With Armistice Day nearly upon us there have been a lot of documentaries and dramatisations on British TV about the First World War.
Many of them take the traditional ‘lions led by donkeys’ stance when analysing the strategies of the British Army on the Western Front; clueless Staff Officers, safe in luxurious French chateaus, sending thousands of ‘Tommies’ over-the-top into a quagmire of shell-holes, uncut barbed-wire and murderous machine-gun fire.
I just wondered whether a similar view is held by Germans about German leadership and strategies, or by the French about French leadership and strategies?
Moderators: I know this post has nothing to do with historic aviation but could it be left here, at least temporarily, as it has much more chance of getting a response than in General Discussion?
By: Nachtjagd - 10th November 2009 at 20:09
The feeling here in Germany is much the same. The soldiers were the true heroes while the Generals lived in luxury and dreamed up strategies that ultimately cost them the war. The Battle of the Marne, where Germany came very close to a major breakthrough but the leaders failed to recognise it, is a much quoted example. So is Verdun where a good strategic plan was ruined by poor tactical command. And of course the Spring offensive of 1918 that succeeded in going nowhere important. At the end of the day this was the wrong war at the wrong time in terms of weapon development vs tactics. It became a war of pure attrition that Germany lost. The British Empire, with its larger reserves of manpower, was always destined to win. Haig knew that very well. However, whether the victory was worth the cost in lives, or the short-lived peace that provoked the rise of the Nazi Party, is highly questionable.
By: flyernzl - 10th November 2009 at 19:08
Well the German soldier’s view was eloquently expressed in Erich Maria Remarque ‘s “All Quiet on the Western Front” written only 10 years after the event.
By: J Boyle - 10th November 2009 at 16:11
Just the other day I read something that discussed new views of the military leadership in WWI.
The UK had the finest military force on earth at the times so I’m guessing the generals could not have been as stupid as they’ve been made out to have been in media and films.
That’s not to say rapidly advancing technology didn’t catch them off guard and new tactics had to be developed.
Any thoughts?
By: 12jaguar - 10th November 2009 at 12:01
IIRC, the book Mud, Blood and Poppycock goes a long way to dispelling a lot of the myths surrounding life in the trenches from all sides. That’s not to say though that when put into perspective the loss of life and wounding was horrendous whichever way you look at it.
By: Rlangham - 10th November 2009 at 11:48
There is book “Mud, Blood and Poppycock” (I forget the author!) that examines many of these suppositions from WW1….including the popular “lions led by donkeys” line.
Well worth the read.
One of the best WW1 books, reccomend it to anyone even slightly interested in the First World War. All of Peter Hart’s books are superb, the three war in the air books, ‘Somme Success’, ‘Bloody April’ and ‘Aces Falling’ – but his most recent release, ‘1918 – a very British victory’ is without a doubt the best book I have ever read
By: D1566 - 10th November 2009 at 07:26
Also try ‘Tommy’ by Richard Holmes.
By: Arabella-Cox - 10th November 2009 at 07:18
There is book “Mud, Blood and Poppycock” (I forget the author!) that examines many of these suppositions from WW1….including the popular “lions led by donkeys” line.
Well worth the read.
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November 10, 2009 at 2:21 am