100 Years On, The Great War

[firefly1]

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That is just people trying to be clever.

 

All wars grow out of circumstances, there was plenty of time for people to change circumstances between WW1 and WW2 (and then later conflicts) - such things as the mega-inflation in Germany and the (great) depression in the rest of the westhad much more influence and the rise of militarism/fascism in Japan, Italy and Germany ALL had an effect (as also such things as the reduction in profitability of the British (and others') empire. It is too simplistic to say that all those things JUST flowed out of WW1 (and its peace treaty). Politicians and people contributed both by commission and omission.

 

Such things as the west's intervention in the Russians civil war poisoned the relationship between them and the Soviet Union (strangely enough not often mentioned by these historians). Likewise the USA's decision not to join in with the League of Nations, and later the league's waffling and indecision regarding Italian actions in Africa also helped.

 

There were many, many things that occurred after WW1 which MIGHT have changed things drastically.

 

And, of course, one merely needs to look at German politics to suppose what might have happened with a different ruling party in 1933, or even just a different fascist leader.

 

Believing everything flowed from WW1 is just a variation on the religious "predestination" fallacy.

 

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[Corinthian]

That makes sense firefly1.

 

It's 3 August 2014 2047hrs from where I am. I find myself getting shivers just thinking what happened 100 years ago.

[Colin Williams]

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That is just people trying to be clever.

 

All wars grow out of circumstances, there was plenty of time for people to change circumstances between WW1 and WW2 (and then later conflicts) - such things as the mega-inflation in Germany and the (great) depression in the rest of the westhad much more influence and the rise of militarism/fascism in Japan, Italy and Germany...

 

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What's always fascinated me is why Japan went down the aggressive militarist track when Wilhelmine Germany had so clearly failed.

[firefly1]

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The "big" international commemoration of the start of WW1 is happening today in Belgium.

 

See ;

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28632223

 

(and many others)

 

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[X-Files]

VERDUN France (Reuters) - The fields and woods around Verdun, site of one of the most devastating and protracted battles of World War One, may now appear tranquil. But remnants of the war - unexploded ordnance - still pose a threat 100 years on.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/100-years-buried-wwi-shells-pose-threat-french-135408114.html

[Marcello]

 

VERDUN France (Reuters) - The fields and woods around Verdun, site of one of the most devastating and protracted battles of World War One, may now appear tranquil. But remnants of the war - unexploded ordnance - still pose a threat 100 years on.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/100-years-buried-wwi-shells-pose-threat-french-135408114.html

 

 

When I saw what the terrain was actually like, I immediately lost any inclination towards leaving roads or well trodden paths...

[X-Files]

 

 

VERDUN France (Reuters) - The fields and woods around Verdun, site of one of the most devastating and protracted battles of World War One, may now appear tranquil. But remnants of the war - unexploded ordnance - still pose a threat 100 years on.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/100-years-buried-wwi-shells-pose-threat-french-135408114.html

 

 

When I saw what the terrain was actually like, I immediately lost any inclination towards leaving roads or well trodden paths...

 

 

There's a Smithsonian Magazine article, circa 1994 (I think) on France's "Department of Mines", charged with cleaning up WWI battlefields. They were still recovering 75mm gas shells, wrapping them in plastic and burying them at low tide on the beach to detonate at high tide.

 

Article mentioned that some couple making out in one of those grassy depressions wound up getting gas burns.