Jeffrey Shaw Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 Yes, next year will see the beginning of four years of commemorative activity 100yrs after the 'Great War' began and ended. But when did it actually start? My research shows events in 1914 as follows: 28 June: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary is killed by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb. 23 July: Austria-Hungary issues ultimatum to Serbia. 26 July: Austria-Hungary mobilizes army on Russian frontier. 28 July: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. 1 August: Germany declares war on Russia. 4 August: Germany declares war on France & invades France and Belgium. and UK declares war on Germany and USA declares neutrality (until 6 April 1917 when USA declares war on Germany). 6 August: Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia. and Serbia and Montenegro declare war on Germany. 10 August: France declares war on Austria-Hungary. 12 August: UK declares war on Austria-Hungary. 28 August: Austria-Hungary declares war on Belgium. 2 November: Russia declares war on Turkey. 5 November: UK and France declare war on Turkey. So which date marks the start? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deaf andy Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 it wasn't that 'great' though. why are we celebrating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alien52 Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 During my 30 odd years as a teacher of History in the UK I always opted for 4th August. It could ,however, have been when "Archie Duke shot an ostrich because he was hungry " But wars are not like a game of rugby no one blows a whistle for the kick off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Shaw Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share Posted August 27, 2013 it wasn't that 'great' though. why are we celebrating? Who's "celebrating"? Surely the massive loss of servicemen- far more than in WW2, by the way- is a cause for commemoration but scarcely celebration. Do you object to that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alien52 Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 it wasn't that 'great' though. why are we celebrating? Who mentioned celebrations ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deaf andy Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 i commemorate every november 11. why do we as a nation need to spend millions 'commemorating' such a dreadful period of our history? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFKvsNixon Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 Who's "celebrating"? Surely the massive loss of servicemen- far more than in WW2, by the way, is a cause for commemoration- but scarcely celebration. ---------- Post added 27-08-2013 at 17:22 ---------- Who's "celebrating"? Surely the massive loss of servicemen- far more than in WW2, by the way, is a cause for commemoration- but scarcely celebration. Do you object to that? For us here in the UK maybe it should be when we declared war upon the Central Powers. It's similar to when we remember WW2 starting in 1939, we seem to forget that one of the Allies was fighting one of the Axis from 1937. Maybe we commemorate the war changing from a regional conflict to a major war? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Shaw Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share Posted August 27, 2013 For us here in the UK maybe it should be when we declared war upon the Central Powers. So: 4 August, then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFKvsNixon Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 So: 4 August, then? Yea, it does seem the sensible date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgksheff Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/plans-to-mark-100-years-since-the-beginning-of-the-first-world-war-in-2014-announced Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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