One Hundred Years on From a Shooting in Sarajevo, It's Time to Reflect on How the First World War Changed Britain

Anyone who has watched Blackadder Goes Forth will know that the First World War started when a bloke called Archie Duke shot an ostrich because he was hungry.

For all the histories I've read, few are more memorable than Baldrick's bottled analysis of the assassination of Archduke Franz-Ferdinand, the crown prince of Austria-Hungary.

One hundred years ago, the shooting of this one man on 28 June 1914 would plunge an entire continent into conflict and change our society forever.

Today, this centenary anniversary marks the beginning of four years of commemorations across our country to remember and reflect on the legacy of the First World War.

But what strikes me most about the moment deemed to have started it all, is that like many extraordinary episodes in history, it might never have happened at all but for pure chance.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dan-jarvis/world-war-one-franz-ferdinand_b_5539300.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

"But what strikes me most about the moment deemed to have started it all, is that like many extraordinary episodes in history, it might never have happened at all but for pure chance."

Don't you think that's what happens in life in general? Have you ever pondered on what you'd do if you could go back in time and re-live your life? It wouldn't work, because the tiniest change has huge consequences. For instance, I had a job where one of the women was offered promotion but she didn't want to move to a new office, so they offered me the job, even though I was much too young for it really. So I took it, befriended a girl who worked there, met her brother and married him, and had three kids by him, and they had kids... So, if that woman had accepted the job I would never have met my first husband and my kids and their kids would never have been born. See. Consequences.

I think some things are meant to happen. I've no doubt TPTB would have found another excuse to start WW1 if the Archduke hadn't been killed.

Agreed Tess, this was just the ignition to something that had been building up for years, if it had not been this something else would have kicked started the nations into war. There was already an arms race with the navies and plenty of incidents that had nearly sparked it off already.

So on this point in history I agree.

Didge wrote:Agreed Tess, this was just the ignition to something that had been building up for years, if it had not been this something else would have kicked started the nations into war. There was already an arms race with the navies and plenty of incidents that had nearly sparked it off already.

So on this point in history I agree.

You'll probably disagree with me on this, but don't you think similar things are happening today? I still say the West, Obama specifically, are encroaching on Russian borders and are provoking Russia into action. So far Putin's resisting it but I think it's only a matter of time. At the same time Obama's been making threatening statements aimed at China. I think this all to distract from the massive ticking time bomb that is the US debt. I won't even start on the Middle East...

Oh and of course there's little old Kimmy with his nukes in the background.

Tesstacious wrote:

Didge wrote:Agreed Tess, this was just the ignition to something that had been building up for years, if it had not been this something else would have kicked started the nations into war. There was already an arms race with the navies and plenty of incidents that had nearly sparked it off already.

So on this point in history I agree.

You'll probably disagree with me on this, but don't you think similar things are happening today?  I still say the West, Obama specifically, are encroaching on Russian borders and are provoking Russia into action.  So far Putin's resisting it but I think it's only a matter of time.  At the same time Obama's been making threatening statements aimed at China.  I think this all to distract from the massive ticking time bomb that is the US debt.  I won't even start on the Middle East...

Oh and of course there's little old Kimmy with his nukes in the background.  

Yep you are right I do disagree it is similar today, in fact where it was more similar was like the 1962 Cuban Missile crisis, which really nearly did lead to war between America and Russia. The reality is far different today and is more to do at what cost such a war would have today, where both would cripple each other badly though think America would win, but it would leave China by far the most powerful nation with nobody to challenge them, as no doubt Europe would be drawn into this as well. I also think Putin is just a front man and it is his cronies that make the shots, who to me are more like a Mafia in how they control Russia and they are all interested more in money. Yes they feel very threatened at losing control over former zones, but at what cost would it be to them if they did go for broke?  All 3 nations need each other to trade and grow, it would be at the very last resort if one of the nations was left with no choice and do not see any in this position at them moment, even with American debt, and cannot see any going to such lengths. Most of all this is show and tell for the cameras. For a start you would start to see more and more things happen, like nationals arrested with claims of being spies, ships wrongly stopped, of which there has been little to suggest real aggression between them both.
As I say they both have to much to lose, with others waiting in the wings to gain

Didge wrote:

Tesstacious wrote:
You'll probably disagree with me on this, but don't you think similar things are happening today?  I still say the West, Obama specifically, are encroaching on Russian borders and are provoking Russia into action.  So far Putin's resisting it but I think it's only a matter of time.  At the same time Obama's been making threatening statements aimed at China.  I think this all to distract from the massive ticking time bomb that is the US debt.  I won't even start on the Middle East...

Oh and of course there's little old Kimmy with his nukes in the background.  

Yep you are right I do disagree it is similar today, in fact where it was more similar was like the 1962 Cuban Missile crisis, which really nearly did lead to war between America and Russia. The reality is far different today and is more to do at what cost such a war would have today, where both would cripple each other badly though think America would win, but it would leave China by far the most powerful nation with nobody to challenge them, as no doubt Europe would be drawn into this as well. I also think Putin is just a front man and it is his cronies that make the shots, who to me are more like a Mafia in how they control Russia and they are all interested more in money. Yes they feel very threatened at losing control over former zones, but at what cost would it be to them if they did go for broke?  All 3 nations need each other to trade and grow, it would be at the very last resort if one of the nations was left with no choice and do not see any in this position at them moment, even with American debt, and cannot see any going to such lengths. Most of all this is show and tell for the cameras. For a start you would start to see more and more things happen, like nationals arrested with claims of being spies, ships wrongly stopped, of which there has been little to suggest real aggression between them both.
As I say they both have to much to lose, with others waiting in the wings to gain

Fair enough - all I'll say is - time will tell who's right.