Excellent lecture. Maybe the mystery of why the WWI generals were so reviled after the war had something to do with revolution being somewhat in the air throughout the West in the early 20th century.
The problem was that the politicians started the war and failed to negotiate an end to it. The generals had to come up with new tactics to deal with the new technology that made tactics developed over centuries suicidal. German generals and admirals were fatally hopeless at strategy and came up with strategies that brought the British empire and US into the war. The technology would have allowed them to have allowed France and Russia to attack them. That would have allowed German diplomats a good chance of keeping the British and US out. This would have them allowed Germany to support its ally and weaken Russia. If they could have avoided attacking Belgium and made it clear to Britain that they had limited war aims that were to deal with the Russian threat, they had a good chance of keeping Britain out. They could have asked Britain to mediate. Defending the German border against France would have been better than defending the line they ended up defending and they would not have been the aggressors.
Yes, the weaponry was new and terrible but communicatione still laged behind, at the outbreak soliders were still using pigeons and runners to take messages back and forth like they did in medival times. Time was lost so breakthroughs couldn't be easily exploited before the enemy regrouped and recovered. Nobody has really been able to explain how they'd have achieved a quick victory with few casualties in 1914. Rifles had become much quicker to reload with better range, never mind artillery and machine guns, soliders advancing over open ground without cover were just cut down. The only way to protect soliders out in the open was to dig trenches which then just leads to a war of attrition.
What surprises me greatly, is his failure to criticise, Field Marshall Douglas Haig. Head of the British Army. I read a brief excerpt from his 1925 auto biography, in which he wrote, I paraphrase, ''The invention of the Tank, and the Aeroplane, were great additions to our attacks, but, they will never replace a man on a Horse''. A close friend and columnist of the 'Telegraph'' (I think) begged him not to include that paragraph. Haig ignored him, and so, was rightly ridiculed a great deal. I also read, that Haig lacked self confidence, with his battle plans, and frequently prayed to God, for victory. This is made clear in his many letter's to his wife.
I usually listen to CZcams videos when I am on the treadmill. Even with the volume turned up to max I can't hear this one. I don't have a problem with other videos. The gain is not high enough on this recording.
Re Haig's funeral; could people have attended to make sure that he was dead ? ( Don't forget the old show-business saying - ' Give the public what it wants and it will turn out.' )
Every country need a Max Hastings.....
The volume was far too low, please correct that for next time.
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Fix the sound can't hear a thing
Sir Max at his challenging best. I'm just reading his WW2 history, "All Hell Let Loose"; absorbing. (Brighton. UK)
22:10
Excellent lecture. Maybe the mystery of why the WWI generals were so reviled after the war had something to do with revolution being somewhat in the air throughout the West in the early 20th century.
The problem was that the politicians started the war and failed to negotiate an end to it. The generals had to come up with new tactics to deal with the new technology that made tactics developed over centuries suicidal. German generals and admirals were fatally hopeless at strategy and came up with strategies that brought the British empire and US into the war. The technology would have allowed them to have allowed France and Russia to attack them. That would have allowed German diplomats a good chance of keeping the British and US out. This would have them allowed Germany to support its ally and weaken Russia. If they could have avoided attacking Belgium and made it clear to Britain that they had limited war aims that were to deal with the Russian threat, they had a good chance of keeping Britain out. They could have asked Britain to mediate. Defending the German border against France would have been better than defending the line they ended up defending and they would not have been the aggressors.
Yes, the weaponry was new and terrible but communicatione still laged behind, at the outbreak soliders were still using pigeons and runners to take messages back and forth like they did in medival times. Time was lost so breakthroughs couldn't be easily exploited before the enemy regrouped and recovered. Nobody has really been able to explain how they'd have achieved a quick victory with few casualties in 1914. Rifles had become much quicker to reload with better range, never mind artillery and machine guns, soliders advancing over open ground without cover were just cut down. The only way to protect soliders out in the open was to dig trenches which then just leads to a war of attrition.
So, judging from
Outstanding. Hastings at his iconoclastic best.
What surprises me greatly, is his failure to criticise, Field Marshall Douglas Haig. Head of the British Army. I read a brief excerpt from his 1925 auto biography, in which he wrote, I paraphrase, ''The invention of the Tank, and the Aeroplane, were great additions to our attacks, but, they will never replace a man on a Horse''. A close friend and columnist of the 'Telegraph'' (I think) begged him not to include that paragraph. Haig ignored him, and so, was rightly ridiculed a great deal. I also read, that Haig lacked self confidence, with his battle plans, and frequently prayed to God, for victory. This is made clear in his many letter's to his wife.
I usually listen to CZcams videos when I am on the treadmill. Even with the volume turned up to max I can't hear this one. I don't have a problem with other videos. The gain is not high enough on this recording.
Great perspective. Read Max’s Vietnam-An Epic Tragedy
from
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TURN UP THE VOLUME
Today (July 1st) is Memorial Day in Newfoundland
Re Haig's funeral; could people have attended to make sure that he was dead ? ( Don't forget the old show-business saying - ' Give the public what it wants and it will turn out.' )