10 myths about World War One

[Richard Hakluyt]

Weren't tons of young upper class luietents and captains gunned down during suicidal fronal assualts?

That is what I understood and what the article said.  I have to say I have never heard that one before but I am not over in Blighty listening to what their Commie agitators say.

The commie agitators are having a field day over here, spouting all those myths and a new one - "Wilhelmine Germany was more democratic than Great Britain anyway".

Which is why I quite liked the article when I read it. It is not aimed at a bunch of gaming history nerds but at the general public and is an attempt to redress the balance in the British media. Those myths are widely believed, especially by the left, they will try and define WW1 over the next few commemorative years in a way that fits their wider world view.

[Gups]

Like Tricky says, it's a good article aimed at a general British audience who really do believe many of these rather than a forum full of war history nerds who are far too sophesticated to. Even though I've read a couple of books on WW1, I cetainly thought that Gallipoli was largely fought by Anzac soldiers. And I think most of these are believed generally, and not just by commies or even liberals. They are embedded in popular culture through Oh What  Lovely War, Blackadder etc

[celedhring]

I wasn't aware of the trenches thing myself. I mean, I knew that they didn't spend months and months in them like it seems in the movies, but not as little as 10 days per month as the article says. And I am pretty sure that coming from the depiction in films and TV, most people do believe this myth.

[jimmy olsen]

I don't know if I'd go this far

Many soldiers enjoyed WW1

[Richard Hakluyt]

I wasn't aware of the trenches thing myself. I mean, I knew that they didn't spend months and months in them like it seems in the movies, but not as little as 10 days per month as the article says. And I am pretty sure that coming from the depiction in films and TV, most people do believe this myth.

My understanding is that the British were particularly keen on giving their soldiers breaks from the front line, it was tougher for the French and abysmal (surprise, surprise) for the Russian troops.

[Syt]

The article qualifies between battles, so, during the Somme offensive the numbers would probably have been different, depending on progress of battle, supply situation, whether reinforcements/relief troops are available.

I'm guessing that a lot of the accounts might colored by the experience during Great Offensives which could last for weeks or months.

[Razgovory]

I don't know if I'd go this far

Many soldiers enjoyed WW1

I think Hitler had fun.

[Tamas]

Are the Brits getting all apologetic on themselves for WW1 as the 100th anniversary comes? I read somewhere recently a remark about this - how probably the anniversary will be used to strengthen patriotic feelings in the different countries, in a "wasn`t THAT bad, and certainly not our fault!" way.

[celedhring]

Meh, we always sit out World Wars. No commemorations in Spain.

[Duque de Bragança]

Nothing planned as of yet AFAIK in Portugal for WWI but then the country entered the war in 1916, border clashes with Germany in Africa notwithstanding.

[Gups]

Are the Brits getting all apologetic on themselves for WW1 as the 100th anniversary comes? I read somewhere recently a remark about this - how probably the anniversary will be used to strengthen patriotic feelings in the different countries, in a "wasn`t THAT bad, and certainly not our fault!" way.

I think its being approached with a degree of nostaligia (a lost world of Dowton Abbey) and sadness for all who died. WW1 doesn't stir any vestige of patriotism in he UK in the way that WW2 still does. Its anthem is Nimrod rather than the Dambusters.

[Viking]

While WWI seems to have been a bloody waste of time, I sort of agree with Foch and Ferguson, it was one conflict with a 20 year ceasefire. After the two world wars no positive rational arguments existed for autocracy or fascism. Once it was all over those ideas were dead. The divine right of kings was gone. The idea of "my country right or wrong" was gone. Ideas mattered, not blood and land.

[Valmy]

I meant Versailles was harsh.

I guess I don't get it.  The 14 points made it clear they were going to lose both Alsace Lorraine and territory to Poland, which they did.  The other main thing were the reparations which Germany never really paid anyway.  What made it harsh?  The surprise loss of land to neutral Denmark?  The loss of the colonies?  The limitations on their armed forces? 

[PDH]

Well, the Germans were forced to speak English with an accent in most movies after Versailles.  Plus, the whole lederhosen as a national identity thing was pretty unbearable.

[celedhring]

I meant Versailles was harsh.

I guess I don't get it.  The 14 points made it clear they were going to lose both Alsace Lorraine and territory to Poland, which they did.  The other main thing were the reparations which Germany never really paid anyway.  What made it harsh?  The surprise loss of land to neutral Denmark?  The loss of the colonies?  The limitations on their armed forces?

The occupation of the Rhineland was pretty harsh. IIRC it was sine die until the Hague Conference reduced reparations and the Allies left, and then Germany wasn't allowed to man its own western border until it remilitarized it unilaterally.

Ultimately the Versailles arrangement was untennable. The "appeasement" was imho an acceptance of how bad Versailles was and an (ultimately misguided) effort to reach a workable arrangement without resorting to yet another war, as it ultimately happened.