Random thought for tonight

[lizziec]

There is no denying that World War One was a huge destructive event in British History, but I do not believe it was as futile, or thought of then as so futile as we believe now. I do not believe it was as terrible as we think it was now or that all the soldiers were scarred. I think people were changed but I'm inclined to think it was for the better, not for the worse. In addition, I do not believe the soldiers were all lions, nor that the generals were donkeys who through men and money at the war regardless of gains. I believe that Blackadder and its portrayal of the General Staff has very little bearing to reality.

Hrm.

Comments

I believe that Blackadder and its portrayal of the General Staff has very little bearing to reality.

[reggitsti.livejournal.com]

Depends what period you're looking at really, the British Army high command of 1918 was quite different to that of 1914. It had taken them a while, and they'd lost an awful lot of men in the process, but by the time the war ended they were actually fairly good at their jobs. British successes toward the end of the war certainly support this.

On the other hand, earlier on in the war I should imagine that you can find a fair number of staff officers who do fit the Blackadder mould to some extent or another. From what I've read, British staff work in the earlier years seems distinctly amateurish compared to that of the Germans (I have Gallipolie in my mind while writing this), and whatever side they may be on, there were a fair number of Generals who simply threw men into the grinder, even if the original plan had failed. (Falkenhayn and Nivelle are the best examples I can think of at the moment)