Hi there (again) DAVID F.

Thank you for a further explanation on the catalyst for WWl. It's very interesting how a serious of independents things converge and all hell breaks loose, costing millions of young lives. I was particularly interested to hear of some of the reasons Germany went to War, in order to expand it's territory, somewhat similar to the French & British.

I remember a large parcel of the African coastline, that hitherto was known as, German East Africa. Actually it was the length of the Skeleton Coast, and it proved to be a veritable treasure trove for the Germans, with the mining of Diamonds and other precious stones. However on the signing of the Armistice, they (the Germans) managed to lose it all as a penalty, in the form of a reformation payment, as a consequence of the massive damage occasioned, during Germany's prosecution of the War.

Thereinafter it became known as Namibia, with many German people electing to remain, and make a life for themselves in the new Nation. By all accounts the Germans were kindly task masters before the War, otherwise I couldn't imagine too many of them would wish to stay on thereafter.

Thanks again DAVID F.

Is Mise,

I didn't believe in conscription for the Vietnam war. I did not believe we should have been involved in the Vietnam war. The Vietnamese should have been left to work it out for themselves.

Hi there TTBN...

I realise you directed your remarks to IS MISE, but for what it's worth, most Vets that I know, including myself, would agree with you absolutely. We were brought into the war at the behest of the South, who proved to be thoroughly corrupt in the long run. Many received US citizenship, when in reality they should've ended up in Leavenworth, KS, if truth be known.

Hi, o sung wu, just to lighten up the topic, and something you might find amusing.

My "direct" link with one soldier who fought at Gallipoli, my Granduncle Jim. Uncle did not go ashore 25th April 1915, but arrived there in June or July of that year. Within a week he had been wounded in his testicles (uncle and auntie never had children, in fact uncle hated us kids). Uncle was evacuated for treatment, never returning to Gallipoli, but eventually ending up on the Western Front.

My story; When I was about 10 years old, one Sunday avo after lunch, Sunday lunch with uncle and auntie was a regular. All the adults had left the dinner table, and left sitting was only uncle on one side, and me. I plucked up the courage to ask uncle a question, (not the sort of man a kid could or should converse with).

My question; "Uncle, what did you do at Gallipoli?"

Uncle, looked to the left. and then to the right, to see if anyone was within ear shot, and then like some monstrous lion he came across the table and within inches of my face, then came the roaring reply!

"SON... I KEPT MY F'N HEAD DOWN!"

"by uncle... see ya," out the door I went, thinking, given the location of his wounding, the old B should have kept something else down. I'll never forget that one and only meaningful conversation I ever had with old Uncle Jim.

All's well that ends well, because of his war wound, uncle was put in the Messenger Corps on the Western Front, and didn't have to go "over the top", which probably saved his life.

'morning to you PAUL1405...

There's very view people who've been exposed to a 'firefight (battle) wouldn't admit to 'keeping his F'N head down'. When the ordinance starts flying it would take an absolute idiot to be silly enough to keep his head up, rather than dive to the bottom of his shell scrape believe me.

Whether at Gallipoli or the Western Front both campaigns were a veritable slaughter house, both for men and beast. And it would take much more courage than I possess to fight in either areas.

My maternal Grandfather was with the 30th Bn., 1st AIF, and it was said when he eventually returned home in 1917 he was an utter wreck. He had been gassed, wounded & buried in thick mud on 'the Front' and ended up spending the rest of the war in an English Hospital. In the late 1950's he was given a TPI, and died at age 67, hooked on Morphine for his war caused pain.

He never spoke of the war, 'ever'. When I came home from Malaya and Vietnam, I was babbling on, about what I saw and experienced, never thinking for a moment, how it must have distressed and affected him? What a bloody idiot I was at age 22!

Nearer to 80 now, I'd like to think I have enough sense and wisdom (hopefully), to realise he probably saw more horror in a single day, than I could ever see in either Malaya & Vietnam for the entire period I was in either country.

Thanks PAUL1405 for your contribution.

A loss is a loss....but to carry on as though the continued revival of that loss is beneficial to society as a whole is misleading and deceptive and is now to the point of being immaterial.
War reminds us of the stupidity on both sides of the conflict.
Wars only drain societies of their best so that the cunning can vote themselves into power