I studied world war one in high school and at uni. it was a terrible war. a conflict that should have drawn on the lessons of the American civil war. yet it was just a repeat of that massacre.
both these wars were fought with modern weapons, but with ancient soldiers and ancient tactics. throwing good men after bad at machine gun nest alongside more nests and cannon upon cannon was pitifully tragic. the loss of life and the wounding of life was utterly epic.
but ww1 was a unique war too. it was a war of stalemate. a war of attrition. never before or since has there been anything like it. 4 years of trenches. 4 years of taking a few metres of land, then losing it then maybe takin it back with horrendous loss only fir the front to move again just a few metres. and years of hearing shells and wondering which one was heading straight for u. mud. rats. constant trench foot. dead man’s land. and all in a landscape around so surreally bleak it sent thousands crazy in a time when mental illness was literally unheard of.
so I wanna see these sites, maybe look at the graves. I think I owe it to these kids to pay some respect. It’s not some Anzac day bullshit. like Australia wins patriotism. it’s just momentous and meaningful and pretty fucking sad.
