# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/141 "2015-03-05T20:18:40Z")
(I forgot about this thread!) We Americans aren’t too distracted to notice the merchant ships being sunk over there. Wasn’t there even an attack on a hospital ship recently? Get a hold of yourselves men. This is war, not anarchy! ---
**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:** [March 5, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/142 "2015-03-05T20:56:39Z")
> [@Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](#): > > The Ottomans had their hour a long time ago. I don’t see them lasting long against civilized opposition. I hope the Ottoman Empire is dismembered as a result of this war. Turkish rule has been horrible for their subject peoples. Especially, I would like to see the proud and noble Arabs recover their independence. I’m convinced Arab states would be far happier and more stable under native rulers. One hundred years from now, this region might be one of the real success stories in the world. It might be one of the few good things to come out of this infernal war. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/143 "2015-03-19T00:45:40Z")
A good article on Slate about the Battle of Gallipoli and the present-day archaeological excavations there: [“It’s Like the Whole First World War in a Cup of Tea”](http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/american_military_history/2013/11/the_battle_of_gallipoli_winston_churchill_mustafa_kemal_and_the_battle_that.html) ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/144 "2015-05-08T13:12:47Z")
Good God! Sinking a passenger ship? They’ve done it. I was standing by our President’s neutrality but not anymore. Thousands drowning. I can’t imagine! Make them pay. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/145 "2015-05-08T14:06:15Z")
The fronts seem quite quiet. Except at sea. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/146 "2015-05-08T15:43:38Z")
Europe had plenty of wars between Napoleon and 1914-ones like the Franco-Prussian War (1870), the Crimean War (1840s), the Danish-Prussian war, the Italian-Turkish War, the Boer war. Really, was that time period all that peaceful? ---
**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:** [May 8, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/147 "2015-05-08T16:19:11Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Europe had plenty of wars between Napoleon and 1914-ones like the Franco-Prussian War (1870), the Crimean War (1840s), the Danish-Prussian war, the Italian-Turkish War, the Boer war. Really, was that time period all that peaceful? Compared to what came before and after, yes. Most of the 1815-1914 wars were short and localized, and involved only a small number (often just two) of adversaries. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/148 "2015-05-09T09:42:58Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > The fronts seem quite quiet. Except at sea. The Ottomans and the [del]British[/del] ANZACs would beg to differ. There are also disturbing reports coming out of elsewhere in the Ottoman Empire concerning the deportation of certain Armenian notables. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/149 "2015-05-11T17:27:45Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > The Ottomans and the [del]British[/del] ANZACs would beg to differ. There are also disturbing reports coming out of elsewhere in the Ottoman Empire concerning the deportation of certain Armenian notables. The ANZACs? They finally got into a fight? How did they do? ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/150 "2015-05-12T00:26:21Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > The fronts seem quite quiet. Except at sea. something must be done about those uboats! perhaps the us will join the fight now that a passenger liner has been sunk. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/151 "2015-05-13T17:10:15Z")
Our President doesn’t seem eager to join this global bloodshed, but we can’t let our people be caught in a crossfire. He wrote recently _“There is such a thing as a man being too proud to fight. There is such a thing as a nation being so right that it does not need to convince others by force that it is right.”_ Apparently he is sending Germany a note affirming our rights to travel at sea and asking them to abandon submarine warfare against commercial vessels. Good luck. What are we going to do if they say no, go to war? ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/152 "2015-05-22T19:29:36Z")
In the early morning of May 22nd 1915, there took place the railway disaster with the highest toll of dead and injured that has ever happened in the United Kingdom. This occurred at Quintinshill, on the England – Scotland main line a little way north-west of Carlisle. It involved five trains: two civilian passenger, two freight, and a southbound troop train; the passenger, and troop, trains’ colliding with each other, resulted in a devastating outbreak of fire which consumed all five trains, and added greatly to the number of casualties. The catastrophe is reckoned to have resulted in 226 people killed and 246 injured. The majority of the dead were soldiers of the Royal Scots regiment, destined ultimately for Gallipoli and being conveyed by the troop train, which was the first to catch on fire. The cause of the disaster is suggested to have been sloppy and negligent working practices, involving dangerous “cutting of corners” on the part of railway employees: the most culpable being the two men operating the signal cabin at Quintinshill, in charge of the devices to regulate safe passage of trains between one section of track and another. Staff who were working on the trains involved, made lesser contributions to this horrible event. The suspected chief perpetrators are in police custody, pending further investigation. In my opinion, these men are German agents, who were working to hit Britain’s rail system where it would grievously hurt, and to kill numerous soldiers before they even got to the theatre of war. For these bastards: the firing squad, with no blindfold or final cigarette – that’s what I say… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/153 "2015-05-26T14:02:25Z")
I must disagree. Even in wartime the British ought to uphold the rule of law and give them a fair trial, or you’re no better than the Huns. There was a Zeppelin raid on Southend today, and severe fighting around Przemsyl in southeastern Poland. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/154 "2015-05-26T14:14:52Z")
Let’s not discount one particular mighty weapon in the hands of clean-minded Englishmen in their fight against Teutonic Militarism: [Queer-Bashing](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noel_Pemberton_Billing#Publishing_and_campaign_against_homosexuality) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/155 "2015-05-26T14:16:18Z")
I’ve kept quiet until now, but the Wilson administrations dithering on the Lusitania massacre has me wondering if Wilson is on the make with the Huns. Listening to Bryan bray about English “contraventions of international law” while his own administration refuses to do what’s right to ensure justice for the over 100 Americans who lost their lives due to German treachery is getting on my nerves something fierce! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/156 "2015-05-26T15:58:58Z")
Quite so. Theodore Roosevelt has it right - we cannot tolerate such outrages, and must begin fullscale military preparations _now_. If the United States enters the war - as I suspect it inevitably will, if the Germans continue their bloodthirsty and savage submarine attacks - we must be ready to come quickly and decisively to the aid of the Allies. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/157 "2015-05-26T21:01:39Z")
I’m sure that perfidious scallawag Wilson won’t even dream of going to war until \*after \* the election, then claim some idiocy like he had no choice in the matter. Shame! ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/158 "2015-05-26T22:09:09Z")
Rumours are that Winston Churchill is to resign as First Lord of the Admiralty. If so, I can safely say it is the last we’ll be hearing of _him_ in public life. An inglorious end to a political career. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2015, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/159 "2015-05-26T22:26:15Z")
Now the Italians are in on our side Austria-Hungry’s days must surely be numbered. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863/160 "2015-05-27T01:52:17Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > Rumours are that Winston Churchill is to resign as First Lord of the Admiralty. If so, I can safely say it is the last we’ll be hearing of _him_ in public life. An inglorious end to a political career. My sense is that it was a daring plan, a potential masterstroke well worth trying, but appallingly poorly executed by those to whom it was assigned. I suspect Churchill might just be able to recover from the debacle, although it will take quite some time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-war-centenary-thread-the-thread-to-end-all-threads/691863.md?page=9)