The 'V'-sign...
It's always remarkable to note how one particular weapon can change the balance of power within a continent and some weapons even change the course of history - at least to a degree. With regard to the Longbowmen of England, I think that when they were captured by the French they often had their forefinger and middle-finger cut off in order that were they to escape they would be rendered useless as soldiers (at least with regards to being able to fire a bow and arrow.) And it was due to this that before battles the English archers used to tauntingly display their fingers to the French lines as much as to say, 'Look, I still have the means to do your army harm,', hence the use of the two fingers in the 'V'-sign became a way to insult someone. A very interesting drama-documentary from Cromwell Productions who made a veritable plethora of them during the 1990s.
It's always remarkable to note how one particular weapon can change the balance of power within a continent and some weapons even change the course of history - at least to a degree. With regard to the Longbowmen of England, I think that when they were captured by the French they often had their forefinger and middle-finger cut off in order that were they to escape they would be rendered useless as soldiers (at least with regards to being able to fire a bow and arrow.) And it was due to this that before battles the English archers used to tauntingly display their fingers to the French lines as much as to say, 'Look, I still have the means to do your army harm,', hence the use of the two fingers in the 'V'-sign became a way to insult someone. A very interesting drama-documentary from Cromwell Productions who made a veritable plethora of them during the 1990s.
you know perfectly well what I mean