Added: 3 months ago
From: TEDxTalks
Views: 161,453
Sort by time | Sort by thread (beta)

Link to this comment:

Share to:

All Comments (446)

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • @beatcod2quickscope you don't have a bright perspective on life do you :/ Yes there are sick people wandering the world but not everybody is that twisted. I've already heared the news of syrian soldiers refusing the orders to shoot civilians, they shot their officer instead. Beat that

  • Wow, there's a lot of people who think they're willing to die to uphold thier beliefs while they're typing on youtube - I wonder if suicide would seem so attractive with the Nazi war machine standing over you ready to meet your opposition with imminent death....

  • LISTEN PEOPLE, a really importand forgotten aspect in german history is that germany is a lutheristic country, one of the MAIN rules of lutherism is that you CANT go in against your leader, people back than (especially the VERY poor countryman) were very religious, they believed they would go to hell if they stand up against hitler, dont forget this. also after ww1 germany was INCREADBLY poor, hitler made better economics, not weird that he was popular. im not german btw in dutch

  • @beastcod2quickscope

    lutherism originated in holland

  • @mokmok8080 no im dutch, lutherism is invented by a german monk Maarten Luther, in holland people are calvinistic, its pretty much the same but calvinists were allowd to stand up against tyranny without going to hell, i had this like 1000 times on school

  • Well, just to remind, the anti air guns near the "afsluitdijk" took down 240 of hitlers aircrafts, hitler was so furious about that that he gave the Netherlands an ultimatum and bombed at final rotterdam.

  • Much respect for our men and women who serve our countries

  • better than every politician. without a sheet of paper. My respect!

    greetings from your allies from germany!

  • @kskisbetterthanseals Well he had a little screen on the stage, but as you say alot better than evey politican greetings from Sweden!

  • A brilliant example of how ignorance and inaction does not forgive complacency.

  • @SuperSb81 I understand your story. A story always has two sides.

    My grandfather was an officer in the Dutch army. Storries about german soldiers ravaging through cities were a common sight. Cruel things happened, as we all know. Things hard to believe they were actually real.

    I understand that your father in law, like many others, did not share the Nazi's ideals. However, there comes a point wherein people should listen to their own 'human' mind, not to the orders they have been given

  • @StatusPia dude, people are evil, accept that 'human mind' doesnt excist

  • gebertip: In Srebenica the dutch soldiers only could choose (due to complete inferiority) between fighting and to be killed - or to surrender - they choose surrender in a hopeless situation. That was not good but I can understand that. Ask yourself what you would have done.

  • @huenten They couldn't fight back. They didn't even have weapens. They asked for air support but didn't get it.

  • Where was this guy when the Dutch ran away with tails between their legs in Srebenica?

  • Excellent talk by a Dutch general, very convincing indeed. There is one moment, however, where Peter van Uhm is wrong, at least from a German perspective. Yes, Peter van Uhm's father tried to protect his country, unsuccessfully so, against the German soldiers but, very unfortunately, Peter van Uhm calls them "Nazis". Not every German soldier was a Nazi - most German soldiers were just as poor fellows as the Dutch guys. My father in law was forced to invade Russia, and he had no chance to object.

  • @SuperSb81 How did the Nazi party begin? Just a few who desired change. If more Germans would have stood against Hitler then this would not have happened. There is no excuse for killing against your conscience especially when many others feel as you do. I call it cowardice and not honor.

  • @SuperSb81 Very valid point you've got there. That's a very common misconception I think nowadays. Soldiers are just enforcing commands given to them by their superios, but yet they take the blame for it.

  • @SuperSb81 Having just relistened to this amazing speech, I can tell you he uses the word "Nazi" once, and never once referred to German soldiers as such.

  • BullShit!

    

  • @DARESI100 how can you call this bullshit?

  • @DARESI100 YOU are bullshit!

  • You know what else is supported by "cold, hard statistics" sir? The fact that central banks and their fellow travelers engineered both world wars, financed your boogeyman Hitler and all the other boogeyman you can name, and that you haven't talked about that for one word so as to present the fallacious notion that you in that fancy suit support "good" and that we, the oppressed, are mere victims, subject to the oppression of both you (who are financed by the big banks), and the State.

  • thumbs up if you see the time countdown screen

  • > Picked up a gun

    > Not to shoot with though

    Sounds legit.

  • @FHomeBrew Maybe that's why the Dutch lost the war against Germany in 3 days? :D

  • @nandus1989 Lol wrong time period :p

  • @nandus1989 Actually. In the start of the second world war the Netherlands was neutral, just like in World War one (in which they did not take part). The Dutch army was underequipped and poorly armed.

    It is in general retrospect the result of the changing era. The Duthc still respected the 'imperial' rules, the Germans did not. The Germans followed modern warfare which does not know neutrals.

  • @AurediumRiptide Actually, I am a war historian and know quite much about it. Althoug, you didn'get the joke IMHO. We've been kicked a bit harder than the Netherlands in that war, and yet I can take it with humour.

  • @nandus1989 dude the dutch kicked the germans so fuking hard at alot of places but it was the rotterdam bombardment that opened a gap for them to cross the bridges at rotterdam were the germans were getting slaughtered.by dutch marines.alsothe dutch airforce shot down 450 german planes with 129 of themselves and dutch navy pounded germans and we won the first battle of utrecht.its even said that hitler bombed rotterdam out of frustration because he couldnt get into fotress holland

  • @bleushift When did you dream that? In that 3 days, when the Dutch army stood against the strongest of Europe? I respect healthy nationalism, but it was some similar, if I said, that in 1956 the Hungarian insurgents killed 30000 Soviet troops and destroyed 250 tanks. Idiot. Just read over the conversation with Floritaka, it was only a joke. I can also joke on my own history.

  • He's misinformed: he is fighting wars for the benefit of the richest 1% of the 1%. Terrorism is a western invention (and largely a western activity) to further the goals of that group of people.

    Don't be fooled, war and violence are not natural fenomena, they are instruments to further specific goals for a minority, and plunge the rest of the people into a hell on earth.

  • The reason violence decreases in developed societies is because of trade and the interdependence that this creates. Simply making a correlation with no additional evidence is not a valid argument for forming causation. He defines government accurately, as a monopoly on the use of force, and democracy legitimises that, logically the genocide of the jews by the Nazi party that was democratically elected was legitimate by this argument. A monopoly on force does not solve the problem of force.

  • Great Job ,, Thank you Peter, Thanks to your father and son also.

  • A great speech and there is no doubt in my mind that he want the best for everyone. Unfortunately, there are a big majority of armies unlike his.

    And no, I will not care for soldiers just because they want a better world - Just as I want. Defending or keeping peace between two forces is right, but being one site of a war will leave you in a ultimate state of being unable determined if what you are doing - is evil or good.

  • pacifists are parasites. Violence may beget violence...until one of the practitioners cries uncle. You can ask Lord Cornwallis, Jefferson Davis, Adolf Hitler, William Westmoreland, Moammar Qaddafi, and Osama bin Laden for confirmation.

  • @CharleyVCU1988 So Mr Peter Van Uhm is a parasite, according to this talk, because he expressed his desire that his career be no longer necessary. Pacifists are the least parasites, willing to work, like this man, on the other hand, a warmonger is more of a parasite because usually create wars to plunder.

  • @floritaka Tell me just one society in history which was not emerged by wars? Is there any? No. The violence is in the basic nature of the human and only weaklings want it to be extinct. Violence, even if on lower scales, like on the public transportation, is essential for the life. Under more harsh conditions, i.e. when you're living of the nature (hunting, agriculture, herding) is even more important. So, to cut long story short, the gun is needed and will be forever, maybe unused.

  • @nandus1989 Yes well, violence is part of the behaviour of the human, but is not uncontrollable, just like discarding processed food (however we can hace certain level of control over it) Its so obvious that a less violent society more advanced it is, just look at the statistics of the history of mankind. And , or course, you are confusing between violence and competition, violence includes the desire of destruction and competition is just to be better than something.

  • @floritaka Violence is part of competition. What do you think, how did the stronger caveman stay alive? Killed the weaker ones. And even if you don't practice violence all times, you have the instinct of it. I.e. I don't kick people in the ass all the time, but when I was attempted to be robbed, I didn't have any regret routing the attackers.

  • @nandus1989 Indeed, the cavemans. You've reached exactly the point of the video, the use of force for selfdefense. This video is about the use of force and the justifications to apply it. Instinc for self preservation? Of course we all have it. Is a big difference between prefering violence or a peaceful solution. Not at all, violence is not an essential part of competition, there are various types of competition and some types could include it, but not all.

  • @nandus1989 Arguing that the gun will be needed forever is a dogmatic approach, assuming that there is an uncontrollable 'human nature' (many experiments have proven that this violent "nature" dependa a lot on the environment, most childs decide to share not to fight for something) So, this violent character of the human is mainly a response to the environment not a constant act.

  • @floritaka general peter van uhm is one of the most respected generals in nato idiot he lost his own son in afganistan

  • @bleushift You are simply taking out of context my comment. Look for the conversation between me and nandus1989

  • @bleushift I bet he would also get the joke. I don't question his respectance, but wake up, not thev NL is the strongest military force in the NATO.

  • Wow... Peter van Uhm gave a great speech. Very motivating and convincing. I do get Pinker's diminishment of violence logic. But that doesn't necessarily translate into a right use of force. Democratically elected politicians ultimately decide where force should be used. And, as we saw in Iraq (where are those weapons of mass destruction?), the use of force can be mis-directed. I respect our soldiers. Unfortunately, I have a hard time buying into the political mandates they've been handed.

  • Thumbs up Université de Montreal

  • Semper Fidelis...

  • Wow, powerful speech. Salute

  • The thinking soldier - salute!

  • If only our Dutch politicians could speak English that well and with such charisma. Bravo "mon generale"

  • Deep respect. Beautiful Speech!

  • beautiful speech, this is why I am joining the Canadian forces. To bring piece and if possible prevent wars

  • @ASD31415 bring peace instead, ok?

  • @febcanl That is very unfortunate. It is men like this who fought for the rights of your parents and grand parents, and men like him who give their lives for your rights today. Sometimes governments and their militarys' get things wrong and terrible things happen; but if sometimes doctors kill their patients does that mean that we should not respect the medical profession?

  • @febcan lt is because of MEN like this, that you have the right of freedom of speech. Dick head.

  • @madnme This is quite funny. I don't see how killing people in a far away land helps protecting my rights. Guns aren't the right instrument.

  • @febcanl What would you prefer ? I am sure the progressive Taliban with their 10 century mentality are eager to hear your alternative plan.

  • @madnme Paranoid much?

  • @madnme Next time I go back, why don't you come with me ?

  • @febcanl With all due respect: go fuck yourself.

  • @AmersfoortTristan I'm a pacifist. Deal with it.

  • Great speech. I only wish he would've droven the point home a bit harder that if you're gonna have a chance of changing anything in a country where everyone is armed and the state has failed you will have to be able to deter enemy agression with lethal force. Diplomacy has already failed at that point.

  • Comment removed

  • I wish the Generals in my country were so well spoken.

  • Reduction of the state is a fine idea, as long as the people are represented.

    Legitimized acts of violence and articles of war are required to secure a safer world. "

    The more checks and balances in place the better, but freedom and rights are seldom achieved without violence.

    Think to yourselves one other solid fact name two stable democratic countries who have gone to war against each other.

  • The fact that he sounds exactly like a Dutch Sean Connery, just made this even better!

  • 34 mensen kunnen geen engels

  • so true what he says.....greeting from Austria.

  • Pretty Captain.....:)

  • Comment removed

  • @carre991 felices reyes.... te recomiendo k lo kites ..

  • the revolution is not a social dinner, a litarary event, a drawing or an embroidery. it cannot be done with elegance and courtesy. the revolution is an act of violence (Mao Tse Tung)

  • Lots of respect for the General, the soldiers and people he represents, but I don't accept a concept of "legitimated use of violence, given by a democratic vote" thats oppression of the majority" The reduction of the state is the major challenge we have in our times !

  • @1967Rodrigo i think not, reduction of the state is not the way we should go.

  • @4caloth If I agreed with you we would both be wrong

  • Nunc Aut Nunquam ! Respect i am proud at this man !

  • Very good! General

  • Much respect for our Commander-In-Chief General van Uhm.

    Proud to serve under you sir!

  • thats our general!

  • Ideetje; Van Uhm als minister van Defensie in 2012?

  • @Foundation13 ik hoop het

  • Pure brain wash...

    How can Humanity evolve if we still believe in armed oppression as a way to 'peace'?

  • @SaraivaMan The point is that we fight against armed oppression, to settle peace. Peaceful nations do not oppress, we free from it. Did you even watched it through?

  • @Decrius Hello there Decrius!

    Yes, I heard everything and I understood mr Peter van Uhm vision. My point is: where there's a weapon, there's oppression even you're "good" or "evil". The Human Kind must search the path of peaceful dialog in order to understand each other and solve the conflits. It's utopic? - I don't think so.

  • @SaraivaMan It's like those naughty kids next block, they just won't listen to reason. It's not utopic, but still miles ahead.

  • @SaraivaMan as the general said, as long as the human race is at war with eachother

    ideals and human failure must meet in the middle and that's were a armed force comes in. I totally agree with you that in the ideal world there should be no need for an army, sadly enough we do not live in such an ideal world, so aslong as we are still working in that ideal world, we should fight for our freedom and all that is good in this world.

  • Bravo, General. You speak for Soldiers world-wide.

  • Thank you, General. You speak for all us that serve.

  • en voor de mensen die denken dat hij dit niet meent

    van uhm heeft een van zijn zoons verleren in afganistan door en berm bom en weet dus maar al te goed wat voor over je soms moet brengen, en durft toch noch zo voor zijn iedeaalen uit te komen.

    deze man heeft mijn respepect

    

  • if you aint dutch, you aint much ;)

  • Hadden maar meer van zulke leiders.

  • @ 1:58 does the female captain have a prosthetic leg or something? he says she suffered permanent injury to her legs, could it have been amputation?

  • @foxdmighty She sustained a foot injury, but no amputation.

  • @Yumah2006 ok, thanks

  • @foad6661 so what have you done?

  • @foad6661 What would be your super solution to peace in this world? Turn the other cheek? It is one thing to pick up arms to take what isn't yours, but it's another thing to pick up arms to defend what is yours which others try to take by force.

    You seem to be just what you stated in your last two words!

  • A must see for every pacifist in the western world!

  • What a briljant speech. We should increase the armies budgets again ;-)

  • Great speech,

    

  • @GrobarBorcha I didn't know they had internet in Lunatic Asylums?

  • @GrobarBorcha you weren't listening were you....the Dutch follow the rules of international law, one we dont have nukes, 2 we dont hav cluster bombs, 3 if you had to maintain stability how would you do it. Ask armed gangs to stop fighting, like they would pay attention to you

  • @verdaasdonk16 we actually have nukes... in limburg man.

  • @naroj10 but we don´t own those nukes, those are mostly US nukes

  • Not entirely true. We have nukes, but the're not ours, but property of the USA, stored in airforce base Volkel.....

  • It's my boss... Great speech, completely true!

    Reminder: he lost his Son in Afghanistan a few years ago. Deep Respect!

    All the best, Chief!

    WCricker

    Warrant Officer Royal Dutch Army

  • Het kan verkeren............

  • RESPECT 

  • If there were no armies there would be no war. All we need is small government and low taxes and prosperity will be so great that nobody wants to fight. But people are so stupid... they believe all the bullshit. Dutch army..... Sarajevo.. Indonesia.. What an army... End the army, Costa Rica did it.

  • @Rotschild1957 At this point in time there is still a need for armies. Without them, we would slowly go back to an feudal age where the right of the strongest will rain.

    All we need is a small government? for the entire world? They're is simply no way that a small government could stand for the entire population and govern the entire world. And without at least a sense of justice people would rebel.. and rebellion usually comes with violence.

    But lets say it is possible.. Who would be in it?

  • @Rotschild1957 Your simplistic view is out of touch with reality. It has no validity considering the violent human nature that has been demonstrated throughout history...over and over again. I'm just glad that the people in power do not share your beliefs.

  • @Rotschild1957 Biggest bullshit i've ever heard.

    YEAH WE SHOULD DISSBAND THE ARMY WHAT A GREAT FUCKING IDEA, You know what happend last time, The Netherlands got run over by Hitler.

    Quit living in that fantasy world without violence and wars.

  • Respect for the General,Napoleon Bonaparte had once said" I better have an army with Sheeps and a Lion as leader than an army of Lions with a Sheep as leader!!

  • I am humbled to be reminded what freedom truly means by this man who I do not know, when I presumed to think that only my countrymen could understand it. I salute a better man then myself.

    Karsh

  • Bravo ! Great speech !

  • And yea sure oil is important for our luxuries. I'm not denying that. But I'm not the one making the conscious decision that we should force our way into oil-rich territories and kill baby's. If I were calling the shots and had to pick between not shooting up afghanistan/iraq and leading a more sober life style with more poverty, I'd choose the latter. The one's in charge choose otherwise as we can all see. And they talk their way out of it by saying that trade is a form of peace. Right...

  • I guess the aplause was so loud because when he said "thank you very much" everyone was finally reassured that he definately wasn't going to take another mag out of his sleeve, jam it in the gun and start shooting everyone. LOL. Seriousely though, nice inspiring speech but let's not forget the reasons for our stay in Afghanistan. This commander might still think that its because of his fathers ideology's but us sober ppl know better. Failed states are abundant. Why is afghanistan so special? Oil

  • the longer I listen to the General's speech, the prouder I am serving for the Dutch Army

  • peace and stability..we have to wait until Iran has his nuclear bomb .No gun will help against this Evil.

  • Comment removed

  • Very good speach based on facts from the real world. So why does the Dutch government cuts so heavily in its defence budget? Why do all European politicians cut in government budgets? What will be the effects of all that cutting? Who have caused the shortages in government budgets? Were the governments budgetting so badly? No! The banks were greedy and were gambling. And they lost. And then the governments (= taxpayers) had to give money to the banks. And then the budget shortages popped up....

  • Hobo, lol

  • 2:13.Rutger (hobbit) hauer Whith a Shotgun :)

  • Perfectie speech met een super inhoud. Als dienstplichtig onderofficier b.d. van het Bataljon Grenadiers ben ik trots op deze Generaal der  Grenadiers.

  • I don't believe he's sincere. Seems like an act. He also loves the monopoly of violence with the state. Pol Pot, Mao, Stalin and Hitler also liked this a lot.

  • He is very sincere. I like his principles. Unfortunately there are people who make a lot of money out of war (e.g. Dick Cheney)... Thanks to his good friend George W. Bush , Cheney is now filthy rich. 4,500 American soldiers died in Iraq… do you think Cheney or Bush sleep badly? Back to Van Uhm, he is the hero, not those who sit at home and send our boys and girls out there, putting their lives on the line. People like Bush and Cheney should listen carefully to Van Uhm.

  • I'm just glade that the majority of countries with guns and bombs are on the side of Democracy and peace, and not the other way around.

    We are dam lucky to have men like this General, who knows what it takes to keep the peace in this world, God bless him.

  • @linuxgnome oh ye tell me than what democracy is?? we want peace comeon grap your weapons its time for peace

  • @linuxgnome god bless the guns for this man let him hit little children because i am a real man must kill people too feel good about myself

  • If only Srebrenica...

  • Excellent speech. My compliments to you General.

  • Could someone please offer this man a job in government? Finally someone who talks sense.

  • Extremely impressed by General van Uhm speech. He will have a hard time to provide our soldiers with good guns seeing as all our money is going to the corrupt banks however.

  • @raspaskas1 you are right.

  • @Rotschild1957 thanks dude the only problem is the lot of sheeples here believing everything they have been told.

  • Hulde voor deze man en onze jongens over ver

  • @Ramshobraja and what has the Indonesian army done the last 60 years, and what have the Indonesian freedom fighters done in WW2. Don't get history involved if you don't know what you are talking about

  • Thank you for this. I am proud on Peter, he opens the eyes of those journalists and writers who are only fighting with the pen

  • Great!!

  • Great speech, but when you actually go to Afghanistan to serve your country not everything is well prepared or all equipment is in great nick.

    You end up going to the desert with equipment lacking since they simply ran out as there is no more money due to budget costs.

    I am talking from experience and i have been in that desert 3 times serving his Army.

    A speech and state of mind is 1 thing, Execution and actual reality is a totally different game.

  • @Roomer645 he has been there and lost a son there so he knows what he is talking about

  • @Roomer645 respect to you and thank you for your service and sacrifice. many guys in netherlands dont have a cleu about the dutch army and what it does and therefor dont show any respect to the people serving it. i hope that will change

  • hello

  • A great story and a great speech. This general, who lost his son, knows more than most of us will ever know. Because some of us take up these arms, means others can write here what they want, take up a profession of their dreams and live in peace.

  • The choice to involve in a other country is not one taken lightly. And I agree the motives to get involved to do so are sometimes questionable because most often they are countries that have valuable resources while countries who very little of interest are not supported enough. If anything at all the UN forces should be more active in giving people their freedom.

  • @MarrooshDubai, he did not talk about justifying invading other countries, he talked about freeing people who are supressed by fear and violence. It is a shame you cannot see or want to comprehend this difference.

    Name one country the western forces have invaded that was not run weapons as a instrument of fear. I doubt you can, even if a government has been chosen by a majority of people, it is not worth anything if it does so while suppressing all people who would want to stand against them.

  • Veel van de schrijvers hier hebben er toch weinig van begrepen. En met 'er' bedoel is dus alles. MarrooshDubai, DrBukcake kunnen jammer genoeg niet verder kijken dan hun neus lang is.

  • Voor de azijndrinkers onder ons. Dankzij echte mannen zoals Van Uhm, spreken we hier geen Duits. En voor de naïeve idealisten, ga lekker zelf naar Afghanistan en doe daar vrijwilligerswerk, in plaats vanuit je luie stoel de wereld te gaan zitten verbeteren. Dan pas ben je ook een echte kerel.

  • @hoek70 ja, of doe Sebrenicia nog eens dunnetjes over. Lekker goed bewapend...

  • @raspaskas1 Sorry effe rechtzetten ,Het woord Duits in het wilhelmus betreft niet het Duitse volk maar is een oud latijnse woord dat Het Volk betekent gegeven door de romeinen.Dutch betekent ook geen Duits ,German wel.

  • @hoek70 En zo is het, zou het niet beter kunnen zeggen...

  • he definitly now hows to speech. Impressive. Still it's a ode to gun violence.

  • Comment removed

  • Very impressive talk, usually i interrupt listening a speech several times, not so this one.

  • Love the Netherlands i'm proud to be Dutch!

  • @DrBukcake Wow! God must really be punishing muzlims then, they are murdering more of their own people than any others! What a bunch of scummy dipshits they are!!

  • Comment removed