"Three Tommies sat in a trench one day, Discussing the war in the usual way, They talked of the mud and they talked of the Hun, Of what was to do and what had been done, They talked about rum, and-tis hard to believe, They even found time to speak about leave, But the point which they argued from post back to pillar, Was whether Notts County could beat Aston villa" Haha, this cracked me up
Part 1 of 6, The Making of Modern Britain: The Great War, is serious, comprehensive, informative, and insightful. It expertly mixes revealing original pictures with a narration by Andrew Marr. A BBC production, of course. Not to be missed by modern history buffs.
The Changes in Society that David Lloyd George(the Welsh Wizard) made(ironically, to produce munitions more efficiently) was to copy what Otto Von Bismarck did for Prussia in the century before; Lloyd George saw that the Socialist methods the conservative Bismarck brought to Germany - the excellent rail system, Pensions for old and injured workers, free college, health care, etc. - was what made Germany able to beat their opponents like gongs. None of the ugly statistics or stirring poetry(or impressive documentaries) can hide the blame; The Beeb's talking heads work with all their might to counter the "Lions Led By Donkeys" talk - fruitlessly, because of the unfortunately innate truth of such talk.
Also correction on American casualies: Wounded, 204,002, killed, 124,516, total wounded and deaths 320,518, NOT 40K. Many American soldiers retrieved and brought to England died of their injuries in English hospitals.
oh the fatal distraction...my my Mr Asquith. History is so interesting, why did we not get told the nitty gritty instead of just dates and places?? Thanks for uploading this. BBC is fabulous!
The more I read and learn about the "great war" the more It becomes clear the loss of so many brave men was not a tragedy but Homicide! between the teenage tommies being promoted to officer because one had been boy scout the ineptitude of senior officers the whole stupidity of unimaginative "strategy" if you can call it that it was nothing short of a war crime .. how Winston Churchill political career survived Gallipoli is still a mystery to me ..
I just generally don't think they were truly prepared. They had some notions of what another major war would cost them and people had written and spoken warnings about the dangers of industrialized warfare. The powers in Europe just underestimated the cost and they had zero idea how to fight it.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, there at 44:21 they sweep the ss Nieuw Amsterdam off the map as being a ship sunk in WWI. Well, it was launched in 1937 and the most beautiful ship at that. I sailed on her three times crossing from Rotterdam to New York and back in my early years. A shame it got broken up.
No one here has any right to argue against each other, only those who served can. It was not in Britains interest to join the war, however the british being british ( and its common wealth ) have this attitude of helping others first then our ow country later. They contributed along with france the most in the war, considering they had started their military from scratch from 250,000. They also were the only ones who could effectivly battle 1917 onwards. Thse of you saying we lost the war during the food crises. They imported 2/3s of their food anyway. They were not importing any extra. It was due to the cunning Enemies who had Uboats sinking merchant ships. People should be proud of Britain, instead of slacking it. Im not even British im from the USA. If all of you forgot we are two countries in the world who hold the most powerful relationship. Id be proud to fight along side a country with such determination and attitude.
Correction: The war torn United Kingdom was exhausted towards the end of the war, in fact, if it wasn't for the United states entering the war towards the end with new troops, supplies etc., then the Triple Entaunt (The UK, France, and Russia) most likely would have lost the war. so no, sadly they were not the best fit to keep fighting in 1917.
I have never heard so much crap in all my life, yes the americans declared war in 1917, but didn't take part in any action of note until april of 1918 when they decided they didn't need any advice from Britain on how to conduct the type of battle that was happening, because they knew better only to come back with their tail between their legs after getting a bloody good kicking. so don't give me this crap that America saved us because it is simply not true. yes they helped bring the end a bit quicker but Germany was finished in all realistic terms anyway.
Just compare the quality of housing provided by the state in 1916 and the dehumanised monstrosities 'offered' to the poorer classes in the 1960s and 1970s by Tory and, shamefully, Labour Governments and Councils.
You're absolutely right. It boggles the mind how poor people can be whipped up into a state of "patriotic" allegiance to fight and die in order to preserve the privileged lives of that same class of people who look at them like dirt. Let the rich and the bourgeoisie fight their own dirty wars.
Concerning the Lusitania. What they don't mention is that Germany declared a war zone around the British Isles. Any ship sailing in this war zone, would do so at own risk. Fair enough. So, don't sail into the war zone = no risk at all. If GB didn't like that, then how about renouncing the blockade which the RN had declared on the entrances of the North Sea immediately after they declared war, not only blockading Germany, but ALSO severely restricting trade to neutral nations like the Netherlands, Sweden or Denmark? Tit for tat. If you are an arsehole, then don't call somebody else an arsehole. Makes you look like an idiot....unless of course one lives in a nation filled with hypocrites and apologists...
The american goverment answer for own US people was: Have a nice day if you enter the war zone! And after the journey to Britian and all us people has died in the war zone - suddenly for the USA the germans and the young german u-boat commanders were responisible that to many US people has died - so the USA declared war on Germany and started the first world war history whatever the costs maybe.
Cortodanzigese The UK entered the War because of a number of reasons:- The main one was that the Germans invaded Belgium (which was what finally pushed the UK government over the top). Had that not happened the UK may have been able to stay out. The UK did have an unofficial alliance with the French, but we didn't have to act on it. The UK's policy had always been to ensure that no single nation took over Europe, mainly to stop that nation then using all of the resources they then had against the UK.
Britian declared war on germany in 1914 and statrted a world war but was not attacked! What I want to say is that British Politicians risk a world war - or for the first time in history Politicians risked a world war a war whatever the costs could be for own british people! Was this reasonable? NO! But reasons played no rule here except Intrests of Brtish Politicians to start this modern warfare of world wars whatever the costs could be! This was new in history! And the British Politicians knew that own british people were not prepared! And they knew even tjat own brtish civilian people in own british homeland were not protected! But nevertheless! They declared war! Why? What was the reasons behind this disaster decision - maybe the biggest mistake ever made in history??? To answer this queston we only have to understand this "british politicians"! But there are no doubts today that British Politicians were not up to date their jobs. Not enough they started the somme disaster, the galipoly disaster and after that the Versaille treaty disaster that made the next world war possible long long before a cracy dictator Hitler came to power!
Britain has started the first world war but Britain was not attacked - there were even no enemy troops mobilsed to attack Britain. British people lived in peace in 1914 and they had nothing to fear except own british politicains. The intention to declare war on Germany was already made by Britain long before the local war in europe had started from 28. Juli 1914. I do not know why some historians today do not know this simple facts. But always important is that Britian has won this war - but even this is not the truth.
Britain was the good and Germany was the evil - this is so easy. Is this so easy? Do you think Britain was preventing Germany from successfully invading Belgium and France? If we read the speech of british minister Grey (made in 1914 beore he declared war on Germany) he clearly said that France has sent french navy into mediterrean sea - so the channel ports were open for the Germans to attack and occupy Britain. Why was this a wrong statement - today we would say war porpaganda made by british politicains? 1. France clearly knew that Germany would attack France in 1914 - if Russia would mobilse troops in east europe and in peacetime becasue France was ally and supoorted Russia to attack Germany in peacetime. So I ask me: Why did France send french navy into the mediterrean sea if there was no threat in this region? (As Grey had said) 2. We know that Kaiser germany was peacefully. There was no threat of Kaiser Germany even in 1914 to attack Britain. THe Germans even did not mobilse any troops to attack Britain. Britian was not the enemy for the Germans. 3. Was Germany a dominant power? I agree. But was Germany enough if France, Russia and Britian was ally? I have doubts! Not to mention here that the German navy was half the seize ogf the british - and France and Russia had big navies too! Are this enough evidence and simple facts? There are much much more evidence and facts that Britian and France and Russia wanted war. Only the fact that Kaiser Germany was encircled in the prewar 1914 times - this was enough fact and enough evidence that Kaiser Germany was peacefully and had made no wars in europe. A peacefully country that was encircled by France and Russia in east and west and by a mighty british navy - do you realy believe that Britain wanted to prevent Kaiser germany invading Belgium and France? Maybe this was war porpaganda to have reasons enough for own british people - why Britain had to declare war. I only remember that the british people lived in peace and in peacetime in 1914 - .what was the risk of a war? After that Kaiser Germany had enough power to bomb Britain and London with Zeppelins - so fact is: British politicains had risked to much for own peole! Suddenkly own british people had to pay the price even in Britain´s homeland - for what? To prevent Kaiser Germany that was always peacefully in europe - successfully invading Belgium and France?
No discredit. Fact is that Kasier germany was peacefully in the prewar 1914 times. THere was no war in europe that Kaiser germany has started - read history books! Kaiser germany did not attack, did not occupy or did no mobilse any troops in europe! But Germany was encircled by France and Russia forces in east and west and by the British navy in the prewar 1914 times - how this if Kaiser germany was peacefully???
Edward VII. konnte Wilhelm II. spielen wie eine Fidel. Das Zitat, sein Neffe sei der grandioseste Fehler der Weltgeschichte, ist m.M.n. vollkommen zutreffend. Vor 1914 gab es keine friedlichen Monarchen in Europa, da kann man auch nicht das selbsternannte Universalgenie aus Preußen herausnehmen. Fatal war hauptsächlich, dass die Deutschen eine realistische Chance auf den Sieg hatten und in dieser optimistischen Grundhaltung zu Felde zogen. Es ist eigentlich ein Wunder, dass es nicht schon 1908 oder 1911 zum Schlagabtausch kam - damals wären es die Hohenzollern gewesen (besser gesagt: das verkrüppelte Genie an der Spitze der absoluten Dynastie), die den Anfang gemacht hätten. Die Rechnungen, die damals beglichen werden sollten, gammelten schon seit dem Raub Straßburgs vor sich hin.
Aber weil es nicht 1908 oder 1911 zum Krieg kam, hast du deine Theorie schon selbst widerlegt. 1914 war die Auseinandersetzung zuerst auch nur lokal in Sarajevo - das daraus eine Weltkrieg wurde kann man nun nicht allein Österreich oder Deutschland ankreiden - denn dafür waren mehr Staaen mit verantwortlich!
Ralf Rath Ich habe keine Theorie aufgestellt, sondern jene historischen Umstände benannt, die den Aussagewert Deiner Behauptungen schmälern könnten. Trotzdem bin ich nicht der Auffassung, dass ich auf Biegen und Brechen Recht behalten muss. Vielleicht gibt es ja noch Argumente, die ich nicht kenne. Derartiges sollte aber nicht in Form von rückwärtserklärenden Analogien daher kommen. Ein weiterer Punkt: nur weil ich Dich zu widerlegen trachte, heißt es nicht, dass ich genau das Gegenteil Deiner Aussage behaupte. Ich kreide den Ausbruch des ersten Weltkriegs niemandem/keiner Nation an - historische Ereignisse sind nämlich nicht monokausal zu erklären. Mir kam es nur darauf an herauszustellen, dass Wilhelm II. ein typisches Kind seiner Zeit war und als Monarch, der seinen Untergebenen Knüffe und Backpfeifen verabreichte - der beleibten Diplomaten auf den Arsch klatschte und zu jedem Fach und Handwerk aus dem Stehgreif schwadronierende Vortragssalven abzulassen bereit und Willens war - , dass also dieser zu früh ins Amt geratene Kaiser ganz bestimmt nicht ein Mann des Friedens gewesen ist. Er musste sein Leben lang kompensieren, dass er dem preußischen Ideal der Waffenfähigkeit nicht entsprach, sprich: dass er eigentlich nach hohenzollerschem Hausrecht kein Thronfolger hätte sein dürfen.
***** Firstly I'm not "you lot", we, as part of the British Empire,[now Commonwealth] joined the WW1 on the 4th of August 1914 a week after hostility started you "lot" on the other hand, only after the Germans had offered to arm the Mexican's to take your mind of Europe[by the way the British tipped of you lot off as to this German idear], entered the war on the 6th of April 1917, so again you sorted of did just "roll " up at the end, one interesting point we suffered 61,966 combat deaths which represented about 1.3% of our population, your total deaths were 116,708 about 0.13% of your population, but an interesting aside to that figure is, that 53,402 were combat deaths and 63,114 were non combat deaths.....I don't mean to put you lot down I think you are doing just a fine job of that yourselves, what I find a laugh is that you attempt to re-write history so often, by the way I'm Australian, my mother lost a cousin on the "Western Front" aged 17, my father and an uncle both fought the Japanese in the PNG, [yet again an other war you "rolled up at the end"].
***** We'd be a lot more "grateful" if "you lot" didn't have this habit of watching as Europe was decimated, supporting our enemies, then "rolling up" at the last minute to pick everyone's bones clean - and then claiming you were the heroes of the hour. Try to cultivate a less obnoxious national persona. Wilson swaggered into the peace talks in 1918 and said to the Australian Prime Minister "by what mandate are YOU here?" - when Australia had men fighting from the word go (along with Canada, New Zealand and India) while the Americans only got anyone in the field in the middle of 1918.
Mandy Baldwin You lot start wars you can't finish then come hat in hand begging the US to save your bum. How many Americans died fighting for an ideology they had no stake in whatsoever? Ya darn skippy Wilson is gonna swagger in....His country just gave you yours back
The Start of modern Britain was not in ww1 - after ww1 Britain was a poor country but the USA was the real winner and suddenly the richest country in the world. What went wrong with Britain? Britain declared war but was not attacked - that is the reason why Britain has started this world war and why Britain was an aggressor. And if we even compare Britain´s allies then they were all imperialistic nations with huge crimes made in their colonies. But Germany was an imperialistic nation too with colonies world wide but Germany was a new European imperialistic nation - you cant compare this with the Britain or France or Belgium wiith more than hundred years imperialistic intentions.
The British Empire declared war on Germany on August 4th, 1914 because of the latter country's invasion of Belgium. For Britain was a guarantor of Belgium's sovereignty - by virtue of an 1839 treaty it had signed, pledging to come to Belgium's defense if it was attacked - should that country find itself set upon by another nation.
@@KOMET2006 The Treaty in 1839 was made against France. In 1838 Britian feared France could attack Belgium. Germany did not have any intrest in Belgium even not in 1914 - they did not want to attack Belgium or occupy Belgium - they only want that german troops could pass Belgium. But Belgium together with France and Britian did not want this - so they wanted war with Germany. Germany was 1914 in a two front war with Russia and France and could not survive because Russia and France were together two strong - so the Germans had no other options to attack suddenly France to defend Germany. Bitain did not start the war becasue of Germany´s Belgium invasion - Britain had problems with the german fleet so that the imperistic Britian could not survive if a strong german navy existed in europe. Nevertheles the tragic: Britian strated the word war no doubt. I only remember the war between Germany and France and Russia was a local european war.
@ralfrath699 - Yes, I am aware that Britain and Germany were caught up in a naval arms race from the late 1890s. Britain was the premiere world power with a navy (and merchant navy) that bolstered its economic power. Whatever credibility Germany sought for itself in seeking free transit through Belgium so as to outflank the French, came to naught because of its subsequent treatment of the Belgians. When Britain declared war on Germany on August 4th, 1914, the conflict that would develop into World War I was ALREADY SEVERAL DAYS OLD.
Athanasia- take your blinders off, do some research and try thinking for yourself. Whenever no one can be found to incriminate, do a little America bashing. I would think you would grow tired of that. See if you can determine why the Greek economy is in the toilet. The friends of Greece would tell you the politicians are the ones who have turned the cradle of democracy into a Greece unrecognizable to those of us whose remember a Greece where we could be proud; a Greece where we took care of ourselves and chased any politician who spoke of entitlement. If you are not a sister of Athena, I assume you at least wish to be.
Watching this, I am very happy to be german. We´ve lost these wars and so we were forced to modernize our society and country. The British are still resting in their "glorious" past, unable to change...and the Empire...gone!
You lost two wars that you started. Your Germanic empire was never one of glory. You failed for the same reason. Britain remain and so, had you won, you'd be a Nazi and the world would be under Nazi rule. You wouldn't have a Germany you recognize without the Allies winning the war. You'd be inside of a dictatorship.
It could of been worse! It could of been an American documentary. You know how it goes (hollywood) style, 'America won the war all by themselves' lol. Your biggest issue is the fact that you hate my great country. You diagnosis is as follows (inferiority complex), simple as that. I hope that you get well soon. If you are unable to watch and digest anything British, may I suggest that you view things more on a par with your intelligence. There are plenty of American documentaries for you.
I enjoy a well made documentary about important events in history. But this documentary has so many lies it is worthless. It is ridiculous to claim the Germans used Zeppelins to attack England in WWI. It is a huge, slow moving vehicle. If you aim any type of gun firing projectiles then you cannot miss. The punctured Zeppelin would explode due to the volatile gases (hydrogen). The projectile does not need to be incendiary. The Hindenburg exploded and the catastrophe undermined the development lighter than airships. This event happened over Lakehurst, New Jersey on May 6, 1937. This was just 2 years before the start of WWII if you consider the NAZI-Soviet joint invasion of Poland as the start of WWII. It is ridiculous to claim that airships were used by the Germans to attack England. If this so called documentary can make such a ludicrous claim then the rest of this trash, pretending to be documentary, is garbage. Why a reputable organization like the BBC would produce garbage is beyond me.
Watching this as homework and you don't know whether you have to write about it.
lol same
I was sent here by my teacher
same
Awsome
Me too bruv
Same
Same bro
"Three Tommies sat in a trench one day,
Discussing the war in the usual way,
They talked of the mud and they talked of the Hun,
Of what was to do and what had been done,
They talked about rum, and-tis hard to believe,
They even found time to speak about leave,
But the point which they argued from post back to pillar,
Was whether Notts County could beat Aston villa"
Haha, this cracked me up
Interesting and informative presentation. Thanks for posting.
Very good presentation, very visual!
Who was sent by their teacher
I couldn't agree more. Brilliant documentary.
Great documentary
Very well-played documentary, this would help me a lot.
Part 1 of 6, The Making of Modern Britain: The Great War, is serious, comprehensive, informative, and insightful. It expertly mixes revealing original pictures with a narration by Andrew Marr. A BBC production, of course. Not to be missed by modern history buffs.
By by byu3e78=33= 33=
The Changes in Society that David Lloyd George(the Welsh Wizard) made(ironically, to produce munitions more efficiently) was to copy what Otto Von Bismarck did for Prussia in the century before; Lloyd George saw that the Socialist methods the conservative Bismarck brought to Germany - the excellent rail system, Pensions for old and injured workers, free college, health care, etc. - was what made Germany able to beat their opponents like gongs.
None of the ugly statistics or stirring poetry(or impressive documentaries) can hide the blame; The Beeb's talking heads work with all their might to counter the "Lions Led By Donkeys" talk - fruitlessly, because of the unfortunately innate truth of such talk.
Excellent.
I agree, it is an absolutely brilliant series!
:-)
Also correction on American casualies: Wounded, 204,002, killed, 124,516, total wounded and deaths 320,518, NOT 40K. Many American soldiers retrieved and brought to England died of their injuries in English hospitals.
It doesn't take long for 'want war' to turn into 'want out of war'....
all WW1 soldiers are gone, none of them may say one more word now! Please treasure your life time. Don't do anything evil, don't!
There is a chance that a child soilders was alive in 2013.
oh the fatal distraction...my my Mr Asquith.
History is so interesting, why did we not get told the nitty gritty instead of just dates and places?? Thanks for uploading this. BBC is fabulous!
But that prime minister also lost
The more I read and learn about the "great war" the more It becomes clear the loss of so many brave men was not a tragedy but Homicide! between the teenage tommies being promoted to officer because one had been boy scout the ineptitude of senior officers the whole stupidity of unimaginative "strategy" if you can call it that it was nothing short of a war crime .. how Winston Churchill political career survived Gallipoli is still a mystery to me ..
I just generally don't think they were truly prepared. They had some notions of what another major war would cost them and people had written and spoken warnings about the dangers of industrialized warfare. The powers in Europe just underestimated the cost and they had zero idea how to fight it.
I don't know why I'm here. I'm just here.
Yes you are
I thought the start of modern Britain started in the 11th Century under William The Conqueror
Very interesting and well-done documentary, as is to be expected from the #BBC regarding the #GreatWar ( #WW1 )
hope it does
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, there at 44:21 they sweep the ss Nieuw Amsterdam off the map as being a ship sunk in WWI. Well, it was launched in 1937 and the most beautiful ship at that. I sailed on her three times crossing from Rotterdam to New York and back in my early years. A shame it got broken up.
damn straight
Nice visuals, but I wouldn't trust Vine to read out a shopping list.
That’s Andrew Marr
My friend here justin he’s already taken and hes cracked at Fortnite my guy aughhh the fawk
this is sick
Does anybody know the name of the song starting at 0:58?
Spring Overture by Icabod T. Wellinghouse. He wrote it in the Spring of 1891 at the Sorbonne in Paris whilst studying the oboe.
24.52 I've been there.
Maybe this'll help my as levels...
The music people at the BBC need to be stopped. What a tedious soundtrack in places
emire magic
No one here has any right to argue against each other, only those who served can. It was not in Britains interest to join the war, however the british being british ( and its common wealth ) have this attitude of helping others first then our ow country later. They contributed along with france the most in the war, considering they had started their military from scratch from 250,000.
They also were the only ones who could effectivly battle 1917 onwards. Thse of you saying we lost the war during the food crises. They imported 2/3s of their food anyway. They were not importing any extra. It was due to the cunning Enemies who had Uboats sinking merchant ships. People should be proud of Britain, instead of slacking it. Im not even British im from the USA. If all of you forgot we are two countries in the world who hold the most powerful relationship. Id be proud to fight along side a country with such determination and attitude.
"No one here has any right to argue against each other, only those who served can." Huh???
lol you know the last one to serve died a few years ago.
We fought on the wrong side in both wars
Correction: The war torn United Kingdom was exhausted towards the end of the war, in fact, if it wasn't for the United states entering the war towards the end with new troops, supplies etc., then the Triple Entaunt (The UK, France, and Russia) most likely would have lost the war. so no, sadly they were not the best fit to keep fighting in 1917.
I have never heard so much crap in all my life, yes the americans declared war in 1917, but didn't take part in any action of note until april of 1918 when they decided they didn't need any advice from Britain on how to conduct the type of battle that was happening, because they knew better only to come back with their tail between their legs after getting a bloody good kicking. so don't give me this crap that America saved us because it is simply not true. yes they helped bring the end a bit quicker but Germany was finished in all realistic terms anyway.
Just compare the quality of housing provided by the state in 1916 and the dehumanised monstrosities 'offered' to the poorer classes in the 1960s and 1970s by Tory and, shamefully, Labour Governments and Councils.
The great Homicide..
When will the common man stop going to war for the Sociopathic elite.
You're absolutely right. It boggles the mind how poor people can be whipped up into a state of "patriotic" allegiance to fight and die in order to preserve the privileged lives of that same class of people who look at them like dirt. Let the rich and the bourgeoisie fight their own dirty wars.
One eye open when I sleeping one eyeeeeeeeeeeoooooo
Ancestry. DNA SAID ,, I’m 98% great Briton!! Which is amazingly such high percentage. God bless my countrymen and our blood!! We sure paid a lot.
oooo! isnt he posh!
Concerning the Lusitania.
What they don't mention is that Germany declared a war zone around the British Isles.
Any ship sailing in this war zone, would do so at own risk. Fair enough. So, don't sail into the war zone = no risk at all.
If GB didn't like that, then how about renouncing the blockade which the RN had declared on the entrances of the North Sea immediately after they declared war, not only blockading Germany, but ALSO severely restricting trade to neutral nations like the Netherlands, Sweden or Denmark?
Tit for tat.
If you are an arsehole, then don't call somebody else an arsehole.
Makes you look like an idiot....unless of course one lives in a nation filled with hypocrites and apologists...
The american goverment answer for own US people was: Have a nice day if you enter the war zone! And after the journey to Britian and all us people has died in the war zone - suddenly for the USA the germans and the young german u-boat commanders were responisible that to many US people has died - so the USA declared war on Germany and started the first world war history whatever the costs maybe.
Cortodanzigese
The UK entered the War because of a number of reasons:-
The main one was that the Germans invaded Belgium (which was what finally pushed the UK government over the top). Had that not happened the UK may have been able to stay out.
The UK did have an unofficial alliance with the French, but we didn't have to act on it.
The UK's policy had always been to ensure that no single nation took over Europe, mainly to stop that nation then using all of the resources they then had against the UK.
The Uk did it for not itself but for other nations like France Russia and Serbia
U just completed my homework for em
War is so stupid!!!!
No
War is profitable.
Britian declared war on germany in 1914 and statrted a world war but was not attacked! What I want to say is that British Politicians risk a world war - or for the first time in history Politicians risked a world war a war whatever the costs could be for own british people! Was this reasonable? NO!
But reasons played no rule here except Intrests of Brtish Politicians to start this modern warfare of world wars whatever the costs could be! This was new in history!
And the British Politicians knew that own british people were not prepared! And they knew even tjat own brtish civilian people in own british homeland were not protected!
But nevertheless! They declared war! Why? What was the reasons behind this disaster decision - maybe the biggest mistake ever made in history???
To answer this queston we only have to understand this "british politicians"!
But there are no doubts today that British Politicians were not up to date their jobs. Not enough they started the somme disaster, the galipoly disaster and after that the Versaille treaty disaster that made the next world war possible long long before a cracy dictator Hitler came to power!
Britain has started the first world war but Britain was not attacked - there were even no enemy troops mobilsed to attack Britain. British people lived in peace in 1914 and they had nothing to fear except own british politicains. The intention to declare war on Germany was already made by Britain long before the local war in europe had started from 28. Juli 1914. I do not know why some historians today do not know this simple facts. But always important is that Britian has won this war - but even this is not the truth.
Britain was the good and Germany was the evil - this is so easy. Is this so easy? Do you think Britain was preventing Germany from successfully invading Belgium and France?
If we read the speech of british minister Grey (made in 1914 beore he declared war on Germany) he clearly said that France has sent french navy into mediterrean sea - so the channel ports were open for the Germans to attack and occupy Britain. Why was this a wrong statement - today we would say war porpaganda made by british politicains?
1. France clearly knew that Germany would attack France in 1914 - if Russia would mobilse troops in east europe and in peacetime becasue France was ally and supoorted Russia to attack Germany in peacetime. So I ask me: Why did France send french navy into the mediterrean sea if there was no threat in this region? (As Grey had said)
2. We know that Kaiser germany was peacefully. There was no threat of Kaiser Germany even in 1914 to attack Britain. THe Germans even did not mobilse any troops to attack Britain. Britian was not the enemy for the Germans.
3. Was Germany a dominant power? I agree. But was Germany enough if France, Russia and Britian was ally? I have doubts! Not to mention here that the German navy was half the seize ogf the british - and France and Russia had big navies too!
Are this enough evidence and simple facts?
There are much much more evidence and facts that Britian and France and Russia wanted war. Only the fact that Kaiser Germany was encircled in the prewar 1914 times - this was enough fact and enough evidence that Kaiser Germany was peacefully and had made no wars in europe. A peacefully country that was encircled by France and Russia in east and west and by a mighty british navy - do you realy believe that Britain wanted to prevent Kaiser germany invading Belgium and France? Maybe this was war porpaganda to have reasons enough for own british people - why Britain had to declare war. I only remember that the british people lived in peace and in peacetime in 1914 - .what was the risk of a war?
After that Kaiser Germany had enough power to bomb Britain and London with Zeppelins - so fact is: British politicains had risked to much for own peole! Suddenkly own british people had to pay the price even in Britain´s homeland - for what? To prevent Kaiser Germany that was always peacefully in europe - successfully invading Belgium and France?
No discredit. Fact is that Kasier germany was peacefully in the prewar 1914 times. THere was no war in europe that Kaiser germany has started - read history books! Kaiser germany did not attack, did not occupy or did no mobilse any troops in europe! But Germany was encircled by France and Russia forces in east and west and by the British navy in the prewar 1914 times - how this if Kaiser germany was peacefully???
Edward VII. konnte Wilhelm II. spielen wie eine Fidel. Das Zitat, sein Neffe sei der grandioseste Fehler der Weltgeschichte, ist m.M.n. vollkommen zutreffend. Vor 1914 gab es keine friedlichen Monarchen in Europa, da kann man auch nicht das selbsternannte Universalgenie aus Preußen herausnehmen. Fatal war hauptsächlich, dass die Deutschen eine realistische Chance auf den Sieg hatten und in dieser optimistischen Grundhaltung zu Felde zogen. Es ist eigentlich ein Wunder, dass es nicht schon 1908 oder 1911 zum Schlagabtausch kam - damals wären es die Hohenzollern gewesen (besser gesagt: das verkrüppelte Genie an der Spitze der absoluten Dynastie), die den Anfang gemacht hätten. Die Rechnungen, die damals beglichen werden sollten, gammelten schon seit dem Raub Straßburgs vor sich hin.
Aber weil es nicht 1908 oder 1911 zum Krieg kam, hast du deine Theorie schon selbst widerlegt. 1914 war die Auseinandersetzung zuerst auch nur lokal in Sarajevo - das daraus eine Weltkrieg wurde kann man nun nicht allein Österreich oder Deutschland ankreiden - denn dafür waren mehr Staaen mit verantwortlich!
Ralf Rath
Ich habe keine Theorie aufgestellt, sondern jene historischen Umstände benannt, die den Aussagewert Deiner Behauptungen schmälern könnten. Trotzdem bin ich nicht der Auffassung, dass ich auf Biegen und Brechen Recht behalten muss. Vielleicht gibt es ja noch Argumente, die ich nicht kenne. Derartiges sollte aber nicht in Form von rückwärtserklärenden Analogien daher kommen. Ein weiterer Punkt: nur weil ich Dich zu widerlegen trachte, heißt es nicht, dass ich genau das Gegenteil Deiner Aussage behaupte. Ich kreide den Ausbruch des ersten Weltkriegs niemandem/keiner Nation an - historische Ereignisse sind nämlich nicht monokausal zu erklären. Mir kam es nur darauf an herauszustellen, dass Wilhelm II. ein typisches Kind seiner Zeit war und als Monarch, der seinen Untergebenen Knüffe und Backpfeifen verabreichte - der beleibten Diplomaten auf den Arsch klatschte und zu jedem Fach und Handwerk aus dem Stehgreif schwadronierende Vortragssalven abzulassen bereit und Willens war - , dass also dieser zu früh ins Amt geratene Kaiser ganz bestimmt nicht ein Mann des Friedens gewesen ist. Er musste sein Leben lang kompensieren, dass er dem preußischen Ideal der Waffenfähigkeit nicht entsprach, sprich: dass er eigentlich nach hohenzollerschem Hausrecht kein Thronfolger hätte sein dürfen.
One can't help but wonder where Britain would be today if America hadn't joined the war.
Did you, I thought you lot rolled up at the end......
Hehehehe @ J, Young.
Dude you are better person than I am, was just gonna ignore him. "Just rolled up" he says. SMDH!!!
***** Firstly I'm not "you lot", we, as part of the British Empire,[now Commonwealth] joined the WW1 on the 4th of August 1914 a week after hostility started you "lot" on the other hand, only after the Germans had offered to arm the Mexican's to take your mind of Europe[by the way the British tipped of you lot off as to this German idear], entered the war on the 6th of April 1917, so again you sorted of did just "roll " up at the end, one interesting point we suffered 61,966 combat deaths which represented about 1.3% of our population, your total deaths were 116,708 about 0.13% of your population, but an interesting aside to that figure is, that 53,402 were combat deaths and 63,114 were non combat deaths.....I don't mean to put you lot down I think you are doing just a fine job of that yourselves, what I find a laugh is that you attempt to re-write history so often, by the way I'm Australian, my mother lost a cousin on the "Western Front" aged 17, my father and an uncle both fought the Japanese in the PNG, [yet again an other war you "rolled up at the end"].
***** We'd be a lot more "grateful" if "you lot" didn't have this habit of watching as Europe was decimated, supporting our enemies, then "rolling up" at the last minute to pick everyone's bones clean - and then claiming you were the heroes of the hour. Try to cultivate a less obnoxious national persona. Wilson swaggered into the peace talks in 1918 and said to the Australian Prime Minister "by what mandate are YOU here?" - when Australia had men fighting from the word go (along with Canada, New Zealand and India) while the Americans only got anyone in the field in the middle of 1918.
Mandy Baldwin
You lot start wars you can't finish then come hat in hand begging the US to save your bum. How many Americans died fighting for an ideology they had no stake in whatsoever? Ya darn skippy Wilson is gonna swagger in....His country just gave you yours back
The Start of modern Britain was not in ww1 - after ww1 Britain was a poor country but the USA was the real winner and suddenly the richest country in the world. What went wrong with Britain? Britain declared war but was not attacked - that is the reason why Britain has started this world war and why Britain was an aggressor. And if we even compare Britain´s allies then they were all imperialistic nations with huge crimes made in their colonies. But Germany was an imperialistic nation too with colonies world wide but Germany was a new European imperialistic nation - you cant compare this with the Britain or France or Belgium wiith more than hundred years imperialistic intentions.
The British Empire declared war on Germany on August 4th, 1914 because of the latter country's invasion of Belgium. For Britain was a guarantor of Belgium's sovereignty - by virtue of an 1839 treaty it had signed, pledging to come to Belgium's defense if it was attacked - should that country find itself set upon by another nation.
@@KOMET2006 The Treaty in 1839 was made against France. In 1838 Britian feared France could attack Belgium. Germany did not have any intrest in Belgium even not in 1914 - they did not want to attack Belgium or occupy Belgium - they only want that german troops could pass Belgium. But Belgium together with France and Britian did not want this - so they wanted war with Germany. Germany was 1914 in a two front war with Russia and France and could not survive because Russia and France were together two strong - so the Germans had no other options to attack suddenly France to defend Germany. Bitain did not start the war becasue of Germany´s Belgium invasion - Britain had problems with the german fleet so that the imperistic Britian could not survive if a strong german navy existed in europe. Nevertheles the tragic: Britian strated the word war no doubt. I only remember the war between Germany and France and Russia was a local european war.
@ralfrath699 - Yes, I am aware that Britain and Germany were caught up in a naval arms race from the late 1890s. Britain was the premiere world power with a navy (and merchant navy) that bolstered its economic power.
Whatever credibility Germany sought for itself in seeking free transit through Belgium so as to outflank the French, came to naught because of its subsequent treatment of the Belgians.
When Britain declared war on Germany on August 4th, 1914, the conflict that would develop into World War I was ALREADY SEVERAL DAYS OLD.
H
at all 2 wars usa take the most,geostrategic- economic and a desroyed europe
Athanasia- take your blinders off, do some research and try thinking for yourself. Whenever no one can be found to incriminate, do a little America bashing. I would think you would grow tired of that. See if you can determine why the Greek economy is in the toilet. The friends of Greece would tell you the politicians are the ones who have turned the cradle of democracy into a Greece unrecognizable to those of us whose remember a Greece where we could be proud; a Greece where we took care of ourselves and chased any politician who spoke of entitlement. If you are not a sister of Athena, I assume you at least wish to be.
Watching this, I am very happy to be german. We´ve lost these wars and so we were forced to modernize our society and country. The British are still resting in their "glorious" past, unable to change...and the Empire...gone!
Germany will be gone soon too though.
You lost two wars that you started. Your Germanic empire was never one of glory. You failed for the same reason. Britain remain and so, had you won, you'd be a Nazi and the world would be under Nazi rule. You wouldn't have a Germany you recognize without the Allies winning the war. You'd be inside of a dictatorship.
This narrator is, to use his own words...'A hellish freak".
rick m and his trouble of anger management. His yelling is hellish and freaking.
It could of been worse! It could of been an American documentary. You know how it goes (hollywood) style, 'America won the war all by themselves' lol.
Your biggest issue is the fact that you hate my great country.
You diagnosis is as follows (inferiority complex), simple as that. I hope that you get well soon. If you are unable to watch and digest anything British, may I suggest that you view things more on a par with your intelligence. There are plenty of American documentaries for you.
f you stuck up euro-trash yeah you alexander
Euro trash
I enjoy a well made documentary about important events in history. But this documentary has so many lies it is worthless. It is ridiculous to claim the Germans used Zeppelins to attack England in WWI. It is a huge, slow moving vehicle. If you aim any type of gun firing projectiles then you cannot miss. The punctured Zeppelin would explode due to the volatile gases (hydrogen). The projectile does not need to be incendiary. The Hindenburg exploded and the catastrophe undermined the development lighter than airships. This event happened over Lakehurst, New Jersey on May 6, 1937. This was just 2 years before the start of WWII if you consider the NAZI-Soviet joint invasion of Poland as the start of WWII. It is ridiculous to claim that airships were used by the Germans to attack England. If this so called documentary can make such a ludicrous claim then the rest of this trash, pretending to be documentary, is garbage. Why a reputable organization like the BBC would produce garbage is beyond me.
Very well-played documentary, this would help me a lot.