Young Winston
Banned
The 86th Anniversary of Armistice Day is fast approaching so I thought it was a good time to do some more reading about WW1.
Just finished Professor John Mosier’s book about WW1 called the Myth of the Great War (written about two years ago). He produces much information to support his claims that “the Germans won the battles and the US saved the Allies”.
Many of you may have read it. I would say that many of our American contributors would take delight in this book. Canadians, New Zealanders, Australians, Scots, Irish, French, English and other readers should have a look at it if they haven’t already.
I found the book very interesting, particularly the following points that he makes:
1. The US significantly funded the Allies with $10 billion in loans over the duration of the war.
2. The US produced millions of tons of toluol (an important constituent of TNT) that enabled the Allies produce enough artillery shells. They would have run out otherwise.
3. Also supplied rifles and ammunition.
4. The Germans were superior to the Allies in tactics, planning, quality and type of armaments.
5. The Germans won the battles prior to the AEF actions in June, 1918.
6. The British and French Generals were generally hopeless, wasted millions of lives and hid the truth from the press. Some even believed their own propaganda (NOTHING NEW HERE).
7. Casualty figures for the German forces were consistently lower than the Allies.
8. British historians have consistently played down the role the US played in WW1.
9. The AEF numbers, rising from 0.5 million (mid 1918) to 2 million by November, 1918 were irresistible.
10. By September, 1918 the AEF was the only army capable of winning the war.
Mosier shows much compassion for the common soldier but consistently sticks the boots into the Allied generals (mostly deserved). He is critical of the BEF arguing that they were always slow to adopt new tactics and the Germans were always one step ahead of them.
He also examines the Verdun campaign and lesser known battles by the French in a different light. The Eastern Front and Italian campaigns are also covered.
I found his overview of the 1918 Western Front fighting particularly from March onwards rather disappointing considering the years of research that he has supposedly done in producing his book.
He skims over the German March offensive claiming that the BEF were positioned too close to the front and when the hammer fell they were annihilated, broke with many of the units fleeing from the Germans. No mention is made of the brave defensive actions that were carried out over the following weeks that slowed down the German onslaught towards Amiens.
Mosier quickly skips to the Marine Corp action at Belleau Wood and makes the bold claim that this was the first time the Germans had been thrown back from a defended position that they were determined to hold.
He then makes a cheap shot about the Australians and Canadians efforts falling short at Passchendaele (they didn’t take the whole Passchendale-Staden Ridge) even with overwhelming artillery support. Mosier never mentions the terrible conditions faced or how the different phases of the battle (over many months) varied in method of combat.
I am not sure what Mosier thought the Australians were doing at the town of Villers Bretonneux (east of Amiens) April, 1918 when they threw the Germans out of the town after a brilliant military display.
No mention is made of General John Monash, one of the great generals in 1918.
No mention is made of the contribution the Canadians made in 1918. General Currie is given a brief mention (also one of the great generals of WW1).
Mosier moves quickly on to the major AEF campaigns and the conclusion of the war.
No doubting that American finance, material and supplies, and the AEF were critical to ending the war in 1918 but in trying to balance the ledger for the American cause he has diminished the efforts of the BEF in final year of the war.
Lyn MacDonald’s book “Spring, 1918” is an excellent book about the German Spring Offensive in March’ 1918. There are many other books superior to Mosier’s work.
Overall, I enjoyed Mosier’s book but was disappointed with some aspects of it.
Forum contributors may wish to discuss this book, the 1918 campaigns or other aspects of the Great War.
Just finished Professor John Mosier’s book about WW1 called the Myth of the Great War (written about two years ago). He produces much information to support his claims that “the Germans won the battles and the US saved the Allies”.
Many of you may have read it. I would say that many of our American contributors would take delight in this book. Canadians, New Zealanders, Australians, Scots, Irish, French, English and other readers should have a look at it if they haven’t already.
I found the book very interesting, particularly the following points that he makes:
1. The US significantly funded the Allies with $10 billion in loans over the duration of the war.
2. The US produced millions of tons of toluol (an important constituent of TNT) that enabled the Allies produce enough artillery shells. They would have run out otherwise.
3. Also supplied rifles and ammunition.
4. The Germans were superior to the Allies in tactics, planning, quality and type of armaments.
5. The Germans won the battles prior to the AEF actions in June, 1918.
6. The British and French Generals were generally hopeless, wasted millions of lives and hid the truth from the press. Some even believed their own propaganda (NOTHING NEW HERE).
7. Casualty figures for the German forces were consistently lower than the Allies.
8. British historians have consistently played down the role the US played in WW1.
9. The AEF numbers, rising from 0.5 million (mid 1918) to 2 million by November, 1918 were irresistible.
10. By September, 1918 the AEF was the only army capable of winning the war.
Mosier shows much compassion for the common soldier but consistently sticks the boots into the Allied generals (mostly deserved). He is critical of the BEF arguing that they were always slow to adopt new tactics and the Germans were always one step ahead of them.
He also examines the Verdun campaign and lesser known battles by the French in a different light. The Eastern Front and Italian campaigns are also covered.
I found his overview of the 1918 Western Front fighting particularly from March onwards rather disappointing considering the years of research that he has supposedly done in producing his book.
He skims over the German March offensive claiming that the BEF were positioned too close to the front and when the hammer fell they were annihilated, broke with many of the units fleeing from the Germans. No mention is made of the brave defensive actions that were carried out over the following weeks that slowed down the German onslaught towards Amiens.
Mosier quickly skips to the Marine Corp action at Belleau Wood and makes the bold claim that this was the first time the Germans had been thrown back from a defended position that they were determined to hold.
He then makes a cheap shot about the Australians and Canadians efforts falling short at Passchendaele (they didn’t take the whole Passchendale-Staden Ridge) even with overwhelming artillery support. Mosier never mentions the terrible conditions faced or how the different phases of the battle (over many months) varied in method of combat.
I am not sure what Mosier thought the Australians were doing at the town of Villers Bretonneux (east of Amiens) April, 1918 when they threw the Germans out of the town after a brilliant military display.
No mention is made of General John Monash, one of the great generals in 1918.
No mention is made of the contribution the Canadians made in 1918. General Currie is given a brief mention (also one of the great generals of WW1).
Mosier moves quickly on to the major AEF campaigns and the conclusion of the war.
No doubting that American finance, material and supplies, and the AEF were critical to ending the war in 1918 but in trying to balance the ledger for the American cause he has diminished the efforts of the BEF in final year of the war.
Lyn MacDonald’s book “Spring, 1918” is an excellent book about the German Spring Offensive in March’ 1918. There are many other books superior to Mosier’s work.
Overall, I enjoyed Mosier’s book but was disappointed with some aspects of it.
Forum contributors may wish to discuss this book, the 1918 campaigns or other aspects of the Great War.