Discuss
>Who contributed most to the Allied war effort?
>What was the best campaign/battle?
>What was the primary cause of the war?
>Anything in general
>What was the primary cause of the war?
German ambitions and need for meme colonies
>>1006928
>>Who contributed most to the Allied war effort?
France bore the brunt but Britain was absolutely vital as well.
>>What was the best campaign/battle?
I am partial to the sweeping maneuvers of the dance of death early on the Eastern Front and the absolutely mindblowing steamroller of the 100 Days
>>What was the primary cause of the war?
Ultimately >>1006944 has it right with German ambition as far as a big war with loads of powers involved goes, although it was not colonies but rather continental strength that was the concernt (with regard to Russia and its potential threat).
>>Anything in general
Did you know that at the very least 246 British generals were killed or severely wounded or captured during WW1? Some hundred of those were deaths - and about a half of those from small arms fire or artillery.
>>1007055
>Did you know that at the very least 246 British generals were killed or severely wounded or captured during WW1? Some hundred of those were deaths - and about a half of those from small arms fire or artillery.
Oh and one died in a plane crash and three drowned.
>>1007062
Woah, I thought all generals were hammering away at maps in cozy war rooms.
>>1006928
>Who contributed most to the Allied war effort?
Probably France
>What was the best campaign/battle?
Paschendale (yes, I'm Canadian)
>What was the primary cause of the war?
Germany wanted to prove itself relevant to the whole world by waging a war they thought they could win
>>1007067
Artillery likes to reach out and touch someone far, far away. Also the numbers include brigadier generals and major generals who would be closer to the action (both figuratively and literally), or it could be an inspection etc., you get the idea - still the point remains that the notion of the leadership in WW1 being moustachioed decrepit 90yearolds old guard gentlemen sitting in chateaus miles behind the frontlines guffawing as they order men to march into machine guns is ridiculous.
This is the first general officer casualty of the CW forces in WW1 I believe. September 1914, artillery.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Douglas_Findlay
>>1007085
>He then approached his regimental chaplain, gave him some of his personal belongings and requested he look after them in case anything happened to him. Findlay remained with his artillery pieces, providing advice and encouragement to the gun crews, against the advice of his staff who asked him to move to a place of safety.
>>1006928
>Who contributed most to the Allied war effort?
France
>What was the best campaign/battle?
Verdun and the First battle of the Marne
>What was the primary cause of the war?
Desperate to prove themselves relevant to the whole world, the Germans frantically searched for a reason to wage a war they could win,
>>1007182
im really uncomfortable with japs turning everything into cute anime girls...
Best battle?
Hamel: combined armed tactics, the "black day for the german army" caused by the aussies
Beersheeba: aust. Light horse, using speed and aggression took the town in a cavalry charge against the dug in enemy, we still learn about it at kapooka now
>What was the primary cause of the war?
and von Moltke being war mongering cunts
>>1007225
forgot the photo
great
>>1007225
>>1007228
Ottoman war minister Enver pasha is seen as the main cause ottomans entered the war on german side. In 1912, Ottomans tried to ally with the British in the upcoming war, but after refusal, Enver pasha pushed to ally with Germany.
>What was the best campaign/battle?
Gallipoli.
>What was the primary cause of the war?
Tame the German empire and tip the balance of power to British (Anglosaxon) - French hegemony.
>>1007067
>I would have though that generals would be well away from combat and the danger of artillery
They started the war without helmets. High explosive accurate artillery was something no nation was ready for.
Something like 70%-90% of all WW1 casualties were from artillery and mortar fragments.
>>1006928
>What was the primary cause of the war?
Unlucky Alliances that set nations against each other and the unwillingness of the participants to give in.
Russia had Pan-Slavic ambitions and meddled in the backyard of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in order to portray itself as the hegemon of the Slavic sphere and regain its honour after having been humiliated by Japan with France having their backs in the matter. The Balkans was also of geo-strategic importance. Austria-Hungary wanted to root out the terrorists in Serbia that murdered their heir to the throne, and secure their hold on the region in opposition to Russia. Germany's only remaining continental ally was Austria-Hungary and they couldn't afford losing them and felt they had to back them in that. There was also the German fear of encirclement and the two-fronts war in particular, due to the German geo-strategic disposition of being in a pretty much indefensible position, especially in a drawn-out war, which made them particularly twitchy.
The idea that there were singular parties trying to prey on everyone else is nonsense. All parties involved had legitimate interest and could reasonable and morally motivate to see them through. It's just that these interests set them against each other and all were willing to even go to war for them.
>>1007067
>>1007071
The Generals of World War I get a really bad rap what with the whole "Lions Led by Donkeys" meme. Haig is probably the most maligned due to a comment misattributed to him about how Machine Guns were overrated, when in fact his service in Sudan had long since taught him the importance and value of the maxim gun.
Generals (Yes, even the ones who fucked up) were constantly and actively trying to develop new strategies, even if they didn't always come together, whether the massive barrage attempted at the Somme, or the not-yet-perfected Rolling Barrage under Nivelle. Hell, the combined arms and infantry tactics that WOULD win the war were developed and integrated by Generals; von Hutier in Germany, Petain in France and Brusilov in the East.
That's not to say Generals didn't fuck up, but when confronted with the new realities of trench warfare they were actively trying to employ new tactics (many unsuccessful, some successful) to obtain the breakthrough they all wanted.
>>1009886
>The Generals of World War I get a really bad rap what with the whole "Lions Led by Donkeys" meme.
This.
Pic related. Though this mostly covers the German side, it also does mention some developments on the Entente side.
The people in charge were by no means stupid.
>>1006928
>Who contributed most to the Allied war effort
Britain
>What was the best campaign/battle
Spring Offensive followed by Hundred Days Offensive. I know this will get shit on in the thread, but the U.S. was absolutely decisive in ending the war during these two.
>What was the primary cause of the war
Russians and Austrians being belligerent.
>Anything in general
Germany is going to get shit on all over this thread for no academic reason.
>>1006944
>>1007055
>unironically shilling for Fischer
