# The Great War Centenary Thread: The Thread to End All Threads **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 28, 2014, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863 "2014-06-28T15:03:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/61 "2014-08-03T15:22:30Z")
Luxembourg has no future as a tiny, landlocked entity. It is unfortunate that military necessity required Germany to temporarily pass though its territory, but in the long run it is for the best. After the war ends, a plebiscite should be held to determine Luxembourg’s future, and I have no doubt the people will gladly make the too-long-delayed decision to take their place as a proud constituent of the German empire. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/62 "2014-08-04T01:36:29Z")
Germany has delivered another ultimatum, this time to Belgium, demanding free passage for the German army. Belgium has rejected the ultimatum, and a German invasion is believed to be imminent. Unlike Luxembourg, Belgium has an army and fortifications, so this will _not_ be a walkover. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/63 "2014-08-04T09:22:54Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Also this was not that long after The Great White Fleet of 16 battleships sailed around the world making port calls. The Great White Fleet sailing around the world to show just how out of date they are. In Germany they are called the ten second ships- which is how long they are expected to last against the Grand Fleet. And if Britain sends her Army over Germany will do what Bismark suggested- send a squad of police to arrest them. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/64 "2014-08-04T09:40:52Z")
\*Sir Edward Grey has muttered "The lamps are going out all over Europe. We will not see them lit again in our lifetime. \* In the meantime Germany has declared war on France. Britain is not at war but on Tuesday the 4th Germany has crossed the Belgium border in defiance of the Belgium Govt. At 2pm the British Govt has issued Germany with an ultimatum to expire at midnight to respect Belgian neutrality. At 11 PM UK time the ultimatum expired. Britain was at war with Germany. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/65 "2014-08-04T10:29:23Z")
Well, this is tiresome. At least I did manage to get to the Oval and see Hobbs, who was in fine form against Nottinghamshire. Mind you, the wicket looks full of runs and I don’t think we’ll see a finish in three days. As for the Grand Fleet, I’ll believe it when I see it. The Germans talk a great deal, but if they put their money where their mouth is any time this year I’ll be astonished. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/66 "2014-08-04T10:35:38Z")
Do you mean the Grand Fleet or High Seas Fleet (German)? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/67 "2014-08-04T10:44:37Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Do you mean the Grand Fleet or High Seas Fleet (German)? Sorry, I’ve not had my morning sharpener yet and I didn’t read the post correctly. I don’t think we’re expecting to be hearing from the American navy any time soon. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/68 "2014-08-04T10:53:16Z")
It’s a bit surreal- I have rarely visited this board in a few years but I do have on my desk a copy of The Daily Mirror from August 5th 1914. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/69 "2014-08-04T13:31:20Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Unlike Luxembourg, Belgium has an army and fortifications, so this will _not_ be a walkover. Indeed. Germany has no guns capable of taking those forts short of months of bombardment. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/70 "2014-08-04T13:56:06Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > At 2pm the British Govt has issued Germany with an ultimatum to expire at midnight to respect Belgian neutrality. Indeed, the giver of ultimata now finds herself on the receiving end! German troops are pouring into Belgium, even as I post, so there is zero chance that the ultimatum will be accepted. As of 11:00 tonight, British time, the British Empire will be at war. Both parties to the Irish conflict have agreed to postpone _their_ war to a date to be determined later. Here in the American midwest, the conflict has seemed rather remote. But now I find myself just a few hours journey by rail-car from Canada, a nation which is part of the war. The maneuvering is over, and the starting lineups are set. Let the iron dice of war roll. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/71 "2014-08-04T14:07:35Z")
Oh fuck, it’s war. God, I feel so stupid. I really thought it would be settled. In other news, rumour has it that elements of the Indian Army are being alerted to go to Europe. This is unprecedented. I think it shows that that military and naval authorities at least, expect a long war. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/72 "2014-08-04T17:12:20Z")
Or that it’s quicker to bring trained troops in from India than to train them from scratch in England. Although there’s no shortage of volunteers in Ol’ Blighty, I hear. ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/73 "2014-08-05T08:07:40Z")
Pah! Volunteers indeed. Britain has a professional army to do a professional job. Things will have come to a pretty pass indeed if we have to rely on the great unwashed to do our fighting for us. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/74 "2014-08-05T08:24:10Z")
Less than four hours after Britain has declared war and the empire has fired the first shot. In Australia! At a German ship desperately trying to leave harbour. Now, what to do with German New Guinea? ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/75 "2014-08-05T11:01:35Z")
Also, more sadly, the first British (and I think first German) casualties: the HMS Amphion, having destroyed a German minelayer (in fact a converted ferry) and taken 56 survivors prisoner, has sailed into the recently laid minefield: > [@First Draft of History](#): > > [Half the German survivors](http://1stdraftofhistory.tumblr.com/post/93864132680/lots-of-people-have-been-saying-that-private-james) were put in a compartment right at the front of the British squadron’s flagship, the cruiser HMS Amphion - on the basis that “If we hit a mine, they might as well go up first”. > > The British completed their patrol; but on their return, disaster struck - in the middle of the night, the British squadron ran into the newly laid minefield. HMS Amphion struck a mine, which killed all but one of the German prisoners in her bow, as well as dozens of British sailors. > > The front of the cruiser was wreathed in flame; only one man made it out of the gun turrets alive, and most of the bridge crew were killed. The survivors, including Captain Fox, were “horribly burnt and disfigured”. > > As the ship’s momentum carried it further into the minefield, Fox gave the order to abandon ship. Moments later, there was a second explosion - maybe another mine, maybe the ship’s ammunition magazine cooking off from the raging fires below decks. > > Of the second, cataclysmic explosion, the Fox said “The foremost part of the ship seemed to rise out of the water; masses of material were thrown high into the air to a great height, and I personally saw a 4 inch gun and a man turning head over heels at least 150 feet up”. > > The ship sank quickly; 132 british sailors were killed along with 27 German prisoners. 28 German prisoners were picked up, as were the 200 or so survivors of the Amphion’s crew. (First Draft of History looks to be an excellent site for UK reportage from the time.) ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/76 "2014-08-05T11:41:30Z")
Which was the last British warship lost to enemy action? ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/77 "2014-08-05T18:37:46Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Less than four hours after Britain has declared war and the empire has fired the first shot. In Australia! At a German ship desperately trying to leave harbour. > > Now, what to do with German New Guinea? Australia’s sentiment for the fatherland is heartwarming, but jolly old England should be able to fend for itself and Australia should be looking out for its own interests rather than those of some people half a world away. With the conclusion of the war Germany will no doubt have a greater influence in the Pacific, so it would be wise for Australia to show a bit of restraint and intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/78 "2014-08-11T16:56:44Z")
According to the Telegraph, the Germans are attacking Liege! They’ve taken the town but the forts are still standing. I imagine it will be a long siege before they starve those fellows into submission. And France has declared war on Austria-Hungary. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/79 "2014-08-14T08:37:52Z")
BEF commander Sir John French (!) has arrived in France. The French OTH are bombing Metz and are already deep into Alsace. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2014, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/80 "2014-08-15T09:24:32Z")
> [@whitetho](#): > > Australia’s sentiment for the fatherland is heartwarming, but jolly old England should be able to fend for itself and Australia should be looking out for its own interests rather than those of some people half a world away. With the conclusion of the war Germany will no doubt have a greater influence in the Pacific, so it would be wise for Australia to show a bit of restraint and intelligence. However, Germany is not seen as a threat in this part of the world- actually, Australia has prepared for a Japanese threat, not a German threat. We are part of the Empire and we will support England to our last shilling! That being said, Japan has today joined the Aliies against Germany and her cohorts. And the 1st Australian Division has been formed. We have promised the UK 20,000 troops- we will do better than that. Now where are the Schanhorst and Gneisenau? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863.md?page=5)