Lions and donkeys: 10 big myths about World War One debunked

[Allezfan]

Myth 8. - No-one won.

Must admit, I have never heard that one before. I thought everyone knew Britain (and allies) won and Germany lost? Or is it just in the UK that we were tought that?

It was a myth that was prevalent in pre ww2 germany, with the idea the army was betrayed by the civilian government and could have won if allowed to fight to the last man. But yeah not really beyond that.

 

[rascal]

Everyday, you must kick yourself knowing that you weren't born in Stalin's Russia, and therefore unable to be his propaganda officer.

It's possible to reject elitism without harboring support for a tyrannical dictator,

 

[BiggyRat]

It's possible to reject elitism without harboring support for a tyrannical dictator,

Is it also possible to do so without celebrating their deaths?

 

[hullefc]

Plus I believe Wilhem said to Wilson that if you side with us, you can have Canada when we win. Guess that kinda sums up the level of thinking at the time.

America drew up plans in the 1920s, War Plan Red, to launch a war against Britain and its Empire by invading Canada.

 

[rascal]

Is it also possible to do so without celebrating their deaths?

Absolutely.

 

[Allezfan]

America drew up plans in the 1920s, War Plan Red, to launch a war against Britain and its Empire by invading Canada.

They had plans for what to do in wars with every major power.

As I suspect do most countries. Just in case.

 

[Pat's Van]

Germany's big plan was crap though, break international law by stomping through Belgium en route to France

barney with the cheesemunchers, then head off in the complete opposite direction to tackle the ruskies

outdated plan if you ask me

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Germany's big plan was crap though, break international law by stomping through Belgium en route to France

barney with the cheesemunchers, then head off in the complete opposite direction to tackle the ruskies

outdated plan if you ask me

To be fair, it sounds like most military blokes at the time had similar thinking. The culture was very much that offense would always beat defense. This was despite the obvious technological changes that made it possible to defend against much larger forces. What's more, it also ignored the evidence to that effect provided by the Boer war.

 

[Garrick]

They had plans for what to do in wars with every major power.

As I suspect do most countries. Just in case.

Yep. We just happened to declassify all of ours.

If I recall, really most of the ones against our allies (Canada crimson, UK red) were exercises done by the top students at West Point and Annapolis.

War Plan Orange (Japan) actually did dictate much of the WW2 Pacific Theater, though.

 

[Allezfan]

To be fair, it sounds like most military blokes at the time had similar thinking. The culture was very much that offense would always beat defense. This was despite the obvious technological changes that made it possible to defend against much larger forces. What's more, it also ignored the evidence to that effect provided by the Boer war.

And the same plan worked really well thirty years later.

Bypassing entrenched defences with a fast moving squad that can get behind the lines and encircle the enemy does actually work if they can move fast enough and pack enough of a punch. It was just nobody had realise yet just how outdated cavarly where.

 

[royalblue66]

what about the big question then, whose fault was is that the war broke out ???

Well it wasn't. The r/s fault , that's what one of them told me .

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Well it wasn't. The r/s fault , that's what one of them told me .

Is it any coincidence that we won the league in each year before world war broke out?

 

[Allezfan]

Is it any coincidence that we won the league in each year before world war broke out?

Is it possible that Gavrilo Princip and the Black Hand assassians were working for the kopites, do we think?

I heard he actually supported chelsea.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Is it possible that Gavrilo Princip and the Black Hand assassians were working for the kopites, do we think?

I heard he actually supported chelsea.

Either that or Sam Beckett is a kopite. Lets face it, there's enough of them on television so it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Pat's Van]

To be fair, it sounds like most military blokes at the time had similar thinking. The culture was very much that offense would always beat defense. This was despite the obvious technological changes that made it possible to defend against much larger forces. What's more, it also ignored the evidence to that effect provided by the Boer war.

absolutely. but i don't think the so called triple entente was strong enough to have pulled in great britain had germany gone straight for russia. i guess it could've pulled france in too, but i don't think so.