The cost of World War I | Christopher Capozzola and Lex Fridman

Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:

GUEST BIO:
Christopher Capozzola is a professor of history at MIT.

PODCAST INFO:

SOCIAL:

[okthennone]

My Grandfather lost his inner thigh in WW1 from an explosion. He laid in the mud for 3 days before his buddies could get to him. Later in life he lost an eye, which they attributed to the gas used in the war.

[tbr]

"Can leaders stop war?" - The question might be better understood if it is asked this way, "Does the system of governance produce leaders who rely on aggression or cooperation?" The answer is aggression. So long as the system rewards those who deceive and coerce their way to the top (that includes democracy, perhaps even is exacerbated by it), then leaders will always ensure there is more war.

[gs]

When we study the Great War in Italy, we don't focus too much on Germany's responsibility. Responsibility for what, when it happened over and over that a country entered in support of another in Europe. Ever heard of the 30 Years' War? It sort of was a world war. The only difference this time is the scale and depth of the war. Germany was not a super-evil state in WW1. It wasn't quite a liberal society like Britain and France, but it didn't behave too differently.

You didn't talk about Italy, but it being threatened by France led to a defensive alliance with Germany, then the Entente not respecting the London Agreement led to resentment about its contribution to a difficult mountain war against Austria. It mobilised more troops than the US, and entered in 1915 in a quest to complete the country's unification (Italian territories under Austria).

Remember that the country was more aligned with the future WW2 allies when Hitler invaded Austria and French and the Brits wanted Italy in an anti-German pact.

The wider your historical lens, the less you would accuse Germany of an immoral act compared to its main adversaries. WW2 was a bigger threat ofc and a radical one. It was not about empire building, but a change in global lifestyle and freedom – for Europeans at least. The Brits and French took care of everyone's freedom overseas, but it doesn't count, I guess.

[BirdDawg]

2:27 Thank you for asking this question, I have always wondered what the stats are (as cold as that sounds). Definitely needs to be answered.

[rhammond]

If you go and ask a thousand people what triggered WW I....less than 10 can give that answer. It is....by all accounts....the most forgotten war. FYI, the Hapsburg prince killed has a fascinating history, and he was (five years prior)....number three down on the crown-prince business. Also, he has this fascinating hobby that no one talks about....hunting (probably in the range of 350 days a year).

[spiritualhumanist]

It was not a pacifism, it was” we are not ready for war yet, talk with them, we need more time to prepare “ mostly. Plus, American and British elite have a lot of admiration for Hitler and nazism .

[ET_LWO]

“Military solutions for political problems” 🤔

[eliezerribeiro]

The cost of World War by eugene sledge ! check it out

[BirdDawg]

"People that have been told their lives are cheap remembered that, and it re-shaped mass politics in Europe and the rest of the world." Going to bed thinking about this..

[tommeakin]

Lex I don't know how else to contact you; but you've shadow banned me from the main channel (blocked user). I'd like to ask you to overturn that.

If I have issues with things that have been stated as fact, which I do at times, I'm always leaving comments intended to lead to conversations with people so we can perhaps get closer to the truth. I never leave needlessly offensive or attacking comments. I'm honestly kind of stunned that you, of all people, have tried to silence me as just some random person trying to get closer to truth. Maybe it wasn't you that did it, but considering the nature of shadow banning, and knowing that channel holders can do it to anyone in the comments without justification, warning or informing, I have to assume it was you, not some underling, or Youtube itself.