Has the Centenary been overcome by current events?

[IrishGunner]

The US news is dominated by Gaza, Ukraine, and the illegal alien crisis. Anything to do with the Centenary has to be sought out by interested parties. It just isn't in the mainstream news.

How is it in your country? Does the Centenary get any media attention? To what level?

Does anyone care? Except us old curmudgeons isolated in our oak paneled club rooms? Or is everyone preoccupied with making a buck, flogging their wares, fighting the rush hour commute, fussing over the temperature of the coffee and wine, the price of fish and chips, the calories in a Big Mac?

I am wondering if the general population is even aware. If they are aware, do they even care...

Does it even matter?

If this topic doesn't reach "hot" status and generate as much debate as Blackadder, I'll have my answer, I think.

Just a hypothetical question.

Edited July 31, 2014 by IrishGunner

[Chris Boonzaier]

I agree,

Ebola in the wings, Gaza on the stage, Ukraine hanging in the air ... too much here and now drawing attention to "Back then" ... :-(

[IrishGunner]

100 Years Ago Today: Russia starts full mobilisation of its troops

30 July 1914 - Germany mobilizes. 31 July 1914 - Russia declares war.

23 July 2014 - Russia accused of firing artillery into Ukraine. 29 July 2014 - Europe, U.S. Significantly Expand Sanctions Against Russian Economy

Yea, all that stuff 100 years "back then" - old news. We have new news to entertain us.

[Bernhard H.Holst]

I share the sentiments expressed above.

I can think of a reason not much attention is presently given to the matter. The USA after all did not enter the war as a true participant until April, 1917.

Bur then this thinking may be charitable considering society being much more interested in celebrities ( so called ) or other " talents" than important matters.

. But then we here are clearly biased by our general interest in history, many times by being or having been a part of events.

Bernhard H. Holst

BTW:: I read having the leisure time to do so, German newspapers, British and French ones. This subject is certainly not buried. Based on clippings sent by my youngest sister who remained in Germany even their local paper has periodic articles about this subject, interesting extracts from local grammar ( grade) schools' diaries. These were apparently kept by statute and give a good impression of the going- ons . For example sale of horses was disallowed, reserve soldiers were given their call-up notices in a staggered fashion. This after secret instructions were retrieved from each post office vault upon a code word.

Bernhard H. Holst

[IrishGunner]

Bernhard, true, the Europeans, Canadians, and Australians seem to be having significant coverage. And you could be right about the reason for coverage in the US being a bit sparse. But I really doubt it will get any better here. WWI just doesn't resonate here like the Second World War.

[Dave Danner]

Occasionally, over the past few days, I catch BBC World from Berlin. Gaza, Ukraine, Ebola and Commonwealth Games dominate the coverage, but there was a segment on World War I repeated a few times. It's apparently a documentary made up of recorded interviews which must have been conducted years ago when the interviewees were still alive, but someone has now put together in one place. Mostly Brits and Germans, but also some French. The segment I heard was about reactions to the outbreak of the war. I believe they said the full version was available on the Beeb's website.

[Brett Hendey]

In South Africa, the main preoccupation is with local affairs. In spite of all that is happening in the world, the front-page large-headline story in Durban's morning newspaper was:

"Golf estate in court over dog"

The second important story on the front page was:

"Chad swims into Durbs with record haul" - about a local swimmer who did well in the Commonwealth Games.

The rest of the page was taken up by international news:

"Naked truth of a home for sale" - about the advertisement for a house for sale in Austin, Texas.

"Ebola fears clip soccer team's wings" - the Sierra Leone soccer team will not be going to the Seychelles to play a match.

The Ukrainian situation is covered by a page 3 account of the local memorial service for a MH17 aircrash victim. Then there is a report critical of Israel on page 6. The leading editorial article is critical of the KwaZulu-Natal government for having had contraceptive implants placed in woman students leaving to study medicine in India. This was done to prevent a repeat of the return from Cuba to KZN of pregnant medical students, all of whom were evidently too stupid to use their medical knowledge to prevent their own pregnancies.

There is no mention of the centenary of World War I.

Thank goodness for foreign newspapers and satellite TV news bulletins.

Brett

[Mervyn Mitton]

Brett - if you remember , we had great expectations for the Centenary of the Boer War. After a few low key events and a very good

re-enaction in Dundee , it just petered out. I have said for a long time that the 1st WW events will be remembered , but the

public have a low level of history and all of the Battles - despite their horrific losses - will mean little.

I, personally, have found that the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 excites most interest. It was a compact little War , over a period of

six months - with most Battles in a consecutive order. There was also the interest that the British were defeated in a major battle -

this always excites our old 'friends'.

I think the WW1 events will be a series of Memorials for the larger Battles. Mervyn

[paul wood]

Interestingly on the news today it was announced that Cambridge University has digitalised its Siegfried Sassoon collection including his war diaries. Should be well worth accessing.

Paul