Balaklava, the six hundred at

a reference to the famous charge of the Light Brigade (a unit of lightly armed and armored cavalry) at Balaklava, a city in southwestern Russia, during the Crimean War (a war over the domination of southeastern Europe from 1854 to 1856). Owing to a misunderstanding of orders, an English light-cavalry brigade, 670 strong, charged a heavily protected Russian position with utter disregard for the hopelessness of their task. More than two-thirds were killed or wounded. In this lecture Ron makes a play on the similar sounds of Balaklava and balalaika, a Russian stringed instrument somewhat like a guitar but with a triangular body and usually three strings.