Smiths who worked with bronze faced a common obstacle:  these were no replica swords, the metal would bend and even break if its shape was too long and slender.  Bronze age swords were usually between 20 and 35 inches long, and in Turkey and the Middle East, sword makers overcame the durability problem with a clever design.  Bronze age swords had broad, leaf-shaped blades, wide in the middle tapered to a sharp point.  The weapons were sturdy, effective, and exquisitely beautiful.  From then on, swords were more than mere instruments of war; they were works of art.