re: The stupidity of World War I

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All wars are rather pointless and stupid.

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The US Revolutionary War?

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by GeorgeTheGreek
Old tactics + new weapons = disaster

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This is true, especially in the opening phase of the war. But having said that, there's been a myth grow out of WWI that for year after year of the war, the generals just lined up ranks of troops and had them March shoulder to shoulder into barb wire, machine guns, and artillery fire. And their only answer was to have the men dig trenches and attack the other side's trenches over and over, marching in closed ranks like you'd see on the parade ground. This view is a gross oversimplification of what happened in WWI.

The truth of the matter though is some of the most bloody phases of the war were in the opening months and then again in the closing months when the war was largely fought outside the trenches in a more mobile manner. The truth of the matter is the trenches actually kept casualty rates down.

Furthermore, almost as soon as the western front settled into stalemate at the end of "the race to the sea", generals on both sides began innovating and looking for ways to break the stalemate. Things like chemical warfare, mine warfare, and the creeping barrage were early examples. Later on in the war the Germans for all intents and purposes invented modern infantry tactics with their "storm trooper" battalions. And those tactics are used worldwide today. The allies pioneered first tank warfare and by the final phase of the war were using early versions of combined arms (tanks & infantry working together) and even invented close air support.

So yes, mistakes were made and it took a while to find a solution that could break the stalemate and end the war. But it was not like some would have you believe where stupid generals sat miles behind the front sipping champaign while sending millions to a pointless death year after year. In fact if you look at the casualty rates among general officers on both sides, you'll see there was a large number of them who were killed and wounded.

And when you consider what the generals of WWI faced, a totally new war that literally nobody had ever seen before with weapons and technology that were totally new and not well understood, you've got to give them at least some credit for being able to adapt and learn on their feet and come up with ideas on how to master this new form of war. Bottom line is that when it comes to judging thd leaders of WWI, you've got to resist of looking at the war with the benefit of hindsight and instead look at the matter as the men of that time had to face it. You've got to put yourself in their shoes if you want to get a better understanding of the Great War.

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by WestCoastAg
as has been stated in this thread. the tactics and maneuvers used in the war once the armies settled down in france is what led to an absolute slaughter of so many young men. such a terrible moment in history

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Yes the trenches lead to the slaughters of Verdun, the Somme, and passchendaele and all the other battles from 1915 through the first part of 1918. But you've got to remember that other than the bloodbaths that characterized the opening phases of the trench battles, they were more akin to long slow slogging matches fought for months with a steady stream of killed and wounded. On the other hand if you look at the casualty rates of the first few months of the war in 1914 and the last few months of the war in 1918, you'll see these were among the bloodiest months of the war. What's remarkable about these casualty rates seen in the summer of 1914 and again in the late summer and fall of 1918 is it was in those months that the fighting was not in trenches but instead in open country in a more mobile fashion.

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There is a reason why it was called the lost generation. It was traumatic. There was such of feeling of betrayal by the young men who went to fight. The British military hired beautiful women to walk the streets to shame men who weren't enlisted. They drove pre-teens to enlist. There was a lot of talk after the war of the hate the soldiers felt towards the women who tricked them.

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Looks like I have some reading to do

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by blueboy
Blame Otto Von Bismark

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Huh? Bismark is widely regarded as perhaps the best statesman of his day. He put in place a system of treaties and alliances that actually stabilized Europe in the last part of the 19th century which allowed the new German Empire grow in relative peace. If anyone from Germany is to blame for WWI, I'd say you have to point the finger at Kiaser Wilhelm II. He's the one that undid so much of the diplomatic work of Bismark that had stabilized Europe. And he's the one who miscalculated the Russian reaction to the Balkin crisis in 1914 that lead to war.

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Serbian Jerkoffs who wanted everyone to be communist.

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Huh again? Gavrilo Princip nor his buddies in the "Black Hand" were communist or even socialist. They were Serb nationalists.

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Bismark

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made the alliances that kicked in after the Arch Duke was shot.

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They were Serb nationalists.

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Their plan was to start this war. Assassinating Ferdinand brought Austria into Serbia, thereby provoking Russia, and so on. There could have been no other intended effect. They sure as shite weren't going to scare Austria off by assassinating the Arch Duke.

If Princip hadn't gotten lucky after his first failed attempt, it would have been another one of them. They wanted a continental war to destabilize governments and usher in communist governments. I don't care how much of a military hard-on you are or how many Time/Life books you've read. That was the reason.

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If Princip hadn't gotten lucky after his first failed attempt, it would have been another one of them. They wanted a continental war to destabilize governments and usher in communist governments. I don't care how much of a military hard-on you are or how many Time/Life books you've read. That was the reason.

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Princip was not a communist. All he wanted was to end Austrian rule in Serb lands.

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made the alliances that kicked in after the Arch Duke was shot.
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Have you never heard of something called The Reinsurance Treaty of 1887?!?

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All he wanted was to end Austrian rule in Serb lands.

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So you think they assassinated a member of the royal family because they thought it would keep Austria out of Serbia? And yes, it was "them" and yes, they were communists.

Good night. This world saddens me.