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History, Reference, Research, and GrogTalk => Military (and other) History => Topic started by: bayonetbrant on June 17, 2015, 06:34:23 AM

Title: "Myths" of WWI
Post by: bayonetbrant on June 17, 2015, 06:34:23 AM
This is an older article, and not from SailorSaturn...

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-25776836

Title: Re: "Myths" of WWI
Post by: Steelgrave on June 17, 2015, 07:37:18 AM
That's a really good article, thanks for sharing. 
Title: Re: "Myths" of WWI
Post by: mirth on June 17, 2015, 08:20:43 AM
+1 Great read.
Title: Re: "Myths" of WWI
Post by: steve58 on June 17, 2015, 09:10:07 AM
very interesting, thanks O0,
Title: Re: "Myths" of WWI
Post by: ArizonaTank on August 02, 2015, 05:28:29 PM
The misconception that always strikes me is that the Western Front did not move.  While it is true that most of the war was static, the first few months in 1914, and most of 1918 saw major movement.  The last great German offensive of 1918 saw the French pushed back to the Marne, and Paris threatened, again.   

Another is that the American Expeditionary Force was pretty much fighting for the last year of the War.  But in fact, despite the American declaration of war in April 1917, the AEF did not really engage in major battles until the last six months of the War.  The first Americans didn't enter the trenches until October 1917.  But they held down quiet sectors and trained.  American forces did not engage in major battles until Spring, 1918.   
Title: Re: "Myths" of WWI
Post by: agrippamaxentius on August 03, 2015, 01:09:26 AM
Thanks! That was awesome!
Title: Re: "Myths" of WWI
Post by: agrippamaxentius on August 03, 2015, 01:12:15 AM
That 11.5% death ratio really puts things into perspective. People also seem to forget that there are usually always more wounded than dead on any given battlefield. Lucky soldiers charging an enemy trench likely got shot in non vital regions, perhaps some even feigned death to avoid going headlong into MG fire, although I know that when cases of this were discovered the soldiers were often killed.