Anyone been to Tower of London to see the poppies?

[Lo Siento.]

You must be on a wind up or something, because I have a hard time believing you actually need answers to those questions.

the fact that you think the only reason to ask those questions is for a wind up is a massive part of the problem.

 

[sim667]

It's very odd that the further we actually get from WW1, then more over the top the commemoration of it becomes.

I think its got worse lately as the the whole "proud to be white british, blimmin' foreigners coming over here eating are microwave meals!111!!!1" contingent grows.

 

[RoyReed]

I think the moat looks like it's been filled with blood in some of the more distant photos - which I think is quite appropriate.

When I was at school and we were made to wear one but I always used to wear a white poppy. I haven't seen one of those for years.

 

[Spymaster]

200 years since Waterloo next year. No one bar military historians will give a flying fuck.

Waterloo was a battle, not a world war that killed 40 odd million people. Like it or not centenaries of landmark historical events are commemorated and this was one of the biggest.

It's not just the Brits doing this. Many nations have had exhibitions and ceremonies.

Yes, why are we commemorating the start of WWI?

It's a sombre occasion of remembrance, not a celebration. I suppose you could argue that it would be more appropriate to celebrate the end in 2018 or forget it completely, others would disagree.

 

[Lo Siento.]

Waterloo was a battle, not a world war that killed 40 odd million people. Like it or not centenaries of landmark historical events are commemorated and this was one of the biggest.

It's not just the Brits doing this. Many nations have had exhibitions and ceremonies.

The Napoleonic wars which Waterloo brought to an end involved 36 belligerents, lasted 12 years, and resulted in the deaths of up to 6.5m.

To my knowledge nowhere on Earth is marking the beginning of WW1 in the same way and on the same scale as the UK

 

[Spymaster]

To my knowledge nowhere on Earth is marking the beginning of WW1 in the same way and on the same scale as the UK

Your knowledge is lacking. There's all kinds of stuff going on: France doing it WAY bigger than the UK and over 4 years, America, New Zealand, Australia.... from a quick google.

I'm sure there are others.

 

[davesgcr]

My uni lecturer at Aberystwyth wrote a fine history of the college - one his stunning paragraphs when writing about the impact of WW1 was that the student lists from 1914 - 1918 (and before) had red lines drawn through those "lost" in fighting - many as young Lieutenants (who had a very short life expectancy) - he felt deeply about this. The pagers , were to him , blood stained. Sobering thought.

 

[Celyn]

Sorry to be irrelevant but that sounds like a book I'd like to read davesgcr. Could you give its title and author, please?