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Yep. It was based on the humiliation placed on the Germans by the french in the Treaty of Versailles. Even the Americans knew it was too much, and forseen another World War.
I know we're straying a little off topic here, but Germany didn't start the war though they were pretty much the last man standing at the end...And in doing so, ended up with the tab.Totally undeserved humiliation of course.
What did Germany expect after WW1 the hand of friendship?
I know we're straying a little off topic here, but Germany didn't start the war though they were pretty much the last man standing at the end...And in doing so, ended up with the tab.
Germany didn't start WW1 ?
Your understanding of history is different to mine (and everyone else)
If it had been me in charge, there would have been no Germany after the end of the armistice
The run of events that led to war were as follows:
Exactly. Also, if one chooses to read the treaty begining to end, it guaranteed the making of a second world war.. anyways I'd fly for Germany.I know we're straying a little off topic here, but Germany didn't start the war though they were pretty much the last man standing at the end...And in doing so, ended up with the tab.
Exactly. Also, if one chooses to read the treaty begining to end, it guaranteed the making of a second world war.. anyways I'd fly for Germany.
Tante
I dont dispute that Britain and France were exhausted, but they were not starving, they had largely defeated the blockade affecting them (the U-Boats). Germany on the other hand had not overcome their blockade.
As to Britain and France being on their knees, just like Germany, they sure had a funny way of showing that. Having defeated Ludendorfs final throw of the dice, with Germany unable to feed even their frontline armies, the allies were already busily destroying the German frontline defences on the western front, before the arrival of large numbers of Americans. Those American formations that were in the line were poorly trained and not in a position to immediately undertake heavy operations. They were mostly farmed out and given "instruction" on techniques learned so far. By wars end they were attacking independantly, and were going to tip the balance.
Had the war progressed into 1919, the british were going to employ massed tanks on a sustained scale, properly organized (for 1918 ) and provided with better maintenance support. Cambrai had faltered because of a lack of manpower (occuring just after the Somme) and because of a massive breakdown rate. The Germans had no real answer to the American build up, the allied technology based counteroffensive. Black week saw the near total collapse of the german armies in the west, so i dont know where you get this notion that Germany was not defeated....rings very like the myths and lies that sprang up just after the war....."we wewrent defeated, we were just betrayed". No you were not betrayed, your armies were in defeat, and that was achieved by the allies, not by some mythical 5th column.
As for Russia causing the war, or france not sitting on their ass, Austria determined that it wanted to wage a war of agression against Serbia, rejected the accession by Serbia to all but one Austrian of the demands deliberately misled the French and the Russian delegations. Serbia was a Russian ally, so any move against Serbia is goiing to attract a russian resposne. Same for france.
I dont deny the French were dirty about the Franco Prussian war, bu they were closely allied to Russia, and Britain had given a long standing gurantee to Belgium since Napoleon. All these were known facts, yet Germany nevertheless chose to attack anyway. Tell me again Russia and france were responsible for the war. Who invaded who???????? What you are saying is, "why didnt the allies sit back and just let the central powers have their way with serbia?". Sorry, it doesnt work that way with allies working as allies.
And all this doesnt get around the fact that Germany andf Austria, allies of their own, fired the first shots, caused everyone to react by their reckless acts, and comitted overtly agressive acts like invading Belgium....which make them guilty of initiating a war of aggression. Paint your story any way you want, you cannot erase that fact, and thats what should damn both Austria and Germany to the scrap heap of history in my opinion.
As to how I would break up Germany, the model for that exists in the post wwii occupation of the country. instead of occupying just parts, the allies should have occupied the whole country, dissolved whatever pissant government was in place maintained military administration until the country was rebuilt, the general staff dissolved, and the scourge of German militarism excorcised. It was possible 25 years later, after unconditional surrender was achieved, why not in 1918.
My opinion: The treaty was a failure because it was too easy on the germans. From ther, the makings of the second war were all of germany's making (well, except for Allied complacency). They chose to rearm, chose to abrogate the treaties that they had accepted, they gobbled up country after country, installed a meglomaniac as their leader, planned and prepred for war. None of these were forced on Germany. they chose this path. What the allies were guilty of was, firstly to trust germany and secondly to lack the will to enforce the weak treaty that they had helped create.
This , strangely enough has at least passing relevance to the topic. By following an essentially opportunitic pathway, the germans failed to plan and prepre for a long war the second time around. This affected their outputs and productivity and damned them to fighting a "poor mans war" the second time around. The allies prepred their nations for the long term haul and reaped benefits, eventually, from that approach.
none of this would have happened if unconditional surrender had been demanded the first time around. And if it hadnt been demanded in the 2nd war, we would have had to do it all again a third time around. And there are signs that even after all this effort and blood there are still a few people within Germany and a few more around it, that want to allow the world to make the same mistakes allover again by trying to argue that germany was not to blame. Twice Germany has been found to be the guilty party, surely that should be enough to prove their war guilt beyond any doubt, and what they were capable of in their past. Thankfully the overwhelming majority of Germans in modern Germany want nothing to do with this sort of platitudes.
After the second Punic war, the romans decided to destroy Carthage, and as legend has it, plough salt into the very earth on which the city stood. perhaps the Romans of that time knew something that we have forgotten
Germany, unlike Britain was not very reliant on oversea import. France was not, too, but much of France was occupied or devastated during war. German internal supply problem was rooted in men and animal taken from farm. They, however, secured vast area of Soviet-Russia by 1918.. a very different situation than say 1917. And Germany was not starving during war - this came after war, as result of post-war Allied blockade.
It is simple fact of history that Allied attacks did not achieve much - they pushed back German to their starting lines of their offensive. Just like German offensive earlier secured as much territory.
Study maps of conflict. Highly recommend for you. Western frontline was on the Belgium-France border.
And who buys England entered war because of Belgium? England entered war because it suited her, because she feared her colonies, which she overrun with military force just like any other invader before - Swiss, German, Russian, French, you name it.
Because, in 1918, not like in 1945, there were an intact and effective German army, on foreign soil. With many million men, who had strong opinion of this suggestion.
ps. In my opinion, all the great wars between post-napoleonic era until the end of World War II was result of France not being able to swallow to be the "second fiddler" in Europe, the new situation that created by unification of Germany. A new centralized state emerged that was greater in populace, and resource, and equally well centralised as France. France that was up to that the "great evil" of Europe, driving all European wars in past 300 years since Italian wars to Napoleon. French ambition to be the first was at the root of all great wars: France was not accepting situation of great powers. It was turned when Schumann and de Gaulle realized it is simply no longer realistic political ambition. Accepting that lead to liveable compromise after 1945, and birth EU. But it took three times invasion of France to them to get the point.
Tante
I do not hate Germans. I have family that are germans. But I do not forget which country was responsible for two world wars, and ultimately which country caused the deaths of roughly 50 million people, including roughly 10 million of their own (thats not my judgement, its the judgement of others, I just happen to agree with it). Thats distasteful i know, but it wasnt me who attempted to raise Versailles as an unequal and unfair treaty, or me that attempted to protray germany as the innocent victim in the war
After the second Punic war, the romans decided to destroy Carthage, and as legend has it, plough salt into the very earth on which the city stood. perhaps the Romans of that time knew something that we have forgotten
I am not a neo nazi, or any other extremist that you care to try and pin on me or imply that i am.
I have family and love of country and military service, I believe in the ideals of democracy and fair trial (which is a major difference between you and i. whereas, I may not agree with what you say, I would defend unto death your right to say that, you may not like what i say, but rather than defend my right to say it, would attempt to use the system to gag me somehow....so much for your belief and support of free speech and democracy IMO) .
I defended the rights and freedoms of my country, and am proud that my country does not suffer so many of the afflictions that hound the nations of Europe thes days. I have grandfathers and countrymen that paid a heavy price for our complacency and german aggression, so I am sorry if that offends you. I have many friends who are holocaust survivors (or their descendants) , and they say that I am a defender of their rights to be heard, and the protection of what is left to them (but no I am not a nazi hunter either....just a voice that speaks for them and knows some of them). This includes making sure that their torturers, the reason for their suffering, are made never to forget. I do this because the Europe you so love, and think utopian has forgotten the price of the peace they now enjoy, and try hard to twist the truth of the past.
But I do not allow this to taint my judgement of the technical or apolitical issues. Looking at artillery, or aircraft, or campaigns requires a more analytical approach to that. But neither do i subscribe to the view that all things German are as near to perfect technically or operationally as is humanly possible. I applaud those parts of things german that were successful, and criticise those that are not so good.
it just so happens that in the post war era so much hype and tripe has been generated about the German experiences, that it becomes necessary to correct these propaganda pieces again and again.
I do the same for all th nationalities we talk about.
I cant help that it you find that offensive or distasteful. I'm not going anywhere, and Im not asking you to go anywhere either, but if you find my comments so distasteful, then dont react, dont read them. Because you certainly wont stop me no matter how much you demonstrate against me. And people will decide for themselves whether they want to read what I say, or not. Thats not up to you my friend. And the mods will decide whether I am in bvreach of the codes that drive this place (I can tell you now we are both in breach because we are so far off topic its not funny....but then I was not the one to start accusing others of being a neo-nazi or a member of the national front or a member of the klu klux Klan either)
You started (again, like in many threads before) this guilt BS and placing the blame. Do not blame others for having strong opinion about this. Your provocative posts attract response. If you wish to discuss the "German guilt", I suggest you open your own thread for it. And not pollute every thread with this..