The Heirs of Genghis Khan

2004, History  -   11 Comments
7.85
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Ratings: 7.85/10 from 124 users.

Eight hundred years ago the man called Temujin, better known as Genghis Khan, the king of the universe, managed to create the largest empire ever known in the history of humanity. It all began in the year 1190 when Genghis Khan managed to put together different nomadic tribes of Mongolia in a single powerful army of 200,000 men.

This and his undoubted military genius enabled him to conquer vast territories stretching from the Pacific to the heart of Europe, and from Northern Siberia to India, Iran, and Turkey. His army was relatively small, highly disciplined, extremely well coordinated, and with innovative military skill and great mobility it was organized in basic formations of 10,000 warriors on horses. The Mongol hordes lived out in the field and their battle tactics consisted of surprise attacks charging at the enemy flanks and rear guard, before launching heavy cavalry assault.

After the Genghis Khan era, series of civil wars threw the country into confusion, until in 1578 Buddhism was established as the form of government. Two centuries later Mongolians came under Chinese control, until 1924, when with the creation of the Soviet bloc the country converted to communism and became a satellite of the USSR.

With the arrival of the Russians, Mongolia underwent rapid changes, modernizing and industrializing... buildings, bridges, roads, railway lines, factories, and schools were constructed and the nomads looked on it with astonishment as virtually overnight their country was transformed from a primitive society to the progress of the 20th century.

Ulan Bator became the new cosmopolitan capital of this renewed country, designed in accordance with the cold and impersonal urban planning standards of the Soviets. But with the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 and the consequent disintegration of the Soviet bloc, the Russians left as just as quickly as they had arrived.

And overnight Mongolia was completely paralyzed, suffering political and economic collapse from which it still hasn't fully recovered. Since then, the city has rapidly deteriorated and its inhabitants struggled to survive as best they can.

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11 Comments / User Reviews

  1. Anonymous

    Beautiful landscape and music !

  2. PHIL

    I agree with the post regarding the narrator's soft voice. His accent is not a problem for me, nor do I think he seems to "swallow every word". But the mix could turn up his voice over the music more... I don't hear much of hte narration, while I do hear the music easily. Thanks.

  3. PTA mom

    Why did they use a narrator whose first language is clearly not English.? made it extremely hard to follow.

  4. t hopps

    great doc but the narrators voice is so annoying. He seems to swallow every word.

  5. usman iftikhar

    wonderful historical documentry

  6. gaboora

    It is wonderful that some people still live like this. And what a beautiful landscape. Once or twice during this doc I wanted to be a Mongolian, except for their religion. But I'm over it now.

  7. Paul Gloor

    I love most of these New Atlantis documentaries but the narrator is too softly spoken. I have to crank my volume up to hear him properly. Or maybe I'm just going deaf :P

  8. ~Oliver B Koslik Esq

    Re: 05:00

    Screw the 2nd Amendment & the NRA...
    What about my right to bare: A bird of prey!?!

    1. Johanna

      I've always wanted a falcon!

    2. 1concept1

      In real time - that's the same as me saying - 'I've always wanted a woman to own'

      I am not trying to troll - I would be guilty of the same thing -

      I'm 100% sure the Falcon has given me and up vote :-)

      The Devils Advocate

    3. 1concept1

      Leonardo da Vinci use to buy birds in a cage and then let them go -

      I didn't know there was a law against owning one of the Deity's "bird's of prey"?

      (I realize there is a symbioses here - the bird doesn't seem to mind)