On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month

[Montanalo]

World War One was over with.

As a history buff, I never really connected with the war and its ramifications until the last few years.

Now I understand that WW2 was really WW1-part 2. And many of the problems we have today go back to what happened as a result of WW1.

One of the great things being done is how film shot during that time period is being modernized with color and correct pacing so folks are not moving around like Charlie Chaplin.

Here's a great example:

Thanks @MichaelWinicki for starting this thread and for posting the video. As a history buff, I would appreciate your take on the following: it has been my observation that many of the conflicts of the past century have stemmed from contrived country boundaries and mis-guided colonialism.

I spent a great deal of my working career in developing countries - Africa, the former Soviet Union, SE Asia. More often than not, many countries in these areas have boundaries decided by negotiation or convenience and not necessarily by culture, language or common backgrounds. Don't get me wrong, there are many more places where these measures have worked vs where they haven't.

Just curious?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Versailles was flawed, but it was undermined by both the victors and the vanquished from the start. Germany was to blame for ww1, they signed the " blank cheque" to the Austrians which set off the war. Germany took a gamble on a quick war and lost, she was to repeat the same mistake twenty five years later.
Two great books on ww1 are margaret macmillans -the war that ended peace, which looks at each countries position leading up to the start of hostilities and the reasons war broke out ( it was a political book of the year) and 1914-18 by David Stephenson which covers the war and the aftermath, including the reasons versailles failed and the inevitable lead up to ww2.

Thanks, I just ordered Margaret MacMillan's book.

I'm not normally into the political side of the things (usually the military) but the politics involved in WW1 fascinate me... A lot of which has to do with the fact that several of the leaders of the waring nations were related.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Thanks @MichaelWinicki for starting this thread and for posting the video. As a history buff, I would appreciate your take on the following: it has been my observation that many of the conflicts of the past century have stemmed from contrived country boundaries and mis-guided colonialism.

I spent a great deal of my working career in developing countries - Africa, the former Soviet Union, SE Asia. More often than not, many countries in these areas have boundaries decided by negotiation or convenience and not necessarily by culture, language or common backgrounds. Don't get me wrong, there are many more places where these measures have worked vs where they haven't.

Just curious?

Oh no question boundaries play an issue in many conflicts.

And one of the driving factors of WW1 was that the French were itching to get back territory taken by Germany as a result of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71.

France also thought Germany "rubbed their noses in it" after winning that war, so France returned the favor at the conclusion of WW1, which of course fueled Germany's drive at revenge in WW2.

Boy, one thing leads to another... And it still is.

 

[Jimbo69]

Thanks, I just ordered Margaret MacMillan's book.

I'm not normally into the political side of the things (usually the military) but the politics involved in WW1 fascinate me... A lot of which has to do with the fact that several of the leaders of the waring nations were related.

I hope you like it. The book looks at the relative position of all the beligerants in ww1, the alliances they formed and the pressures that led them to war. It gave me a much greater understanding of why such a terrible war started.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I hope you like it. The book looks at the relative position of all the beligerants in ww1, the alliances they formed and the pressures that led them to war. It gave me a much greater understanding of why such a terrible war started.

I'm looking forward to it.

In some ways we're still at the mercy of that conflict.

 

[CouchCoach]

It is interesting how many more WWII, Vietnam War and Middle East films there are than WWI or Korea. The average person's knowledge or interest of WWI pales by comparison and would we even know as much about WWII and the others if not for Hollywood?

Speilberg made War Horse, which is an excellent film and captures a lot of how that was but I would have liked for he and Hanks to do what they did for WWII with Band of Brothers and The Pacific. Both of those excellent productions captured the personal and personnel part of those two theaters. The fact is there are not enough people that will seek out the history, they need the story told to them on film and I am one of those. Hate to admit that but it's the truth, want me to remember something, show me pictures.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

It is interesting how many more WWII, Vietnam War and Middle East films there are than WWI or Korea. The average person's knowledge or interest of WWI pales by comparison and would we even know as much about WWII and the others if not for Hollywood?

Speilberg made War Horse, which is an excellent film and captures a lot of how that was but I would have liked for he and Hanks to do what they did for WWII with Band of Brothers and The Pacific. Both of those excellent productions captured the personal and personnel part of those two theaters. The fact is there are not enough people that will seek out the history, they need the story told to them on film and I am one of those. Hate to admit that but it's the truth, want me to remember something, show me pictures.

Great point.

A few other reasons why American's don't "get" WW1...

-There was no big event like Pearl Harbor for folks to commemorate. I mean who remembers when the Lusitania was sunk?
-Americans were only involved in a fighting on the western front and that was for a relatively brief period of time.
-Americans didn't participate in other memorable campaigns like "Gallipoli" which was a massive effort to invade Turkey and has been called "The first D-Day".
-The highest ranking and most memorable American officer was Black Jack Pershing and he passed away in 1948... Before the start of the TV age.
-There wasn't much of naval presence by the US during the war.

 

[Bigdog]

Happy Veterans Day to all the men and women in the military. Your and your family sacrifices is much appreciated. Thank you for protecting our freedoms.

 

[CouchCoach]

Great point.

A few other reasons why American's don't "get" WW1...

-There was no big event like Pearl Harbor for folks to commemorate. I mean who remembers when the Lusitania was sunk?
-Americans were only involved in a fighting on the western front and that was for a relatively brief period of time.
-Americans didn't participate in other memorable campaigns like "Gallipoli" which was a massive effort to invade Turkey and has been called "The first D-Day".
-The highest ranking and most memorable American officer was Black Jack Pershing and he passed away in 1948... Before the start of the TV age.
-There wasn't much of naval presence by the US during the war.

And that time period doesn't fascinate Americans, we were on the cusp on the Roaring 20's and the birth of the gangsters which we find far more entertaining. Americans are far more interested in outlaws than war heroes.

I remember seeing "Sergeant York" with Gary Cooper as a kid and I was impressed but far more impressed with "To Hell and Back" with Audie Murphy.

Then there's the music of the era for both WWII and Vietnam, both had a symbiotic relationship. Just more to remember from both eras.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

And that time period doesn't fascinate Americans, we were on the cusp on the Roaring 20's and the birth of the gangsters which we find far more entertaining. Americans are far more interested in outlaws than war heroes.

I remember seeing "Sergeant York" with Gary Cooper as a kid and I was impressed but far more impressed with "To Hell and Back" with Audie Murphy.

Then there's the music of the era for both WWII and Vietnam, both had a symbiotic relationship. Just more to remember from both eras.

Oh I agree.

To me the WW1 period is fascinating because it (IMO) splits the "old" world from the "modern" world. We left the time period of monarchs and long-time dynasties– And we're still trying to sort it out.

 

[lukin2006]

Wave of bells to ring out across Canada to mark 100 years since WWI

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova...ice-remembrance-day-legion-churches-1.4897434

 

[lukin2006]

IN FLANDERS FIELDS
The World’s Most Famous WAR MEMORIAL POEM
By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead: Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved: and now we lie
In Flanders fields!

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch: be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields



He wrote this poem in 20 minutes in honour of a fallen friend. He is from Guelph, Ontario about 3 hours from me. Every Canadian has heard this poem read at Remembrance Day Ceremonies from the first school Remembrance Day assemblies.

In case anyone does not know, we wear poppies leading up to November 11th. I remove my poppy after the service at the local cenotaph and I lay on the war memorial in honour of my grandfather and Uncles who served in WW1 and WW2 and to all men and woman past and present who have served..

The Royal Canadian Legion runs the poppy campaign, they raise 14 million a year that pays for veterans services that they need.

May all fallen veterans RIP...