Brutal fighting in Passchendaele

[ah8176]

Who says Canadian's can't fight? This is a scene from the Canadian produced film Passchendaele. This scene is nuts. Shows the brutality of Trench warfare. I think the First World War is an often forgotten about conflict, espcially in the United States. In fact, I have yet to see a memorial. In Canada, there are reminders about WWI almost everywhere. I still can't understand why we have practically discared this war in the US? The Canadians seem to remember the war quite vividly and go to great lengths to keep it that way. In Russia the war is also remembered very vividly, but because it spawned the Russian Revolution. The Germans also remembered it, and we all know where it led to.

http://www.soviet-steel.com/newthrea...newthread&f=24

[FloridaPhil]

Originally Posted by ah8176

Who says Canadian's can't fight? This is a scene from the Canadian produced film Passchendaele. This scene is nuts. Shows the brutality of Trench warfare. I think the First World War is an often forgotten about conflict, espcially in the United States. In fact, I have yet to see a memorial. In Canada, there are reminders about WWI almost everywhere. I still can't understand why we have practically discared this war in the US? The Canadians seem to remember the war quite vividly and go to great lengths to keep it that way. In Russia the war is also remembered very vividly, but because it spawned the Russian Revolution. The Germans also remembered it, and we all know where it led to.

http://www.soviet-steel.com/newthrea...newthread&f=24

Link isn't working... WWI is a big deal in Britain. Maybe its because it was a 4 year war for the Europeans, a 2 year for most Americans?

[PolishVector]

Isn't the world record for longest shot held by a canadian? Using American Ammunition though, said the canadian stuff wasn't 'hot' enough for the job. Nobody said they aren't good at fighting.... it's just that they are better at making maple syrup.

[ah8176]

Sorry it isn't working.

Try this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJZttzblHFQ

[alphashifter]

Effing brutal...even without the Mustard Gas.
Thank You to all Vets.

[alphashifter]

Originally Posted by PolishVector

Isn't the world record for longest shot held by a canadian? Using American Ammunition though, said the canadian stuff wasn't 'hot' enough for the job. Nobody said they aren't good at fighting.... it's just that they are better at making maple syrup.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Furlong
I'll be damned. A mile and a half.

[warsaw pact]

I still can't understand why we have practically discared this war in the US?

I think as Phil said, we had less involvement near the end (others were in it for four brutal years) plus you have to look at the sad way it was waged plus the dubious results.

What is the legacy of World War 1? Civil War tactics meet modern technology (machine guns, heavy artillery, breech loaded rifles, gas, mines, barbed wire, etc) The result? A meat grinder.

Basically you had a bunch of generals using millions of 18 and 19 year olds as pawns in conditions beyond imagination.... using tactics which were pathetic and ineffective, just a sheer waste and total disrespect for the brave infantry throwing themselves into no man's land. You think of the petty amounts of chewed up land which changed hands for hundreds of thousands dead each battle- and there is little to celebrate.

On top of everything else, World War I simply set up World War II. In a sense, the 20 years between was just a long cease fire. I think there is nothing more ironic than the French insisting on getting "revenge" on Germany at Versailles, only to really piss Germany off and end up being conquered and humiliated by summer 1940. You reap what you sow.


In the end we should certainly honor the dead and their sacrifices, but the actual generalship and tactics of the war were criminal in hindsight. There are actually accounts of ambitous American officers eager to gain some "glory" by ordering infantry assaults... in the final few days of the war. The morning of 11 Nov 1918, just prior to 11 am, attacks were still being launched.

To get back to your original question, I think the American experience in WWII overshadows WWI in collective memory as we were much more involved, much more was at stake, and much more was gained/changed in the long term.

[OKMatt]

^^ Good answer, good answer.

[ah8176]

Originally Posted by warsaw pact

I think as Phil said, we had less involvement near the end (others were in it for four brutal years) plus you have to look at the sad way it was waged plus the dubious results.

What is the legacy of World War 1? Civil War tactics meet modern technology (machine guns, heavy artillery, breech loaded rifles, gas, mines, barbed wire, etc) The result? A meat grinder.

Basically you had a bunch of generals using millions of 18 and 19 year olds as pawns in conditions beyond imagination.... using tactics which were pathetic and ineffective, just a sheer waste and total disrespect for the brave infantry throwing themselves into no man's land. You think of the petty amounts of chewed up land which changed hands for hundreds of thousands dead each battle- and there is little to celebrate.

On top of everything else, World War I simply set up World War II. In a sense, the 20 years between was just a long cease fire. I think there is nothing more ironic than the French insisting on getting "revenge" on Germany at Versailles, only to really piss Germany off and end up being conquered and humiliated by summer 1940. You reap what you sow.


In the end we should certainly honor the dead and their sacrifices, but the actual generalship and tactics of the war were criminal in hindsight. There are actually accounts of ambitous American officers eager to gain some "glory" by ordering infantry assaults... in the final few days of the war. The morning of 11 Nov 1918, just prior to 11 am, attacks were still being launched.

To get back to your original question, I think the American experience in WWII overshadows WWI in collective memory as we were much more involved, much more was at stake, and much more was gained/changed in the long term.

Very true, very true, but I still think it's something forgotten to quickly by Americans. Even in history classes at university levels it's still regulated to about 2 days discussion that essentially boils down to a extended talk about attrition and trench warefare. The war itself had such a profound impact on world history and especially in the US despite it's short involvement. The war resulted in the collapse of several old world empires and spawned the Soviet Union. The war brought America in to the leauge of world powers despite it's isolationist stance. The American Military itself changed. It caused a massive growth in the Army, gave the Navy an excuse to bulk up, the seeds of birth for the Air Force was planted in the Army Air Corps, and lastly pushed the Marine Corps into the department of defense as it's own independent fighting force. Before this is was little more than the U.S State department's hired muscle to put down rebellions.

As with every war, there are just too many "what if's?" World War I just had too many that could have radically changed modern history. What if England had stayed neutral? If they did Britannia's dominance of the waves would have likely continued and their empire might have still held in place. Likely, we would have stayed out and it would have most likely delayed "The American Century" untill the present.

What if the Von-Schlieffen plan worked? France may have been knocked out of the war faster than it would have liked to admit, and a pan-Germanic Europe might have emerged and become the dominant European power. Austria-Hungary would have likely stood strong, and become a large, multi-national ethnic empire, and Adolf Hitler would have gone down in history as a amatuer artist and veteran known in Vienna's bohemian circles.

Quite a different face for Europe, would you not say?