Music of the Great War

WE'RE GOING OVER  1917

For our War Culture regular this month we featured popular music of the First World War. Follow the links below to get a feel for the sort of songs played to troops on leave and the loved ones they left behind. From the excitement of We’re Going Over, the knees-up jollity of When the Kaiser Does the Goosestep… [Continue Reading]

The Anatomy of Military Incompetence

General Benedek

Indecision Breeds Defeat Failure to make any decision is almost as bad as making a poor decision. Decisiveness, one way or another, is a quality generally valued on the battlefield, whereas ditherers seldom get a good press. The heat of conflict can often turn previously clear-minded men into stumbling wrecks. Napoleon’s mastery of the battlefield in the early years of the 19th century needs… [Continue Reading]

Armistice Day – Patricia Hammond

Patricia Hammond

On 11/11/11, Joy Robinson took a trip down to the Poppy Factory in Richmond to view the unique and exciting artist, Patricia Hammond, deliver a moving performance of her stunning new album Our Lovely Day. Of all the days to visit The Poppy Factory in Richmond, 11/11/11 could not have been more appropriate.  Normally, there… [Continue Reading]

Who started the First World War?

Monarchs & Fighting Men - prt gallery small

Nigel Jones and Neil Faulkner take opposing sides in the long-ranging and recently re-energised debate over who was responsible for the outbreak of the Great War. POINT Germany is guilty as charged, says historian and regular MT contributor Nigel Jones The First World War killed around ten million combatants and as many civilians. It led directly to… [Continue Reading]

Why military history is important

Major General Julian Thompson. London October 2009.

‘History is more or less bunk.’ Henry Ford, 1916 The primary purpose of studying military history is not, in my opinion, in order to ‘ape’ the tactics of past commanders, but rather to use it to learn about leadership, command, logistics, and the  working of the commander’s mind; in short, why some leaders, both political and military, have succeeded while others failed. It is not… [Continue Reading]