This Year Marks the 90th Anniversary...

[Toad]

Well, let's clear a few things up.

1. I haven't insulted you. Unless you consider the statement YOU made in your post an insult? So you were insulting Furball? Is that the basis of your case?

2. I'm pretty sure I HAVE read far more history books than you. First of all, I have a history minor that I earned 33 years ago. I was an avid reader of history before that and I have been since then. Odds are I've read far more of them than you. Sorry; I've just been at it way longer.

3. I really don't have to prove ANYTHING. You are the one that made the totally unsupported claim. Or don't you realize that?

Have a nice evening!

[GtoRA2]

Originally posted by TimRas
Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig quotes:


"The machine-gun is a much  over-rated weapon" -1915

"The way to capture machine guns is by grit and determination."  - 1915

"The nation must be taught to bear losses. No amount of skill on the part of the higher commanders, no training, however good, on the part of the officers and men, no superiority of arms and ammunition, however great, will enable victories to be won without the sacrifice of men's lives. The nation must be prepared to see heavy casualty lists." Haig June 1916 before the battle of the Somme

"I believe that the value of the horse and the opportunity for the horse in the future are likely to be as great as ever. Aeroplanes and tanks are only accessories to the men and the horse, and I feel sure that as time goes on you will find just as much use for the horse - the well-bred horse - as you have ever done in the past".  -1926

"Brilliant to the top of his army boots."  David Lloyd George on Haig, attributed

So I know very little about WW1, other then a bit about the equipment, the Marine presence,  and the aircraft.

So I have no idea who Haig was, but he does not sound very bright, was he not, or was he so stuck on tradition that he could ignore the clear supiority of the weapons like the Machine gun, tank and aircraft?

[lasersailor184]

So I have no idea who Haig was, but he does not sound very bright, was he not, or was he so stuck on tradition that he could ignore the clear supiority of the weapons like the Machine gun, tank and aircraft?

Military strategists only have what happened before to plan on.  I.E. Wars before WW1 were fought that way, so they tried to fight that way.

Even then the strategy evolved to the end of that war.  Just take a look at tanks and the impact they had.

[GtoRA2]

Originally posted by lasersailor184
Military strategists only have what happened before to plan on.  I.E. Wars before WW1 were fought that way, so they tried to fight that way.

Even then the strategy evolved to the end of that war.  Just take a look at tanks and the impact they had.

The last qoute, was from 1926.

[Debonair]

Originally posted by Widewing
What about him?

My regards,

Widewing

He claims to have invented the pistol grip for it that made it an effective aircraft weapon.
His book Horses Dont Fly pwns

[Furball]

Originally posted by lasersailor184
While the US was only in the war for the remaining months, they are the sole reason that germany lost.  Not a war of attrition.

LOL...

You keep living in your dilusional little dreamworld and walk around smiling.  The American first world war effort was miniscule in the grand scheme of things.

[Guppy35]

Originally posted by Shuckins
...of the Battle of the Somme;  July 1 through November 18, 1916.

I ran across that bit of information, and thought it bore repeating.

It holds the distinction of being one of the bloodiest battles in history, and holds the record for number of casualties suffered in a single day.

On the first day of this offensive, the British suffered 58,000 casualties, about half of which were deaths.

By the time the Somme Offensive ended in November, the BEF had suffered 420,000 casualties, the French 200,000, and the Germans 500,000.

Casualties so horrendous they stagger the imagination.

THAT was a war.

Back about 1980 when I was in college, I worked in a Nursing home.  One of the old gents was English, having moved to the states when his daughter did.  He'd gone over the top on the first day of the Somme and had the scars from his wounds to prove it.   I ended up spending a semester in England going to school and was able to check his story at the IWM.

Anyway, I was with him on the anniversary of the opening day of the Somme.  It was a powerful moment to see him break down into tears as he thought about what he'd witnessed and been a part of.

Seems like I recall the British were lead over the top by an officer kicking a soccer ball and that the ball is in a museum somewhere.

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by TimRas
Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig quotes:


"The machine-gun is a much  over-rated weapon" -1915

"The way to capture machine guns is by grit and determination."  - 1915

"The nation must be taught to bear losses. No amount of skill on the part of the higher commanders, no training, however good, on the part of the officers and men, no superiority of arms and ammunition, however great, will enable victories to be won without the sacrifice of men's lives. The nation must be prepared to see heavy casualty lists." Haig June 1916 before the battle of the Somme

"I believe that the value of the horse and the opportunity for the horse in the future are likely to be as great as ever. Aeroplanes and tanks are only accessories to the men and the horse, and I feel sure that as time goes on you will find just as much use for the horse - the well-bred horse - as you have ever done in the past".  -1926

"Brilliant to the top of his army boots."  David Lloyd George on Haig, attributed

"The nation must be taught to bear losses. No amount of skill on the part of the higher commanders, no training, however good, on the part of the officers and men, no superiority of arms and ammunition, however great, will enable victories to be won without the sacrifice of men's lives. The nation must be prepared to see heavy casualty lists." Haig June 1916 before the battle of the Somme

Although. This holds as true today as it did then.
Problem today is. The nation isnt prepared for cost.
We've gotten spoiled in the last 15 years
I shudder to think the re-action of the nation should we ever be involved in another major conflict where our enemies are more capapble then just making IEDs and kidnappings.

Based on observations of current reactions Im sorry to say we would probably become more Frenchlike and surrender.