mething his way. _increasing loneliness of a growing impatience with those who could not understandthe Alexander of 324 was not the Alexander of 334._ Alexander became obsessed about losing the support of the gods and that his Macedonians would grow weary of their expedition. He became increasingly suspicious of his close friends and switched from emotions of fear and intense anger. Despite the resent experiences, Alexander turned south and he added into India. Nearly two centuries before, in the reign of Darius I, the Persian empire had included part of that subcontinent. Determined to recapture it Alexander crossed the Hindu Kusk mountains, followed the Kabul River down to the Indus River and crossed overland to the Hydaspes River. It was here where Alexander would fight one of the most difficult battles of his entire career. His opponent was the Indian King, Porus, whose army was several times larger than Alexander_s and superbly trained. It included war elephants which reduced Alexander_s striking power because his horses would not go near them; however Alexander devised a technique that transformed them into a hazard to their own masters. The elephants were positioned fifty feet from the Indian front line. Alexander launched a two-phase cavalry charge against the horsemen and chariots on Porus_s own wing first. When Porus committed horsemen from both wings to an attack against what he thought was Alexander_s entire cavalry, hiding horsemen would suddenly appear having Porus_s horsemen in a trap. These tactics enabled Alexander_s infantry, who had been specially trained for the purpose, to deal with the elephants when the enemy was in a state of confusion. Alexander_s men would strike the elephants with two headed axes, making them run around uncontrollably crushing friend and foe. Although victory was inevitable for Alexander, Porus was determined to see it through until he suffered a serious shoulder wound. He, like Darius was for...
