villaglint Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 The current BBC tv series on WW1 is really good. What is the name of this? I watched both the Pity and Necessary debates and found them massively interesting which was a pleasant surprise given my distaste of Niall Ferguson. I wanted to watch that 37 days thing but I had already missed it. I would also like to read a real anthrology of the war from start to finish that isnt trying to place blame but rather describe events as they unfolded. I recognise history always has a "view" so to speak but if anyone can recommend a book with as neutral a view as possible that would be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 http://www.dancarlin.com//disp.php/hharchive Dan Carlin is currently doing a podcast series about the War. It's already been mentioned in the thread, it might be interesting to you if you aren't familiar with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 20, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted March 20, 2014 The current BBC tv series on WW1 is really good. What is the name of this? This one 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Not seen this thread before, which is weird because I was round my mom's last night for tea, with my grandad too. So mom passes me this little plastic folder and explains that my grandads uncle was killed on November 5th 1916 at roughly 11am. It had his death certificate, along with a really detailed version of events, including all of his companies officers field diary notes. He was in the Worcestershire 2nd and the document starts from the company's beginnings to the end of them all. It was incredibly interesting and I even shed a few tears towards the end. The conditions described in the officers notes were just unimaginable to me, 21 year old blokes crawling over thigh high mud to a small ridge, knowing as soon as they went over the top, they'd be sprayed with machine gun fire... just to get to a ridge. It was in the somme region and he was attacking a trench called bontazki or something similar. They were on the west side of this long line of german trenches, who were dug in deeply, whilst the french soilders were along the east side and much further pushed up. So the commanding officer was forced to literally run into no mans land to keep up with the french. It wascbasically suicide and the Worcestershire 2nd lost over 300 men, including my great grand uncle. I'm very proud to say that eventually, they did take the trench. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PauloBarnesi Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 I watched a programme featuring these quite incredible. Very moving interview with a lady who lost her husband who had volunteered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PauloBarnesi Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 The entire BBC series from the 1960s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers13 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Was world war 1 the most insanely stupidly fought war ever? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 It turned out that way, but I guess at the time the people involved didn't realise what would happen when both sides had the machine gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkyvilla Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 I used to love learning about the Great War at GCSE, I even got an A* in the end. I loved it right up until a uni interview in London where I said I specialised in the Battle of the Somme and I got ripped a new arsehole by the interviewer. Scarred me for life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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