We Never Learn

There is the well known line that generals always prepare for the last war. Also, sadly, the population of a country is all too often eager for war. We see this today in our country. What we do not seem to see or ever learn is the lessons that become obvious in looking back, but are never applied to the current situation.

Countries all over Europe were euphoric when the war that became the "War to End All Wars," WW I began. That soon changed. Only a very few had an inkling of what was ahead, and they were not appreciated nor listened to. All but a few believed it would be a short war. The previous century the wars had been short resulting in few casualties for European countries. This was because they had modern weapons whereas their adversaries had only primitive weapons and thus it was their adversaries who suffered terrible casualties. But what was to happened when armies with modern weapons confronted each other? We now all know ... but only a few understood before the war began. Lord Kitchener understood. He had commanded English armies with modern weapons.