bigjohnsd
2021 BMW R1250GSA
A good friend posted this on another forum I participate in:
"With this year marking the 100th anniversary of the War to End All Wars, I thought it might be useful to put a simple explanation of what actually happened up to read and reflect on.
Germany, Austria and Italy are standing together in the middle of a pub when Serbia bumps into Austria and spills Austria’s pint.
Austria demands Serbia buy it a complete new suit because there are splashes on its trouser leg.
Germany expresses its support for Austria’s point of view.
Britain recommends that everyone calm down a bit.
Serbia points out that it can’t afford a whole suit, but offers to pay for the cleaning of Austria’s trousers.
Russia and Serbia look at Austria.
Austria asks Serbia who it’s looking at.
Russia suggests that Austria should leave its little brother alone.
Austria inquires as to whose army will assist Russia in compelling it to do so.
Germany appeals to Britain that France has been looking at it, and that this is sufficiently out of order that Britain should not intervene.
Britain replies that France can look at who it wants to, that Britain is looking at Germany too, and what is Germany going to do about it?
Germany tells Russia to stop looking at Austria, or Germany will render Russia incapable of such action.
Britain and France ask Germany whether it’s looking at Belgium.
Turkey and Germany go off into a corner and whisper. When they come back, Turkey makes a show of not looking at anyone.
Germany rolls up its sleeves, looks at France, and punches Belgium.
France and Britain punch Germany. Austria punches Russia. Germany punches Britain and France with one hand and Russia with the other.
Russia throws a punch at Germany, but misses and nearly falls over. Japan calls over from the other side of the room that it’s on Britain’s side, but stays there. Turkey punches Russia in the back of the head when Russia isn’t looking. Britain and France tell Turkey that’s not on and once they’ve sorted Germany out Turkey’s next. Italy surprises everyone by punching Austria.
Australia (and New Zealand) punches Turkey, and gets punched back. There are no hard feelings though because Britain made Australia do it.
France gets thrown through a plate glass window, but gets back up and carries on fighting. Russia gets thrown through another one, gets knocked out, suffers brain damage, and wakes up with a complete personality change.
Italy throws a punch at Austria and misses, but Austria falls over anyway. Italy raises both fists in the air and runs round the room chanting.
America waits till Germany is about to fall over from sustained punching from Britain and France, then walks over and smashes it with a barstool, then pretends it won the fight all by itself.
By now all the chairs are broken and the big mirror over the bar is shattered. Britain, France and America agree that Germany threw the first punch, so the whole thing is Germany’s fault. While Germany is still unconscious, they go through its pockets, steal its wallet, and buy drinks for all their friends.
Before anyone gets too serious, my family left young men in France, Belgium and Turkey. NZ had the highest casualty rate per head of population of any of the countries involved, including the ones where it was fought."
There were several goodd replies as well:
"Gavril Princip stopped at a café for a sandwich after the grenade failed to blow up the right car. Archduke Ferdinand wanted to go to the hospital to see how badly injured two of the occupants in the bombed car were. His driver stalled the car when trying to reverse out of the street they were on then couldn't start it. Gavril Princip put his sandwich down and shot Ferdinand and his wife at point blank range.
The random coincidences that can change a world."
" It's been said that Germans were fighting for land, the French were fighting for their lives, Britons were fighting for honor, and Americans were fighting for souvenirs. Fairly accurate.
It's also accurate that Germany brought the best hunting rifle to the war in the Mauser, America brought the best target rifle in the Springfield, and the Brits brought the best battle rifle in the Enfield.
I think it was also said the ideal WWI army would have New Zealander officers, British non-coms, and Turkish privates. I may have part of that one wrong, though. I know that the brave men of the ANZAC left Gallipoli with a deep and lasting respect for their Turkish foes. "
"It's hard to believe that only 100 years ago the last war with mounted cavalry and the first with chemical warfare was fought amongst so many "developed" countries.
Probably wrong on both accounts but it's hard to think of WW1 without thinking about mustard gas.
I'll take a bullet please."
"You're right about WWI being the first war with chemical agents I believe, but I am pretty sure that mounted Polish cavalry met Hitler's armor at the border in WWII with predictable results. Tanks are immune to a mounted saber charge. "
And the OP reply to the above"
" I went to Gallipoli for the 75th anniversary and it was stunning. The terrain is unbelievable-still full of debris and bones from the campaign.
As you drive down the hill towards the landing beach there is a monument with these words from Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk, the senior Turkish officer on the beach, and the first President of Turkey after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire) engraved upon it:
"Those heroes that shed their blood
and lost their lives;
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side
here in this country of ours.
You, the mothers,
who sent their sons from far away countries,
wipe away your tears;
your sons are now lying in our bosom
and are in peace.
After having lost their lives on this land they have
become our sons as well."
Nobody with me that day had dry eyes, and now I am crying thinking about it. I doubt anyone from New Zealand would have been as generous if it had been our country invaded. "
"With this year marking the 100th anniversary of the War to End All Wars, I thought it might be useful to put a simple explanation of what actually happened up to read and reflect on.
Germany, Austria and Italy are standing together in the middle of a pub when Serbia bumps into Austria and spills Austria’s pint.
Austria demands Serbia buy it a complete new suit because there are splashes on its trouser leg.
Germany expresses its support for Austria’s point of view.
Britain recommends that everyone calm down a bit.
Serbia points out that it can’t afford a whole suit, but offers to pay for the cleaning of Austria’s trousers.
Russia and Serbia look at Austria.
Austria asks Serbia who it’s looking at.
Russia suggests that Austria should leave its little brother alone.
Austria inquires as to whose army will assist Russia in compelling it to do so.
Germany appeals to Britain that France has been looking at it, and that this is sufficiently out of order that Britain should not intervene.
Britain replies that France can look at who it wants to, that Britain is looking at Germany too, and what is Germany going to do about it?
Germany tells Russia to stop looking at Austria, or Germany will render Russia incapable of such action.
Britain and France ask Germany whether it’s looking at Belgium.
Turkey and Germany go off into a corner and whisper. When they come back, Turkey makes a show of not looking at anyone.
Germany rolls up its sleeves, looks at France, and punches Belgium.
France and Britain punch Germany. Austria punches Russia. Germany punches Britain and France with one hand and Russia with the other.
Russia throws a punch at Germany, but misses and nearly falls over. Japan calls over from the other side of the room that it’s on Britain’s side, but stays there. Turkey punches Russia in the back of the head when Russia isn’t looking. Britain and France tell Turkey that’s not on and once they’ve sorted Germany out Turkey’s next. Italy surprises everyone by punching Austria.
Australia (and New Zealand) punches Turkey, and gets punched back. There are no hard feelings though because Britain made Australia do it.
France gets thrown through a plate glass window, but gets back up and carries on fighting. Russia gets thrown through another one, gets knocked out, suffers brain damage, and wakes up with a complete personality change.
Italy throws a punch at Austria and misses, but Austria falls over anyway. Italy raises both fists in the air and runs round the room chanting.
America waits till Germany is about to fall over from sustained punching from Britain and France, then walks over and smashes it with a barstool, then pretends it won the fight all by itself.
By now all the chairs are broken and the big mirror over the bar is shattered. Britain, France and America agree that Germany threw the first punch, so the whole thing is Germany’s fault. While Germany is still unconscious, they go through its pockets, steal its wallet, and buy drinks for all their friends.
Before anyone gets too serious, my family left young men in France, Belgium and Turkey. NZ had the highest casualty rate per head of population of any of the countries involved, including the ones where it was fought."
There were several goodd replies as well:
"Gavril Princip stopped at a café for a sandwich after the grenade failed to blow up the right car. Archduke Ferdinand wanted to go to the hospital to see how badly injured two of the occupants in the bombed car were. His driver stalled the car when trying to reverse out of the street they were on then couldn't start it. Gavril Princip put his sandwich down and shot Ferdinand and his wife at point blank range.
The random coincidences that can change a world."
" It's been said that Germans were fighting for land, the French were fighting for their lives, Britons were fighting for honor, and Americans were fighting for souvenirs. Fairly accurate.
It's also accurate that Germany brought the best hunting rifle to the war in the Mauser, America brought the best target rifle in the Springfield, and the Brits brought the best battle rifle in the Enfield.
I think it was also said the ideal WWI army would have New Zealander officers, British non-coms, and Turkish privates. I may have part of that one wrong, though. I know that the brave men of the ANZAC left Gallipoli with a deep and lasting respect for their Turkish foes. "
"It's hard to believe that only 100 years ago the last war with mounted cavalry and the first with chemical warfare was fought amongst so many "developed" countries.
Probably wrong on both accounts but it's hard to think of WW1 without thinking about mustard gas.
I'll take a bullet please."
"You're right about WWI being the first war with chemical agents I believe, but I am pretty sure that mounted Polish cavalry met Hitler's armor at the border in WWII with predictable results. Tanks are immune to a mounted saber charge. "
And the OP reply to the above"
" I went to Gallipoli for the 75th anniversary and it was stunning. The terrain is unbelievable-still full of debris and bones from the campaign.
As you drive down the hill towards the landing beach there is a monument with these words from Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk, the senior Turkish officer on the beach, and the first President of Turkey after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire) engraved upon it:
"Those heroes that shed their blood
and lost their lives;
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side
here in this country of ours.
You, the mothers,
who sent their sons from far away countries,
wipe away your tears;
your sons are now lying in our bosom
and are in peace.
After having lost their lives on this land they have
become our sons as well."
Nobody with me that day had dry eyes, and now I am crying thinking about it. I doubt anyone from New Zealand would have been as generous if it had been our country invaded. "
