What does the First World War mean to you?

[Paul D]

[

Paul to some extent I would say that WWI is becoming "forgoten" in all countries in the mass media. Yes everyone is taught about it generaly in every country genrally with bias towards their own involvment but it has no where near the impact and vividness that it did since no one is still aliave and can recall the brutality of the war. All history transitions from memories to statistics and stories in a book, and with todays culture most people are more concerned with so called celebrities... You have to take in account that us members here enjoy this history so it is well know to us but generally this is not the case for the general public IMO

As i said this isn't the case this isn't the case in the UK at all , WW1 is still very much part of the National identity , concience and history of the nation , as all our families were touched by the war to end all wars it lies in everyones famliy history and as tracing that has become more popular interst in war has actually increased not decreased and it has long been part of the schools curiculam .

Every night of the year at the Menin Gate in Ypres the local Fire Brigade Buglers play the last post and the gate will be packed with Britons and other nationalities hundreds of whom will be British school kids !!

As Gallipoli was the coming of age Militarily of the ANZAC Forces on the World Stage , the Battles of the Argonne etc were the same for the States yet it is something that is being forgotten in one of the Worlds most Patriotic countries , i must admit to being somewhat surprised by that !!

[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

[davesap250]

We must and we will never forget. You only have to drive through a village in the UK and you will find a memorial to the fallen of the great war. AmericanKraut, if you feel this time is being forgotten then you should ask yourself what you can do to bring about more awareness of this war. A lot of American lads lost their lives on French and Belgium soil. Read 11th hour it gives you an idea of the carnage doughboys suffered in the last minutes of the war. They deserve to be honoured.

WW1 bought about the modern concept of warfare. It bought about the machine gun, snipers, trenches, tanks, aeroplanes, bunkers, advance to contact, biological warfare, It evolutionised battlefield medicine, rationing and changed warfare forever. The age of chivalry died in WW1.

It is the poetry that I enjoy reading the most as I think it is so hard hitting and gives a real picture of that time.

NEVER FORGET.

[Sir Payne]

This isn't a criticism but i find this a very interesting comment from a young American to say that WW1 is a forgotten moment in History !! In Europe in particular the nations that slogged out WW1 , Britain , France and Germany the memories are still very current and still very much remembered as most familes Grandfathers and Great Grandfathers were involved with millions KIA and tens of millions WIA , certainly every family in Britain across the whole social structure was affected by the conflict and although the last of our WWI generation have gone that still continues. Next year is the 100th Anniversary of the start of WW1 , the retreat from Mons , First Battle of Ypres etc and National commeorations will be held throughout the year both at home and in France and Flanders.

Although Americas involvement was only in the last couple of years of the war significant casualties resulted but i take it that the original " Doughboys " don't feature that much in the National Memorials of remembrance in the States or in history that is taught within the school / college system ??

Hi Paul,

The thread title suggest that we are suppose to post our own perspective of WWI, not everyone else's perspective. It may not seem like a forgotten war to you, but to me, being an American, it does seem that way. It may be difficult to understand what I am talking about, but if you lived here you would see the same thing. In contrast, I think if I lived in the UK or France or Germany then my perspective of the war would change.

Regards,
Corey

[Paul D]

We must and we will never forget. You only have to drive through a village in the UK and you will find a memorial to the fallen of the great war. AmericanKraut, if you feel this time is being forgotten then you should ask yourself what you can do to bring about more awareness of this war. A lot of American lads lost their lives on French and Belgium soil. Read 11th hour it gives you an idea of the carnage doughboys suffered in the last minutes of the war. They deserve to be honoured.

WW1 bought about the modern concept of warfare. It bought about the machine gun, snipers, trenches, tanks, aeroplanes, bunkers, advance to contact, biological warfare, It evolutionised battlefield medicine, rationing and changed warfare forever. The age of chivalry died in WW1.

It is the poetry that I enjoy reading the most as I think it is so hard hitting and gives a real picture of that time.

NEVER FORGET.

Excellent point Dave the American losses during the assaults carried out on the 11th November 1918 sit with most of the most tragic actions of the War !!

[Wagriff]

I have to admit that it saddens and depresses to see some of the comments here disparaging the US involvement in WWI. For years after it's conclusion, American soldiers had to endure sneers and slights that they were "Johnney come lately's" and were only token players in the war. It is very true, that America entered late in the war and "only lost 116,516+ men". A mere pittance when compared to the great battles of Ypres or Verdun and others. But 1 man dead or maimed is never a pittance and 116,516 or more is Horrendous. American soldiers have Nothing to be apologetic or shamed for. They Proved their Courage and competence with their Blood in places such as Chateau-Thierry, Belleau Woods, St Mihiel and more....They Stood in line and fought the best efforts the mighty German Army could throw at them and they Did not lose. They came to Europe not to steal glory from the war-weary nations involved, but rather they came to Help. Their presence and assistance was Urgently Requested and when they responded they came and left their blood and their bones in European soil 2,000 miles or more from their homes and families. It was this very response that made the blood-letted German Army stop and reconsider. A Fresh and Powerful New enemy had arrived and had Proven themselves in Full Battle against their best and had not faltered. There were Many factors that induced the German powers to decide to end the hostilities and the American presence was no small quantity in that decision.
To see that Europeans of Today-well into the 21st Century-Still see fit to sneer and belittle the American assistance and response to their requests for help is disheartening indeed.

[StefanM]

I haven't seen one post on this thread disparaging of the US serviceman and his part in WWI only my disparaging remark about Pershing and the statement attributed to him wanting the war to continue and why I believe it was easy for him to say it.

Which was I suggest because the US had not suffered the same losses as the other allies who had been at war for years not months and whose countries in Europe had been reduced to wastelands of death and carnage, again not something suffered by the US in any war by an outside aggressor to this day. Pershing was able to make these grand statements because he did not share or endure the experiences of the allied nations in Europe. This is not denigrating US servicemen only Pershing.

So with respect is not the same thing as you imply at all.

Let us not forget Pershing ordered his men to continue fighting after the armistice which led to the further death of some 3,500 of his men needlessly no doubt in pursuit of his wanting to continue the war to Berlin. This led to him being thought of a murderer by others in the US forces. Pershing was less respecting of his men's lives as anyone could have been, I think you will agree.

[Wagriff]

Which was I suggest because the US had not suffered the same losses as the other allies who had been at war for years not months and whose countries in Europe had been reduced to wastelands of death and carnage, again not something suffered by the US in any war by an outside aggressor to this day. Pershing was able to make these grand statements because he did not share or endure the experiences of the allied nations in Europe. This is not denigrating US servicemen only Pershing.

John Pershing represented and commanded the AEF. He held a rank never seen before or since in US military. His campaigns of WWI stand on their own merits and were done for reasons that are well known. Whether they are agreed upon by Historians or not, they were effective nonetheless and accomplished that which needed to be done. To make the above statement that America has not "been reduced to wastelands of death and carnage" thinly implies that the US cannot understand or know-that they are Still "outsiders" both inexperienced and arrogantly making statements on things which they "cannot know". How many more years would Europe have been bogged down and mired in an exhausting and horribly costly war if the US had not come to assist? Their arrival may not have been the magic wand to end the War to end all Wars, but it sure didn't Hurt. Right or wrong, the AEF and it's Commander did what they came to do.

[KradSpam]

Princip's bullet has echoed for the next century. Everything about the world today stems from that single shot.

Edit; I didn't read the whole thread, my post looks a bit incongruous

[Paul D]

William i have to agree with 4thSkorpion no comment in this thread has in anyway disparaged the American Forces of WW1 and none were clearly intended to do that , my comments as a resuly of Corey's are in fact in favour of the " doughboys " contribution and sacrifice to the Allied effort on the Western Front made in the hope that that effort be possibly better recognised in the States themselves.

There is no need at all to take the thread in a mud slinging direction as that was not the OP intention or the intention of anyone who has contributed , your final comment about the Europeans of today which i presume includes the posters here sneering and belittling American assistance is provocative and way out of order as no one has done that in any post in this thread !!