Any one interested in World War I?

[Gambino]

I have always had an intense interest in this terrible event; currently I am reading a thick book called World War I by Martin Gilbert. I highly reccommend this book, excellent anaylisis (sp) on all sides. It is awesome the amount of casualties that took place in this war...300,000 french combatants (not including civilians) died within the first 5 months...in contrast 60,000 US troops died in Vietnam over a 5-7 yr period. Reading this book has given me new perspective on war and its terrors.

 

[Y_lifter]

Mass attach and Trench warfare and Mustard gas was just the beginning of the cause..

No real medical support for the wounded so most injured just died.
Disease aplenty.

 

[digger]

I've thought about setting a book during WWI. The research would be so utterly fascinating....

Did you read recently that there are still something like four living WWI vets? All over 100.

 

[ChefWide]

When there is little or no mechanised logistical support... your fucked.

 

[Gambino]

y-lifter- Mechanization of warfare savaged combatants beyond comprehension. Medical care, though primititive, was much better than in previous wars. Advancement in medical techniques was no match for the mechanical destruction, however.

Digger- Yes I did read that. Incredible that those folks could still be alive. My how the times have changed, WW I calvary units actually used horses. Another cool stat; the last Civil War vet died in 1952. I highly suggest this book as a source for you, the author is a well known historian with lots of notches in his publication belt.

Chefwide- With no shells to fire casue muntions were scarce, you're fucked even harder. Some russian units went into combat with bayonets as their only weapon.

 

[Dial_tone]

In Iraq now 1 in 8 wounded soldiers die
In Korea/Vietnam/Gulf war 1 in 4
In WWII 1 in 3

I can't imagine what it was in WWI.

 

[FreeballinDC]

My great-grandfather was in WWI.

I never heard any war stories from him except for one. He told me when they were in the field, several of them got lice. They had to strip down and put their entire uniform in an ice cold river to kill them off. I have no idea how they got rid of the lice on the body, except cut all their hair off.

Nobody in my family had any idea what horrors he saw while in France. He died taking all that history with him to the grave.

 

[Y_lifter]

I guess when you compare Primitive Medical support to zero medical
support it is understandable that there is an improvement..

My point was comparing WWI in that regard to WWII > was one cause of higher deaths per time frame..

oh, and I did not make the mechanized comment but historians have stated that WW II was the first real Mechanized War.. WWI was a calvary war with real horses

 

[Scotsman]

WWI was the first "Mechanized" war. Most combatants still used horses and muskets. The Maxim machine gun is credited with changing the face of trench warfare. The gun fired 666 rounds per minute and was accurate to over 100 yards. Therefore single emplacements could kill as many as an entire regiment during a trench charge. Technology outpaces warfare but never like in WWI. The technology was so far ahead of the tactics that if forever changed the face of war as it made trench warfare obsolete. Also it started the desire for more volume of fire from the individual soldiers. This lead to the sub-machine gun like the Thompson(tommy) gun also known as the trench broom. This horrid event caused the rapid progression of war technology that has bled over into our everyday lives.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[powerslave]

Sounds interesting. I might have to pick that one up. WWI the first crude tanks were deployed.

 

[Robert Jan]

I saw all those "Shellshock" patient videos. Impressive.

 

[Robert Jan]

Guys who are shaky and have trouble standing up and respond to nothing, not even pain or screams or such, except the word "Bomb" which caused them to panic and get down on the ground, underneath the table.

 

[Gambino]

Dial- Surely most severe wounds resulted in a death sentence. Many of the troops were stuck wounded on the field, lost in the confusion of battle. Comparble to other recent wars (Boer War, Balkan war, USA Civil War), WW I had a marked improvement in medical technology.

Freeballin- Props to your great grand dad. It took a big set of balls to come off the western front alive and in mental order. Too bad he didn't tell you any tales, they would have been interesting. btw, it seems you followed his military footsteps...

 

[Y_lifter]

OK.. agree to disagree on symantics of what Mechanized was..

True.. If you google "first mechanized war" you will get 50%-50% hits on
WWI or WWII...

Bad stuff anyway and I agree on the Tactics not up to the weapons.
Much like the Brits getting whacked by the Colonists after we learned this lesson

 

[Becoming]

That had to be pretty damn gruesome...

Not to hijack but you's might like this site - made by the chick that made the chernobyl site... about the wall around kiev and the battles in the area back in WWII and mongol invasions..
Pretty interesting for a quick read with pics...

http://www.serpentswall.com/index.html

"German machine gunners had two directives 1) to be able to reload cartridges 2) not to go insane of all amount of people they were killing"

 

[Robert Jan]

We covered the hardship of WWI perfectly in history class... trench warfare sucks ass. no dry socks for a year on end.

 

[FreeballinDC]

Gambino, Gramps always seemed to be an even tempered guy. I don't remember him going off the deep end if something went wrong. If he had nightmares about the war, he never let on that they bothered him.

I wish I knew which unit he served in, or what he did. I'll have to ask the older folks in the family if they know anything about his service. It would be some interesting family history.

 

[Y_lifter]

We covered the hardship of WWI perfectly in history class... trench warfare sucks ass. no dry socks for a year on end.

You're welcome bro

 

[Becoming]

Here is a good WWI site...

http://www.worldwar1.com/reflib.htm

 

[Zebo]

My great uncle fought in WWI. Apparently he got gassed in France, b/c he came back nuttier than a shithouse rat.

I barely, barely remember him.....But I have a framed photo of him in his uniform. He joined when he was 16.

 

[coverguy]

Definitely an interesting subject. Thanks for the book recommendation.