What does the First World War mean to you?

**relicz** · 02-08-2013, 01:34 AM

I disagree that WWI is forgotten here in the States. I believe our education system has long become sub-standard and only explores topics and social issues that are politically correct. I strongly suggest walking any town common here in the US and take a good look at those "old green statues, plaques, granite monuments, and cannon". There is a reason those monuments exist and are maintained to this day. They are there for much more than graffiti tags or a pigeon perch.

If you feel you've been short changed and lack historical knowledge, then I suggest as a tax payer, you take it up with your local school board. Perhaps some day we can return to real education and not an indoctrination in our school systems, but I seriously doubt it will ever happen.

**Wagriff** · 02-08-2013, 02:02 AM

Ned=Always the voice of reason...

**Larry C** · 02-08-2013, 04:49 AM

No Matter where a war is fought on this earth and all those who are involved,,the common denominator at the end always has psychological effect on every soldier AND their families when a man or woman does not come back the whole person mentally OR physically as when they first left.
All wars in all countries and all who served them,, None should be considered less affected. World War I was named " The Great War" for a reason.
The recent Sandy Hook elementary school shooting,,was a shot that was heard and FELT around the world,, and that was not even a war,,but a devastation and an awakening. America and their families were affected by WWI.
Thank you Ned for your words of support!

Regards Larry

**Totenhead** · 02-08-2013, 08:49 AM

The weapons available at the time dictated the tactics used as they did later on in WW2, the trench warfare was a result of advances in rifle and machine gun technology. When the Soviet Union signed a non- aggression pact with Germany in 1939, Stalin thought he was buying himself some time, he expected another clash of the titans as it were on the western front and another prolonged bout of bloody trench warfare, obviously with the advances in weapon technology and mobile armoured forces, specifically the Germans effective and shocking use of the Blitzkrieg tactics, this did not occur, and the rest is history as they say

by big ned

Eloquently put Adrian.

Perhaps they might have let you in if you hadn't insisted turning up in period uniform.

Attachment 462875

But seriously, the Great War has more resonance in this country and Europe as it was a prolonged, bloody and bitter slog using new equipment and old tactics that caused the entire continent's flower of youth to be practically wiped out. This was not the case for the Americans, and so it is understandable to see some of the reasoning and feeling that has been given here. But without Uncle Sam, we would not have prevailed, and for that we thank them.

Regards, Ned.

**StefanM** · 02-08-2013, 11:14 AM

by edelweiss123

Having been through education fairly recently (within 5 years), i was not taught about WW1 once. I found the focus was on the Vietnam and Cold War. My local school had to advertise in a local magazine for someone to go in for an hour to do a presentation on WW1. I know it is impossible for teachers to know every single bit of information, but surely one of them could have done this. I struggle to see how "popular" interest in WW1 will prevail if children keep receiving little education on the subject.

It also has to be looked at how the younger generation can become interested in such a subject if it is not traught in schools. Certain TV series based on WW2 campaigns greatly increased the interest of the subjects within my demographic, so surely if series based around WW1 were created, so would the interest in the subject.

Just My Opinion

Vicky

I wonder if Speilberg's recent WWI movie War Horse had any resonance with the "younger" generation in the US?

WarHorse_06_1434673a.jpg

**StefanM** · 02-08-2013, 12:50 PM

by Larry C

No Matter where a war is fought on this earth and all those who are involved,,the common denominator at the end always has psychological effect on every soldier AND their families when a man or woman does not come back the whole person mentally OR physically as when they first left.
All wars in all countries and all who served them,, None should be considered less affected. World War I was named " The Great War" for a reason.
The recent Sandy Hook elementary school shooting,,was a shot that was heard and FELT around the world,, and that was not even a war,,but a devastation and an awakening. America and their families were affected by WWI.
Thank you Ned for your words of support!

Regards Larry

I agree with you wholeheartedly regarding the shared psychological effect on war's individual combatants and their families but I would strongly disagree that the national psyche, collective consciousness, call it what you will, of all combatant nations are affected equally, regardless of the scale of loss of life or destruction of its cities etc. This is clearly borne out the difference between how WWI is perceived today in the national consciousness of Great Britain and France and how it is not the same in the US.

I am not sure that the Sandy Hook example is anything more than just an example of media focus that draws our natural human empathy with the victims and families but does not mean our experience and sense of loss is shared on the same level. Our "experience" is transitory and quickly fades as another newsflash holds our attention. However these tragic events remain with those directly involved forever. IMHO we are not "all victims" of Sandy Hook just because we empathise with the victims families.

I think a better "contemporary" example that demonstrates the differences between individual nations lasting "trauma" over the same events can be found in 9/11. No one can argue that 9/11 changed the American psyche forever and the shock of that attack on US soil was devastating to American consciousness as a whole as well as those individual families that lost family were devastated on a personal level. The fact that on Apr 28, 2009 - eight years after 9/11- the Air Force One flyover sparked panic in New York was vivid demonstration of the long-term psychological effects of this attack on US consciousness.

There were also 67 British victims but there is no where near the same sense of trauma in British national consciousness because the scale of the tragedy for Britain was lesser on a "national" level but of course it was the same on a personal level for the families.

I think the differences I have outlined in the 9/11 example can be applied to my statement that it was easy for Pershing to want to continue WWI and fight to Berlin because the US had not endured the same losses or suffered the same national trauma as the European nations had done over a much longer period. Had Pershing's view prevailed then that might have been a different story...but that is not the history of WWI.

Hopefully I am not guilty of dragging this thread into trench warfare as this is not my intention and I reiterate that I am fully respectful all combatants that were killed, maimed and truamatised in WWI and indeed all servicemen and women who continue to serve and keep the rest of us safe.

**relicz** · 02-08-2013, 01:17 PM

I've often wondered what the end result would have been if the US had not entered the war. Not to debate if they should or shouldn't have, but what would have been the historical impact. One possibility is that a stalemate would have continued until combatant nations found it necessary to craft some sort of peace agreement.

Thought provoking theoretical history that obviously has no correct answer and totally based on opinions and possibilities. Would another war on the scale of WWII taken place?

**StefanM** · 02-08-2013, 01:42 PM

I believe a similar war would have taken place again because the goal of Soviet Communist revolutionaries of 1917 was to spread their Bolshevik revolution through Europe and the world ... by force or arms if necessary.

Hence The 1919–21 Polish-Soviet War in which the Polish 7th Air Escadrille better known as the Kościuszko Squadron made up of American volunteers and was one of most active Polish squadrons in that war.

150px-111th_Escadrille_Roundel.png

Emblem of the Kościuszko Squadron that was painted on the side of the squadrons aircraft.

The Kościuszko Squadron emblem designed by US pilot Eliott Chess, depicts the distinctive four-cornered rogatywka (red cap of traditional Polish style) set against a field of red veritcal stripes on a white background, red and white being two colours contained in both the Polish and American flags. Behind the red cap is a pair of crossed scythes. Thirteen blue stars encircle the badge, representing the thirteen original American states.

An illustrious unit

**guns ltd** · 02-08-2013, 02:15 PM

I know that my family will always remember the "great war" I try to instill this in my 2 sons. My fathers birthday is November 11. and the stories that my grandfather told me about the war I will pass on to them. They set in my war room at home and look at the things he had during that time in his life and we talk about it. I know how our school systems sometimes fail us in teaching history here in the USA and it is sad. I have it written in my will that all of the history I have in my War room be passed down to them and I hope they will pass it down to their children with the family history that goes with it.
Just my Thoughts.

John