How bad strategy caused millions of deaths in WWI - Sarah Paine

[num]

Those who don't study history are condemned to repeat it. Those who do study history are condemned to watch it repeat.

[WilliamDye-willdye]

What makes it even more inexcusable is that the American Civil War clearly demonstrated that the new weaponry and rates of fire made the old tactics disastrous.

[randmayfield]

I just turned 70 and my dad, who was born in 1898 served as a pharmacist mate 3rd class at the Balboa medical facility. They had me when he was 56 in 1954. He was a great father and i was fortunate to have him.

[HectorCornejo-rg]

I do appreciate the passion in her voice regarding the waste of human life.

[hvrtguys]

My grandfather spent most of WW1 in a hospital recovering from wounds. He died in his early 60's probably because he was gassed and shot a few to many times. WW1 made him a mean person. It made my dad and his brother a mean person also. I broke the mean chain but it was not easy.

[jacoblind]

WW1 basically set the stage for nearly every major international event since. Its effects are still being felt today.

[raddimusmcchoyber]

"Western Civilization shot itself in the head in the summer of 1914. Everything since then has been the twitching of a corpse." - William S. Lind

[reggierico]

Sarah is a 10! Probably the most intelligent and talented public speaker in our country. Her style, inflection, and ability to emphasize ideas are just outstanding. Would love to see her give a lecture.

[paulne]

They knew the war was going to end, yet my Grandpop’s commander wanted to make one last charge. His subordinates talked him out of it. Stupidity at the top!

[LovleyLemonade]

World War 1 really was a low point for being a soldier. All war is hell to and through, but tens of thousands of men dying for tiny gains in land as well as unbearable trench life makes it the worst in my book when it comes to being a soldier in a war.

[DorchesterMom]

And all the broken families who were left behind when their were killed…my great grandma was just four years old. Her mom had nothing after her dad was gunned down emerging from a trench at Vimy. The mom dumped her in an orphanage, remarried, and basically abandoned her. It set off generational trauma. Broken families make broken kids. The generational fallout of war continues to this day

Looking at the genealogical tree of my family is depressing.
3 of my 4 grandparents' families were decimated (including extended families, cousins and such).
Widows, orphans and invalids were left behind, who couldn't carry on with previous activities and trades and had to sell whatever they could to survive.
During the second world war, my father was educated by elderly teachers (a lot of them in their 80s) because younger generations were either at war (and later in camps) or had been killed 20 years prior: he essentially received a 19th century education and his mindset was very much affected by this anachronism.
The disruption of family balance and the upheaval of society led many people to be isolated, vulnerable, on edge and easily aggressive. Conflicts or silence became the norm within most homes.
As a result, healthy exchange and debate disappeared and people either became apathetic or developed more radical opinions.

[rustyking]

WW1 was known as the machine gun war. There were 57, 000 British casualties in the first day of the Battle of Somme. 19, 000 dead. The bloodiest day in British history.

[maryjanebaber]

Would loved to have sat in on any of her lectures or classes. She's a treasure of information.

[tomben]

At the Somme, Britain had 35, 000 casualties… on day one.
Edit: I know it’s 60, 000, it’s been pointed out.

[pjfuscoonthenews]

I love her for making sense out of a complexity that has vexed us since that war.

[chelsblue]

WWI was so utterly needless that it makes my blood boil over a century later. So much suffering for Europe in vain, it's surrealistically suicidal

[docBZA]

This woman is an important communicator of history and I hope she gains a large audience

[donkeyestonkey]

I can listen to Dr Paine all day. History is where the future resides, and she recounts it brilliantly…

[alexandramccarthy]

Such clarity and impartially in describing these events. A true educator!