First World War - Tumblr Posts
So, there’s this massive reenactment event in Moscow which took place for the first time in late 2010s and grew into something incredibly spectacular over the years. The name of the festival roughly translates to “Times and Epochs” and it’s during these five or six days that citizens and guests of the capital are able to freely observe soldiers of the Ancient Rome marching through the streets, ladies and gentlemen from the galant 18th century taking strolls in the picturesque alleys, huge bivouacs of all nations and time periods imaginable placed in various parks as well as many other fascinating quests and festivities. 🏛️
Me and my friends are always excited for this remarkable event, even when we don’t participate in it as reenactors. Because sometimes it’s just great to take our time and look at other wonderful people enjoying themselves, while they help others learn a bunch of interesting, important, tragic things about the history of humankind.
The photos here depict only the tiniest part of all beauty and dedication shown by hundreds and thousands of people who spend immense amounts of time, effort and money to make such magnificent events a reality. :) ❤️
Hey, so to the surprise of many, I do in fact write stuff, so if you’re interested in a mixture of humor, wit, and maybe learning something from your fanfic reading, then check my works out. Or don’t, you have free agency.
History memes #9
Why is there not much talk about the first world in Africa
Ya know that's a good question. There's a few reasons that make the war in Africa far less prominent than the war in Europe; scale, strategic importance and colonialism, not necessarily in that order.
Let’s start with an easy one, scale. There just weren’t that many troops fighting the war there compared to the different fronts in Europe and the Middle East. The Western and Eastern fronts packed millions of men into the trenches on either side, the Italian front had another million on each side, the Balkan theatre had another three million, the Egypt and Palestine campaign had another million, Mesopotamia was another million and the Caucasus another million.
The various European colonies in Africa were garrisoned, like most colonies of this period, by a pretty small number of total troops and an absolutely miniscule number of white, European troops. The vast majority of the soldiers fighting in these campaigns were ‘native’ troops. As an example, German East Africa, which saw the longest campaign of the war in Africa, had a population of around 7.5 million. There were around 5,000 white Germans there in total. The German army in the colony, the Schutztruppe had a strength in 1914 of about 2,700 soldiers of which only 250 where white Germans. Even counting the militia of German settler-farmers only added another 2,700 men. All of this in an area that’s three times the size of modern Germany. Total military casualties for the East Africa Campaign amounted to somewhere around the 55,000 mark (that’s killed, injured, captured and missing), fewer than British casualties on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
The other African campaigns were even smaller in scope, with total forces on each side often numbering in the hundreds or low thousands, and were usually over by 1916. Germany knew they’d likely lose their colonies, but hoped to recoup the loss in the post-war settlement when (if) they won. They colonies in Africa just weren’t vital to Germany, which brings us to our next point, strategic importance.
Germany’s geographic position meant that as soon as war was declared they were essentially cut off from their colonies (although there was a failed attempt to resupply the Schutztruppe in East Africa by airship in 1917 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LZ_104_(L_59) ). The British and French navies dominated the seas and there was little Germany could do. But, by the same token, the loss of these colonies wasn’t a big blow to the German war effort. Germany’s strength was in Europe, and most of its basic needs could be met from resources within Germany or the territories it conquered. Beating a few thousand German troops in East Africa wasn’t going to bring down the German government or make the German army collapse. There were local and imperial reasons to wage these campaigns, and wage them the British, French, Portuguese and Belgians did. But they were never the main, or even a secondary effort, they were very much an afterthought. And this brings us neatly to the last point, colonialism.
Now, the above refers to military numbers and casualties, and as usual in war, it’s civilians who actually suffer the most. Taking the East Africa Campaign again. Each of the armies fighting there conscripted huge numbers of ‘porters’, local civilians who carried the equipment and supplies. One historian assessed the British effort as “recruiting” 1 million civilian porters. 95,000 of them died during the war. A further 15,000 porters in Belgian service died, 7,000 porters in German service died as did an unknown number of civilian porters in Portuguese service, but it’s likely in the low tens of thousands. An official from the British Colonial Office wrote that the East African campaign had not become a scandal only "... because the people who suffered most were the carriers - and after all, who cares about native carriers?"
The war the European armies fought in Africa was mobile, and far from stable and secure supply lines. As such, the armies often “lived off the land”, which is a nice way of saying they looted and pillaged everything in their path to keep themselves fed and supplied. The German army was probably more ruthless in its pillaging, but that’s largely because they were cut off from any support base and waging a guerilla war. Looting like this had dire consequences for locals and famine spread in the war’s wake. Modern estimates are in the range of 750,000 civilian deaths in Africa from the war, although this is probably a conservative count. About half of these deaths, some 350,000, were in German East Africa. Ludwig Deppe, a German doctor who participated in the East Africa Campaign compared the devastation caused by German forces:
“Behind us we leave destroyed fields, ransacked magazines and for the immediate future, starvation. We are no longer agents of culture, our track is marked by death, plundering and evacuated villages, just like the progress of our own enemies in the Thirty Years War.”
None of the war in Africa painted the European empires in a particularly flattering light and it was pretty easy for them to if not cover it up, at least to deflect attention. The butchery in Europe was on a different scale and much closer to home. The Western Front came to dominate memory of the war for the basic reason that it was in France and Belgium that most of the troops fought and died, and it was on the Western Front that Germany was defeated. It was hard enough to fit sideshows like Italy, Salonika and even Palestine into a narrative of the war, let alone the colonial campaigns in Africa.
Wearing his German helmet (Pickelhaube), a souvenir of the battle of Pozieres, an unidentified Australian soldier, probably of the 1st Battalion, shaves in a rear area. The leather satchels are also spoils captured from the Germans.
General Sir William Riddell Birdwood addressing soldiers of the 2nd Australian Infantry Brigade in Vadencourt Wood after their first tour of duty at Pozieres. Between 23 July and early September 1916, as part of the Somme Offensive, the 1st, 2nd and 4th Divisions between them launched 19 attacks on German positions in and around the ruins of Pozieres.
Group portrait of unidentified members of the 102nd Howitzer Battery having breakfast north of Amiens before entraining for the Somme, where the Australians went into action near Pozieres. (From the collection of 704 Driver Ernest Charles Barnes who served with the 1st Field Artillery Brigade, 21st Howitzer Brigade and 2nd Field Artillery Brigade.)
My Ottoman era feminist journal design, I created this based on some late ottoman era journals. I combined them and this is the final result. In the middle I drew the historical Turkish female figures, such as the first female fighter pilot, authors, a nurse served in ww1, a soldier...
The written text is from a feminist journal, here is the translation:
Once, for women to receive education, which is a requirement of human dignity, was considered shameful due to some superstitious beliefs, and therefore, the being called "woman" was regarded almost as something distant in the eyes of men. However, this injustice has been revealed in the face of the natural progress achieved by our era. The words of one of our literati express this:
"Why should women be considered inferior to men? Is there a deficiency or excess in their creation?"
It is heard that in some countries, where it is recognized that women are also part of humanity and therefore should share the rights possessed by another class, women are being employed in a few roles and positions that were traditionally considered male. I truly want to say that women are equal to men in every aspect.
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (Dir: Lewis Milestone, 1930).
A pre-code WWI drama adapted from German author Erich Maria Remarque's 1928 novel, All Quiet on the Western Front follows a group of students as they enlist in the army, detailing their transformation from idealistic boys to war weary soldiers, depicting the squalid living conditions and futility of the loss of young lives with a stark realism.
Told, unusually, from the perspective of German soldiers. At first the broad American accents are a little jarring and take some getting used to. But remember this is so early in the history of sound cinema that it is a miracle they are talking at all. Little else in the picture strikes a wrong note. Nowhere to be found are the static camera shots often associated with early talkies. With its inventive camera angels, practical special effects and hundreds of extras it presents a visual spectacle that more than holds its own against modern CGI aided blockbusters. The film is full of affecting imagery, from the sight of the rapt students stirred up by an impassioned indoctrination on the glory of serving the "Fatherland", to the poetic final frames of a butterfly on the battleground, fading to shot of a cemetery.
With the possible exception of Lewis Ayres, in the lead role of young soldier Paul, much of the cast is unrecognizable to modern audiences. This arguably lends the film more authority, as no preconceptions of star status are allowed to diminish the powerful performances. Director Milestone elicits sensitive, natural performances from the cast which compliments the brutally beautiful images that he and cinematographer Arthur Edeson have created.
Almost a century after its release All Quiet on the Western Front remains probably the most powerful indictment on the horrors of war ever put to celluloid. It was met with immense critical acclaim, receiving the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director in what was only the third year the ceremony was held. The movie is indisputably a landmark in cinema history and more than lives up to 90 years of hype. In short, it is a masterpiece.
A longer, more in-depth review of ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT is available my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME. Link below.
1917 (Dir: Sam Mendes, 2019).
A fact-based, fictionalised epic First World War drama from director Sam Mendes.
During WWI, Lance Corporals William Schofield (George MacKay) and Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) must risk their lives crossing no man’s land in order to deliver a message to call off a planned attack on the German army. With field telephone lines down, news that the attack would jeopardise the lives of 1600 Brits, including Tom’s brother Lieutenant Joseph Blake (Richard Madden), must be relayed in person.
Read the full review on my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME! Link below.
The Red Baron's cameo in Ottoway Volume 2. I might repost this on his birth and death days. Landscapes are my weakness, and bird's eye shots too. Thank George Barbier for the Autumn colour scheme.
Major Isenstein's red 1915 Chevrolet is on the road below.
@tristandelarkadien for landscape art exchange!
Vincent visited by the ghost of his departed wife. Lines vs colour. From Ottoway vol 2.
Alzavo le spalle ma bevevo le voci.
Cesare Pavese - La casa in collina (1948)
In case anyone tried to whitewash your Battle of Britain lately. I present receipts of the countless Jamaican, Haitian, Indian, and Māori fighter and bomber crews in the RAF. Fully integrated.
currently maybe possibly single-handedly crashing whatever servers eton hosts its archived student newspapers on because me and a friend are getting obsessed with a single outspoken prefect from 1883
An infantry regiment of the British Army before going to war and the same regiment after its end, 1914 and 1918
"Minds the Dead Have Ravished"
2018
These are men whose minds the Dead have ravished. Memory fingers in their hair of murders, Multitudinous murders they once witnessed.
-"Mental Cases", by Wilfred Owen
I did this series inspired by shell shocked soldiers of the First World War back in 2018, in time for the 100th anniversary of the armistice. Let us all strive to live in a world free of the ravages of imperialism and war.
"Minds the Dead Have Ravished"
2018
These are men whose minds the Dead have ravished. Memory fingers in their hair of murders, Multitudinous murders they once witnessed.
-"Mental Cases", by Wilfred Owen
I did this series inspired by shell shocked soldiers of the First World War back in 2018 in time for the 100th anniversary of the armistice. Let us all strive to live in a world free of the ravages of imperialism and war.
"Minds the Dead Have Ravished"
2018
These are men whose minds the Dead have ravished. Memory fingers in their hair of murders, Multitudinous murders they once witnessed.
-"Mental Cases", by Wilfred Owen
I did this series inspired by shell shocked soldiers of the First World War back in 2018, in time for the 100th anniversary of the armistice. Let us all strive to live in a world free of the ravages of imperialism and war.