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| Blinkered view of the first world war | Blinkered view of the first world war |
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| As a historian, I initially wondered whether your report was a Guardian April fool (Poignant kickabout that captured futility of conflict to be replayed for WW1 centenary, 9 February). Only a specially selected bunch of conservative academics and generals would think of celebrating the military genius that organised the Somme, Passchendaele and Dardanelles campaigns. Everything on the list of events is military. But this is incredibly antiquated and narrow-minded. | As a historian, I initially wondered whether your report was a Guardian April fool (Poignant kickabout that captured futility of conflict to be replayed for WW1 centenary, 9 February). Only a specially selected bunch of conservative academics and generals would think of celebrating the military genius that organised the Somme, Passchendaele and Dardanelles campaigns. Everything on the list of events is military. But this is incredibly antiquated and narrow-minded. |
| Several generations of scholars have recognised the war as a major social, political, economic and cultural phenomenon. To take a few examples: during the war 400,000 young women abandoned the badly paid drudgery of domestic service for the munitions factories; the state imposed rent restrictions to check profiteering landlords; the Labour party planned to fight 388 seats compared with only 50-75 in pre-1914 elections; and 8.4 million women got the vote. Is it too late to enlist Danny Boyle to run a people's commemoration of the Great War? Martin Pugh Slaley, Northumberland | Several generations of scholars have recognised the war as a major social, political, economic and cultural phenomenon. To take a few examples: during the war 400,000 young women abandoned the badly paid drudgery of domestic service for the munitions factories; the state imposed rent restrictions to check profiteering landlords; the Labour party planned to fight 388 seats compared with only 50-75 in pre-1914 elections; and 8.4 million women got the vote. Is it too late to enlist Danny Boyle to run a people's commemoration of the Great War? Martin Pugh Slaley, Northumberland |
| • The danger of government minister Andrew Murrison highlighting the first world war Christmas football matches is that it detracts attention from the extent of the Christmas truce of 1914. This extended along two-thirds of the whole western front, covering Belgian, English and French sectors, and involved widespread fraternisation between the so-called enemies, exchanging gifts, showing family photographs, singing carols, carrying out burial of the dead and simple Christmas services. The film Joyeux Noël by Christian Carion, favourably reviewed in the Guardian seven years ago, vividly portrays some of the drama of the situation. In an interview, Carion asserts that "these men came near to destroying the very concept of war itself". | • The danger of government minister Andrew Murrison highlighting the first world war Christmas football matches is that it detracts attention from the extent of the Christmas truce of 1914. This extended along two-thirds of the whole western front, covering Belgian, English and French sectors, and involved widespread fraternisation between the so-called enemies, exchanging gifts, showing family photographs, singing carols, carrying out burial of the dead and simple Christmas services. The film Joyeux Noël by Christian Carion, favourably reviewed in the Guardian seven years ago, vividly portrays some of the drama of the situation. In an interview, Carion asserts that "these men came near to destroying the very concept of war itself". |
| In their book Christmas Truce, Malcolm Brown and Shirley Seaton report widely from both official and unofficial sources about this momentous event. They conclude their book "it would be easy to dismiss the events of that far-off Christmas as little more than a candle in the darkness. Yet they offer a light where no light might have been, and are thus a source of encouragement and hope that should not be overlooked and forgotten, rather acknowledged and, indeed, celebrated". So much more than just a football match. Rev Barry Parker Leeds | In their book Christmas Truce, Malcolm Brown and Shirley Seaton report widely from both official and unofficial sources about this momentous event. They conclude their book "it would be easy to dismiss the events of that far-off Christmas as little more than a candle in the darkness. Yet they offer a light where no light might have been, and are thus a source of encouragement and hope that should not be overlooked and forgotten, rather acknowledged and, indeed, celebrated". So much more than just a football match. Rev Barry Parker Leeds |
| • The Great War, 1914-1918, is called the first world war for a reason. The treaties that ended it affected the world. The "carve-up" of Europe deplored by Lord Guthrie wasn't the only disgraceful outcome. Too often the self-serving and duplicitous actions of the UK and French governments are glossed over and their global repercussions are still being felt. Consider the following: Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, the Gulf states (often by the installation of hereditary dictatorships), and the takeover of German African colonies. We can now clearly see that the consequences of the war extend far beyond Europe. Any commemoration of its centenary should reflect this. Judy Palfreman Coventry | • The Great War, 1914-1918, is called the first world war for a reason. The treaties that ended it affected the world. The "carve-up" of Europe deplored by Lord Guthrie wasn't the only disgraceful outcome. Too often the self-serving and duplicitous actions of the UK and French governments are glossed over and their global repercussions are still being felt. Consider the following: Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, the Gulf states (often by the installation of hereditary dictatorships), and the takeover of German African colonies. We can now clearly see that the consequences of the war extend far beyond Europe. Any commemoration of its centenary should reflect this. Judy Palfreman Coventry |
| • Whereas, in 1914-18, thousands met their end as a result of poison gas, we are now about to perish from an overdose of "poignancy". Whereas in 1914-18 soldiers drowned in mud, we will soon flounder in a tide of "totemic significance". But as in 1914-18 we might yet ask: "To what end?" This is clearly the question Andrew Murrison et al are not keen to have answered. In his own words, the focus of the commemoration will be on "the personal and the parochial". | • Whereas, in 1914-18, thousands met their end as a result of poison gas, we are now about to perish from an overdose of "poignancy". Whereas in 1914-18 soldiers drowned in mud, we will soon flounder in a tide of "totemic significance". But as in 1914-18 we might yet ask: "To what end?" This is clearly the question Andrew Murrison et al are not keen to have answered. In his own words, the focus of the commemoration will be on "the personal and the parochial". |
| We can expect no reference to the imperial competition which underpinned conflicts then, for the simple reason that it underpins them now. Equally unlikely will be any mention of the private sectional interests at odds with the genuinely common good that drove the war then, because it drives wars now.We will hear much of "sacrifice" but little of waste. We will be told of "national unity" and nothing of opposition and division. We will learn nothing from Cameron's projected four-year festival of banality. In York we are already organising an event with the express purpose of addressing such issues – a day of alternative history. I hope that there will be similar events throughout the country. Steve Cox York | We can expect no reference to the imperial competition which underpinned conflicts then, for the simple reason that it underpins them now. Equally unlikely will be any mention of the private sectional interests at odds with the genuinely common good that drove the war then, because it drives wars now.We will hear much of "sacrifice" but little of waste. We will be told of "national unity" and nothing of opposition and division. We will learn nothing from Cameron's projected four-year festival of banality. In York we are already organising an event with the express purpose of addressing such issues – a day of alternative history. I hope that there will be similar events throughout the country. Steve Cox York |
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