7:30 "Six infantry divisions in 1914." Britain today could field a brigade oversees, but this would take time to deploy. BEF deployed 4 infantry and a cavalry division to France within several weeks during August 1914. Puts things into a modern perspective.
Certainly gives credence of not the origin of the idea of lions led by donkeys given the disparity in ability between command and the infantry at least early on in the war.
I'm Canadian. Well done and rightly correcting errors about the BEF. The thing always found, and I find, is that the British army was as leaders and soldiers more intelligent, more moral, more supplied, and more sicccessful then the enemy or the French. Etc Including i think the Canadians and Americans. The bRits really were better then europeans and this came out in margins in the war. it really was not a military population but a recruit army. The BEF did learn from the SA War.
Yes, like wearing kaki for one whilst France started WWI in bright red pantaloons and bright blue jackets- then chose possibly their next biggest camouflage failure- just blue... The French also mutinied- but when their high command is carrying out a system that even the Romans thought of as counter productive and rarely used- DECIMATION- is it any wonder?
@@davidchardon1303 Yes, cough, captured 50% of ALL German pows, and cough, 0ver 40% of artillery cough, and by 1917, the Somme was in their rear by sixty miles when British/British empire forces broke the Hindenburg line.
@@stephenmcdonagh2795 Prove me that the BEF was better that the French. I'am waiting for real proof and not bullshits such "50 % of German POW's and breaking the hindenburg line" because you are proving nothing. Give me the figures of the BEF and of the French Army of the Western Front.
@@davidchardon1303 Well Britain and her empire came up with most if not all innovations that broke the deadlock on the eastern front- Tunnel Blasting. The Rolling Barrage. The Tank. Combined forces attacks. Out of all the allied forces, the British/British empire forces captured over 50% of all German prisoners and 40% of all Germany's ordinance. Added to this, the British/British empire forces Broke the Hindenburg line, Germany's most fortified position- the nearest allies to Britain at this point were a full thirty miles to their rear. The old Somme battlefield- the offensive created to ease the French at Verdun- was sixty miles to the rear of the British forces at this point. Most historians- bar the French ones- credit Britain to have had the best army towards the end of the war. The RN helped shorten the war by at least one, maybe two years with its blockade.
I see Dr Jones and a Great War lecture, I'm going to watch. Hasn't disappointed yet.
A brilliant talk. Thank you.
6 years on Dr Jones still gives an impressive lecture. Still a snappy dresser, as well. Cheers!
The contrast between command and leadership is a distinction worth remembering.
Greetings from the U.S. Brilliant talk Dr. Spencer. CHEERS! i found out about you via the documentary "The Great War In Numbers". Have a great day.
Dr Spencer Jones is a great speaker, thank you
7:30 "Six infantry divisions in 1914." Britain today could field a brigade oversees, but this would take time to deploy. BEF deployed 4 infantry and a cavalry division to France within several weeks during August 1914. Puts things into a modern perspective.
Certainly gives credence of not the origin of the idea of lions led by donkeys given the disparity in ability between command and the infantry at least early on in the war.
Excellent
First battle of Ypres: close to 4 millions French soldiers engaged, 170000 British soldiers.
I'm Canadian. Well done and rightly correcting errors about the BEF.
The thing always found, and I find, is that the British army was as leaders and soldiers more intelligent, more moral, more supplied, and more sicccessful then the enemy or the French. Etc Including i think the Canadians and Americans.
The bRits really were better then europeans and this came out in margins in the war.
it really was not a military population but a recruit army.
The BEF did learn from the SA War.
Yes, like wearing kaki for one whilst France started WWI in bright red pantaloons and bright blue jackets- then chose possibly their next biggest camouflage failure- just blue... The French also mutinied- but when their high command is carrying out a system that even the Romans thought of as counter productive and rarely used- DECIMATION- is it any wonder?
@@stephenmcdonagh2795 BEF better than the French *caught* *caught*
@@davidchardon1303 Yes, cough, captured 50% of ALL German pows, and cough, 0ver 40% of artillery cough, and by 1917, the Somme was in their rear by sixty miles when British/British empire forces broke the Hindenburg line.
@@stephenmcdonagh2795 Prove me that the BEF was better that the French. I'am waiting for real proof and not bullshits such "50 % of German POW's and breaking the hindenburg line" because you are proving nothing.
Give me the figures of the BEF and of the French Army of the Western Front.
@@davidchardon1303 Well Britain and her empire came up with most if not all innovations that broke the deadlock on the eastern front- Tunnel Blasting. The Rolling Barrage. The Tank. Combined forces attacks.
Out of all the allied forces, the British/British empire forces captured over 50% of all German prisoners and 40% of all Germany's ordinance. Added to this, the British/British empire forces Broke the Hindenburg line, Germany's most fortified position- the nearest allies to Britain at this point were a full thirty miles to their rear. The old Somme battlefield- the offensive created to ease the French at Verdun- was sixty miles to the rear of the British forces at this point.
Most historians- bar the French ones- credit Britain to have had the best army towards the end of the war.
The RN helped shorten the war by at least one, maybe two years with its blockade.
Poorly fed staff officers-Revisionist indeed!
No, the revisionists don't go too far, unlike you they go with facts, rabid patriotism is not their thing.
Then they should declare there bias
Not all that to be frank, albeit confidently delivered.
I liked this!