Remembering (the end of) World War One

As you'll know from previous postings, I feel quite strongly about WWI. If any of you are interested, there are some excellent materials available at these links with interactive maps & video links.

I hope you will follow the breadcrumbs (links) and post your comments here?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7712908.stm has a tour of the major battlegrounds of the Western Front

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7712419.stm gives you an idea of the horrors of battle (Verdun).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7717419.stm for how the dead are remembered at Ypres.

Stopping it happening again - we have to tell our kids, and their kids... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7714855.stm which I think still does not happen in this country (Japan) where recent history has been airbrushed completely. Result? Blithe ignorance.

• What do British & former colonial countries/western allies do at 11am on November 11th every year?
• Why do you see people wearing red poppies at this time of year?
• What is the Cenotaph?
• click here to find out: http://www.bbc.co.uk/remembrance/how/

The Imperial War Museum is an excellent place to visit - have a look at its photographic exhibit for example - http://www.iwm.org.uk/upload/package/95/collections/photographs/photographs.html

Even on the last day of WWI men were killed. I believe Michael Palin has made a documentary about it which I hope to find & show to our students. Meantime, here are some tragic final fatalities http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7696021.stm

The story of the Unknown Soldier http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/unknown_warrior.shtml there was a great podcast last year about this but I am struggling to find it. Here is a related one http://www.bbchistorymagazine.com/podcast.asp

So, plenty to start you searching. Please add your links from interesting research you find?

Lest we forget. Jim

Book report: 1914-1918 History

I have never thought that the history of World War One was particularly interesting. Unbelievable slaughter, largely static, and a pre-cursor to the conflict in 1939. I have always been very keen on the history of the Second World War; reading this book has been a revelation.

When I studied history at school, I was lucky to have two really enthusiastic teachers - "Dippy" West and "Ma" Wade. Dippy taught me how to write a proper essay, and to argue a point. Ma Wade made characters old & fusty come alive.

This massive book about the "war to end wars" is brilliant. It is extremely well-written, and covers every imaginable aspect of the conflict and more. Of course it details the major battles which still bring shivers to the spine when you hear the words Ypres, Somme or Gallipoli. I saw one of the cemetaries at Vimy Ridge when I was a kid and have never forgotten it. I have a distant relative or two commemorated at the Menin Gate. This book is one I will read again. It is jam-packed with facts and analysis, not just of why a certain battle went one way or the other, but how the political moods of America affected the British & French economies and their production bottlenecks; how the disintegration of the Habsburg Empire set up future Balkan conflicts; why the Russians paid the Germans back so brutally in 1945.

The scope of this book is enormous - as was the war. It took me ages to read but I only put it down reluctantly. If I can remember a fraction of what I learnt reading it, I`ll have done well. What is quite obvious, unfortunately, was that it was not the war to end wars, and a generation of young men were slaughtered with ever increasing efficiency.