F1 is in Austria this weekend, and I’m awake far too early, listening to birdsong. It’s 04.50.
My late father was a clergyman and he had a strange job each year on this day: he was the chaplain of the Lochnagar mine crater, near the village of La Boisselle on the Somme. One hundred years ago this morning, at 07.28, a British mine under the German front line, filled with high explosive, was detonated. It blew a hole 440 ft wide and earth up to 4000 ft in the air. There were several such mines that morning, but La Boisselle is the only one left today. Two minutes after this, began the worst day in the history of the British Army: July 1 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. 19,240 allied soldiers died before lunch, with a total of 57,000 casualties – in one fucking day (excuse my language). And for what? All those fine young men died because competing nations wanted to be more powerful than one another and their leaders let it happen.
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that nationalism is a good thing.
We have the European Union today because some intelligent men got together and agreed that they had to save future generations from such stupid barbarity. The EU has its faults, but surely it’s better than repeating the same mistakes every 20-40 years: 1815… 1854.. 1870… 1914… 1939… And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, use Google.
Ever tried to grow poppies? They only grow in disturbed earth, which is why there were so many of them in the summer of 1916…
joeblogsf1 
Thanks for the best, amongst many, comment on the current situation.
Joe: how timely, how poignant (I lost my dad in WW II).
I know it doesn’t help, but I also know that your father won the Medal of Honor for outstanding bravery.
So well said.
I just want to thank you for this post.
When the love of power exceeds the power of love, war can happen,
usually as a result of rampant male ego.
War and the preparation for war has echoed throughout history, because for some reason we just cannot live with each other.
patrick wrote:
‘When the love of power exceeds the power of love, war can happen,
usually as a result of rampant male ego. ‘
It’s happening everyday. The playground is not called Somme but Syria. The rapant male ego guys are called, Asad, Putin, Erdogan,, Netanyahu, Obama.
And yet the majority of the Britonsh citizens are saying no to refugees, no to poor people who just want to escape death. What a shame.
Well, just over a third are “saying no to refugees”
Just over a third say yes
And a bit less than a third didn’t vote
Actually I reckon closer to 100% of Brits would vote to give shelter to true refugees. It’s the economic migrants who are the sticking point…
I sit here with a tear in my eye
on this day thousands died.
One hundred years is not that long
Let us mourn their passing with the Birdsong.
Clive Temple, 1 July 2016
Dear Joe, all
As a nurse, who did his training in a Repatriation (Dept of Veterans’ Affairs) Hospital in Australia, 3 decades ago, I sincerely applaud you for this post..
I have nursed people from WW I, WW II, Malaya, Korea, Vietnam. And, have the utmost respect for them. They may have survived to come home to their loved ones, but, it doesn’t mean that they were unaffected.
MarkR
Well said Mark.
As a fellow citizen I thank you for the work that you have done helping those that have represented us in war/conflict. For many people the war doesn’t end when the treaties are signed.
cheers mate.
Joe, Thank you for this piece.
A reminder that there is more to life than F1.
And if people don’t like this piece, or your wonderful travelogs,or even pieces on Brexit, a one fingered salute to them.
+1
Keep up the fine work, Joe.
+1
As I had trouble with getting up and get to work this morning I decided to have a read @Joe’s and started to read this magnificent piece.
Because I am roughly the same age as all those men that fell on Flanders’ field that day, thanks for reminding me, I haven’t such a bad life after all. Keep all the F1 and non-F1 stuff coming and have a great weekend in Austria!
Sorry, different field, same carnage. Still a bit sleepy, I guess…
Amen.
Amen.
I was baffled and gutted when the Tory government decided that the UK should celebrate the beginning of WW1 in 2014. To the best of my knowledge only the cessation of hostilies has ever been commemorated in civilised society. I should have realised where we were going when it was announced.
I used to pass the entrance to Biggin Hill aerodrome regularly. Outside were a Spitfire and a Hurricane, I’ve also read the inscriptions of their pilot’s headstones in St Mary Cray cemetery. The memory of their sacrifice brings me to tears every time I think of them.
The only positive I’ve had recently was when one of the architects of last week’s vote was sent into political pergatory yesterday.
Excellently put Joe.
Luckily, the first 5 times we didn’t have nuclear weapons…
Thank you Joe.
Mourning and loss for decades and decades and now one hundred years.
Lest we forget
Well said, Joe.
Man’s inhumanity (and stupidity) never seems to fade….. as we look back over history it comes in waves. I hope that a swell isn’t building now.
Breaks my heart whenever I drive up the A26….so many cemeteries in that beautiful yet melancholy countryside. To me those resting places are a testament against glorifying the concept of the nation state. Very saddening to see Nigel Farage getting himself on tv the other night whilst being interviewed in the trenches… I bet he has some glorious dreams of sending his patriots over the top.
Well said, and a very timely reminder, thank you. I was reflecting on the loss of life at the Somme yesterday whilst Brexit news ran in the background.
I always come to the same conclusion to the “For what?” question – my answer can only be that they died for nothing, especially given the events of 39-45. I know we talk about not letting their sacrifice be in vain, but I think that gets taken out of our hands a little every time politicians sit down and prepare for war.
Your timeline for the wars of Nationalism is telling. I hope that we can all continue to find ways to preserve our distinct heritage and cultural identities without getting sidetracked by Nationalistic fervour.
I have nothing but respect and admiration for those that serve or have served for their countries and I apologise in advance if there is any way that my words could be taken otherwise.
What would you have proposed to do with Hitler talk things out over a cup of tea?
Andrew…
my comments are regarding the gratuitous waste of life on all sides, and the dangers of Nationalism. These comments do not in any way reflect a support for Hitler, nor have I said anything that suggest I think Hitler should have been free to stomp all over Europe.
I’ve re read my comments several times and can’t understand why you would reply in such a way. My points re the loss of life in WW1 being a waste given we went through the same motions and slaughtered millions more two decades later are valid, but have got nothing to do with appeasing or ignoring Hitler. Respected historians will point to several factors that led to WW2, one of them was the conditions imposed on Germany at the Treaty of Versailles. Maybe, just maybe, if we had dealt with war repatriations and conditions of surrender a little differently there may have been a greater chance that someone like Hitler would not have risen to power. Maybe if we had been able to unite Europe a bit better as we tried in the late 20th Century there would have been enough cooperation to avoid WW2. I don’t know the answer to that but I think that it is fair to say that what we did do between 1918 and 1938 didn’t prevent the rise of Hitler and the Second World War kicking off. History has proven that already.
I don’t even know if Hitler drank tea, do you?
The bottom line is that to lose millions of lives in a war to end all wars then repeat the exercise later with a longer war… to me that will always be a waste of life, but then I think dying for a flag hoisted by a king or a parliament is generally a waste of life. A lifetime of studying conflict just reinforces that. If you want to twist that into having tea with Hitler I can’t really help you dude.
As I said earlier I respect the men and women who serve/have served in the armed forces, but that is people of all nations. At the end of the day we all lose.
“‘but I think that gets taken out of our hands a little every time politicians sit down and prepare for war”
If it was just in our all knowing hands the evil politicians would not be able to draw us into conflict, right? You make it sound like there are choices when Countries are invaded and cities are being bombed. These are not academic situations. The only choice is to defend one’s population and that is not fighting for a flag or king.
Help yourself dude, not me – with gems like “The bottom line is that to lose millions of lives in a war to end all wars then repeat the exercise later with a longer war… to me that will always be a waste of life, (BRILLIANT STUFF) but then I think dying for a flag hoisted by a king or a parliament is generally a waste of life”
I guess the millions that died did so for a flag according to you? How can you then follow that with “As I said earlier I respect the men and women who serve/have served in the armed forces”, No, you pay them lip service. If you truly respected them you would not diminish their motivations, they fought to defend and expel an enemy not blindly for a flag.
Newsflash – we as well as previous generations know all too well that war is a horrific event resulting in lives lost, that’s no great revelation.
I have asked Joe to fwd you my email so that we can continue this off his page.
It is addstar@internode.on.net
Happy for you to supply that to anyone if you aren’t comfortable publishing it.
I don’t need to hide my identity by publishing under a pseudonym, I am accountable for what I say to to you or anyone else indeed if you ever come to Australia and want to go toe to toe, I will try and find the money to meet you simply for the 30 minutes or so it would take to put you on your ass. Sounds like you are very big on sending others to fight your wars, I will happily blow a couple of hundred of bucks to meet you if you come to my country. We aren’t Europe down here, we aren’t USA, we don;t need guns, last time I checked the Australian kill ratio was 4 to 1. Brag as much as you like, it is all bs.
So sick of internet heroes blowing their horns but nothing to show for it.
Apologies Joe but at some stage everyone needs a reckoning, let’s get it on.
Somehow, I don’t think he’ll show. Shame he is so angry on the wonder web. Funny how the original post was about rememberance for those that laid down their lives. It seems so easy for some people to grab that for their own agendas.
Are you drunk. Grow up. With comments like this you should hide behind a pseudonym for the sake of how they reflect on you, not that anyone cares one way or another who you are here. Who’s bragging and about what? The rest is just a confusing rant. I simply told you not to be disrespectful and diminish the valid reasons veterans went to war. Millions died doing what was necessary at the time to get the job done, do you think it was a multiple choice scenario? What options did they have, be occupied or fight. We don’t need you looking back at history now in a patronizing way and stating the obvious that war is bad and undesirable, no shit. Enough theoretical nonsense and banal observations, you insult the intelligence of the “greatest generation” as well as Joe’s readership. You’ve worked yourself up into quite a lather, you’re not putting anyone on their ass verbally or otherwise other than yourself. It would likely end up the other way around and you’d be scarred for life if this is how emotionally you react to someone challenging your comment.
Getting worked up does not give your viewpoint any more validity.
Try to find the money? A couple of hundred bucks? Easy Rockerfellar, are you a pre-teen running a lemonade stand? That explains the well intentioned naivety.
As far as continuing this off this page or on it, there is absolutely nothing to be learned or gained by debating you further, enough time has already been wasted.
I couldn’t agree more. Well said as ever Joe. Thank you
Joe, thanks for all your truly lovely and wise writing about F1, and the larger world.
I agree that the EU has been a genuine attempt among neighbor nations to cooperate peacefully. But It looks now to be sclerotic, expensive, undemocratic, and unresponsive to the wishes of the different peoples. It needs a major scaling back, to confederation status. There will never be one Euro-nation. Poles are not French. Greeks are not Germans, etc.. They all have their own distinct cultures. Any EU-type effort needs to respect that, and profoundly so.
That’s why I applaud the sensible Brits for voting to take back control of their own culture and borders, and I hope they soon begin to strengthen their admirable nation against pernicious alien influences.
Muslims in large numbers do not play well with others, and are not beneficial to the UK social structure. They could all be white as the driven snow, but their perverse Sharia mindset would still be poisonous to the sceptered isles way of life. Same with France and Germany, as is obvious to anyone with eyes to see.
I say this as one who has has good friends of long standing in Beirut and Amman and Damascus and Tehran, Christians and Muslims and more. God bless them, but they belong amongst their own kind – in their own culture. And we belong here in the West.
God save the Queen!
And, sadly, according to recent events it would appear that –
‘Brits in large numbers do not wish to play well with others’.
Nonsense. We are not leaving Europe, we are leaving the EU. We will continue to cooperate with our European partners but on an independent basis, and, freed from EU law, will now seek to “play” more with the nearly 6 billion people in the world who don’t live in the EU.
The EU is a clique which closes ranks and looks in on itself, and has barriers to people who aren’t members of the club (just ask African farmers). Britain, as an island people and sea-faring, trading nation has always looked to the whole world, and will continue to do so. Diametrically opposite to your sentiment.
“We” means what? Most of the people who voted to leave don’t have any sensible argument.
No Joe, some of the people who voted leave didn’t understand the reasons why it made sense, and most of the people who voted remain just did so out of a sense of a herding instinct.
Oh, are you know this because?
How to respond to Edward without breaking all of Joe`s blog rules!?!
How indeed….
My blood is boiling. The implicit feelings of superiority expressed by Edward are a gross insult to the point behind Joe’s post.
And it is on sentiments like that that we are leaving the EU. The whole thing is so depressing and has given people like Edward a mandate to think that their appalling views are acceptable.
During the debate I would often hear leavers saying things like ‘my grand fought and would be ashamed of Britain now’. No, he would be ashamed of Britains attitude and the fact we are about to break from a union created so his grandson would not have to fight and die.
I agree with you. The EU should always be seen, first and foremost, as a memorial to those who died in useless wars, because they are the reason it happened.
“The European Union is set up with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody wars between neighbours, which culminated in the Second World War. As of 1950, the European Coal and Steel Community begins to unite European countries economically and politically in order to secure lasting peace. The six founding countries are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.”
The British would also do well to remember that Britain’s military deaths in WWI were 744,000, France was 1,150,000, Austria was 1 million and Germany 1.8 million. There were 377,000 Frenchmen and 337,000 Germans killed in the Battle of Verdun, alone. The destruction was such in some regions that there were no men left to work the land and where I used to live in the south-west of France, whole towns were repopulated by immigrants from other countries: There are, in consequence, Italian and Polish towns…
God Bless those who gave their lives.
Unfortunately, like other things such as the NHS, Welfare system, and other public services that began as a support for those most needy, the EU has become open and vulnerable to rampant abuse. I believe our biggest enemy is the bigotry of Political Correctness because it renders people and countries unable to defend themselves against all kinds of things… who allows it to propagate?
I agree with you. My Grandad served in ww2, ( he died before I was born) according to my dad he often said how he loved the poles and there fighting spirit. He would undoubtedly be sick with the way some people are treating them at the moment.
I do not agree with Edward at all – but I do think its rather clear that he is stating his honest opinion without any intention to abuse or degrade other readers/commenters.. Maybe Im a bit sensitive here – Just think that (even controversial) opinions respectfully conveyed should be adressed with less abusive responses.. Cant help thinking your blood must be boiling every time you switch on the TV, go online or open a paper… Anyhows, thanks for the article Joe and a good evening to you, Edward and benk.
Finally some common sense, the histrionics are getting tiresome.
Edward, on a day that we remember the many lives lost to war perhaps it would be good to think carefully about casting an entire group of people as alien influences. The act of othering can only lead to needless violence.
Perhaps we could find a place for people of your mindset, your own kind and leave the rest of us, who can tolerate differences, to do so.
But I thought it was about leaving the EU..all white Christian people last time I checked. Muslims, Hindus, blacks ,etc. come from Britannia’s former colonies .
You need to check again
I could not agree with Edward more. I have to add that while the EU wants to play nice, there are others who wish to be more powerful and take over the world. It has happened before, and the crusades reversed their aggressions.
No matter how much a country sings “kumbaya”, the wolves will still try to get the sheep. Only now, the shepherds want to open the gates to the folding so the wolves can waltz in unchallenged.
The Barbary Wars were the USA’s first international war, and the enemy has not changed since then, only the tactics and materiel.
Unfortunately, the camel’s nose is already under the tent, if not most of the camel. (pun unavoidable)
I fear for the future of the EU, and also fear that another ‘crusade’ is in the cards.
Remember, the ones who started the wars were not the ones that ended them, so in the future it would be better to differentiate between the two when discussing nationalism.
That’s my two cents. Thanks for the wonderful insight into your point of view.
Well, maybe the Germans aren’t Greeks and the Poles aren’t French… but when they come over here, they forget all that and get along just fine.
Sometimes it takes a couple generations, but they do get to it. Then we remember our roots on holidays and grandma’s birthday, but the rest of the time we’re mainly just Americans with an entertaining range of surnames.
I thought Europeans were trying to do basically the same thing, but with beautiful old cities and better vegetables. Claiming people can’t or won’t is based on denial of available evidence. Despite our several shortcomings, one thing that Americans have proved is that it can be quite normal.
It happens because, once you get to the heart, folks is folks. To put it another way, e pluribus unum.
I suspect your name is actually Geert Wilders.
The guy on the Metro was right.
“God bless them, but…”
If you’re going to insult over 1 billion people you can probably leave the “God bless them” out; nobody is going to confuse you with a person of faith. And the irony of you talking about poisonous mindsets…
Being a muslim who work for a very large enterprise in UK, I feel very much the part of society. I felt so honoured to discuss the issue of brexit with my white british colleagues. I would not go as far to typecast you as a person. But please try to think rationaly and take a wider look at the society and world. You would realise that ordinary folk are just interested in their bread and butter. Its the politicians who let people down. If you think that ISIS represent majority of muslims views then you are wrong. They are a terrorist organization who have their political motives. Please study the history and you will find that europeans including British, French, Dutch and Portugese have had a cordial relationships with muslims since they colonised mulsim countries in Asia and Africa. Some of my ancestors worked for British Goverment in Indian sub continent and Africa during 19th and 20th century and for their services for the crown, they were given titles and some of them were even moved to UK in 1970s and 1980s. Those people and their descendants are proud Brits and worth billions to the economy. There are good and bad people every where. If all people were bad the world would stop to exsist. For those who have extreme views and are intolerant wether of any faith, they should know that no body cares. Grave yard is full of indespensible people. Peace .
Wise words Mr MKhan!
As a British, (small c) christian now living in a majority muslim country, I completely agree with your post. “ordinary folk are just interested in their bread and butter. Its the politicians who let people down.”
There are fanatics on the fringes of religions, there are also politicians and clerics who for the own ends promote intolerance and fear of the unknown.
Edward, we are Gaels, Scots, Irish, Celtic, Welsh, Nordic, Saxon, Dane, German, Hunnish, Latin,Greek, and at least another dozen bloodlines.
You, if you think you are English, are all of these things, and probably a great many more. Every single nation of North Western Europe has staggeringly
complex geneology and your claims to be different from the rest of us are simply laughable.
Except, in the context of your distorted ideas, they are anything but laughable.
A classic example of the statement ‘a little education is a dangerous thing’ – The subtleties of Joes post fly above the head of those unable to think beyond basic concepts.
For example I am sure that if Joe had known that he would get replies like this one he would have mentioned that 400,000 Muslim commonwealth troops served in WW1, Of that massive force, 62,060 were killed in action. They gave their lives at epic battles such as the Somme and Ypres. Hundreds were killed in a gallant, but futile, engagement at Neuve Chappelle.
So why not re-read Joes post and try and broaden your mind to take in the context he paints for the EU question for Brits related to those that gave their lives in pointless wars
Yet the ones who have given the least are always the ones going on about how bad the EU is because they claim big expenses and let in refugees
I heard someone say the ‘lunatics have taken over the asylum’ but really its the ‘thickos have taken over the benefits office’
There are also several Chinese WW1 cemeteries in France
I wonder what the men & women that lost their lives in defense of their country, having fought to defend it’s principles and to preserve their way of life (rather than live under an oppressor) would think of casually handing over control of their society? Most importantly, laws impacting their economy and way of life. I must be a racist right wing quack to raise that question.
Europe has big problems. Somehow they magically fixed the economic dominoes (sure they did) and now a wave of unchecked immigration / refugees many from intolerant societies streams in. You can love them all you want, it doesn’t mean they love you back. They don’t all have an epiphany the minute they enter a western country and embrace it’s values. Utopian values are wonderful but naivety isn’t.
I said them and they instead of the all inclusive us, proof I’m racist. I’m not progressive enough, okay they don’t want their children marrying mine, there must be something wrong with us, we’re just not trying hard enough! Maybe we should convert, no they still don’t like the way we look. What can we do to kindly have them look beyond our difference of appearance, there must be something, think dammit. (lampooning the p.c culture of trying too hard)
What qualifies the EU to competently manage Britain’s future? There is nothing wrong with Britain redefining how it is involved with the EU and negotiating an element of control in a German dominated EU. More prominent British values within the EU would be beneficial. I said German I must be a bigot. A little homeland security may not be a bad idea either for Britain given the terrorism that is becoming all too frequent.
I wonder what a realist is?
Edward is in the realist camp. The do gooders that see red with his comments need to direct their ire towards people shooting up airports. Yes, I’m saying the dreaded ‘they and them’ all want to shoot up airports – no I’m not. But it would be refreshing if it was not the p.c do gooders that were the first reminding everyone how these actions don’t represent all – you fill in the blanks.
Why isn’t the group that these type of terrorist attacks most negatively affect by association, the one publicly, strongly, regularly and highly critically condemning this element in an effort to ostracize it? What a bigoted question to ask.
Freedom wasn’t free, don’t give it away until certain of the benefits, far too many paid dearly for your privilege.
Pop quiz, hotshots: who said: “Trouble doesn’t come from Slopes, Kikes, Niggers, Spics or White Capitalist Pigs; it comes from the heart.”
PJ O’Rourke is who, the notorious comsymp and unwitting tool of the fiendish barbarian hordes of Islam
Why are you so angry?
+1
The voice of common sense – how do we let these self serving messers work for us?
A very moving piece, Joe.
I’m rarely moved to comment but this is absolute sense and should be required reading for quite a lot of people in the UK right now. There are lessons in history which they are currently ignoring and I live in fear that the current situation has the potential to bite us in ways I don’t want to think about/
Bravo!
Thank you Joe, for being more than a motorsport journalist, thinking that your readers have a brain.
Such an eloquent, moving and timely piece. Thank you for writing it.
Puts motor racing into proper context this week Joe, thanks for writing a thought provoking piece something that non motorsport fans need to read
I was up early this morning to get a head start on the day but actually ended up leaving the house late after watching the thought provoking coverage on the special day by the BBC.
The fact is that ALL War is Terrorism.
I am reminded of old boy from my youth who came out with the contradictory line of “All war is bad; I’m a pacifist and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise!”
As ever, concise and totally appropriate.
My great uncle fell this day though it took him several days to die before being buried at Etaples but I think we all have similar tales. There was only one village in England that had no deaths.
For those who have not read it I can highly commend Sebastien Faulkes’ book of the same name. The war itself was an appalling slogging match so quite difficult to follow but there are one or two books worth reading for those inclined.
Let us hope sanity comes to “our sceptred isle”
Well said Joe. My family spent 10% of the 20th century in war.
This is the core reason for the European Union and I bless it that I and my children have not had to do the same.
Motor racing is just a game. A good one but just a game.
Lovely post, Joe.
Very well said Joe. I’ve really enjoyed your posts this week. All very sensible and spot on.
You have had peace for 70 years because of 180,000 American army troops in Europe making sure you don’t go back to your national past times of cutting each other’s throats.
You need to read some history books and not watch John Wayne movies.
Read about Hiram Maxim and the advice he got in 1882 on how to become rich. Which worked out very well for him
No doubt you think WWII started in 1941 then?
Most Yanks do.
Short and rigth to the point.
Birdsong…One of the most moving and chilling novels I have read.
Sebastion Faulks take on the first world war and the atrocities of this day in history wont fail to delight you disturb you an outrage you, all in equal measures.
Thanks for this post Joe, not least for reminding me of the way that book painfully enticed my education of that part history and of mankind’s evil.
But as Einstein said:
The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.
Just finished reading your book “The Grand Prix Saboteurs” a very good book indeed! The last few chapters bring home the barbarity of war!!!
The only thing that exceeds the courage and honor of the common soldiers who went into the maw of war is the stupidity and arrogance of the politicians and generals who enabled the conflicts.
Tho flower photo immediately brought to mind the classic Peter Paul & Mary anti war song, “Where have all the flowers gone”.
Wonderful insightful documentary,
” Apocalypse” chronicling WW1 events, from the common soldiers perspective. Worth watching if it can be found.
Thanks Joe.
joe, you will understand why last night I went to one of my bookshelves and took down my copy of toni and valmai holt’s book Battlefields of the first world war and re-read the chapter on the battle of the Somme
as I am sure you know the land containing the crater was purchased in 1978 by a gentleman called Richard Dunning as a personal memorial to those who fought in the battle and in particular to those of both sides who were killed in the crater …he erected the cross at the site
the lochnagarcrater.org website gives details of how this came about which might interest you in view of your connection and he is open to discussions about adding any memorial which he considers suitable ; the one that I found especially moving was a bench with a plaque …….Donated by friends who visit in memory of friends who remain
incidentally , did you know that one of these huge mines still exists ?
when the messines ridge was attacked 21 were installed but only 19 were exploded and the other 2 left ; one explode in a thunderstorm in 1955 with light casualties [ one cow ] but the other is still there …somewhere
I guess from your appropriate title that you have read Birdsong by sebastian faulks …if I am in error I commend it to you
Of course I have read Faulkes. The two pages or so before the Battle of the Somme is, in my opinion, some of the greatest writing in the English language.
I now know what book I am going to read next…
While the poignant numbers referenced about The Battle of the Somme are thought provoking in terms of the waste of human life, it is erroneous to confuse the ‘achievements’ of the EU with the general maturity of European nations as a whole.
Those dates quoted with regard to certain major wars suggests warfare was a cyclical thing however that was not the case. Indeed, if we’re looking at major European wars conducted during the 19th century one should also be citing 1821, 1823, 1826, 1828, 1848 (x3), 1864, 1877, 1885 and 1897. (And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, use Google.) The previous 3-4 centuries had ~double the number of major wars and previous to that warefare was an on-going modus operandi.
Its also worth bearing in mind that many a major conflict came about due to one group of people seeking independence/autonomy from another – Greek and Turkish Wars of Independence as well as more recently the third balkan war are just some examples. One could argue such conflicts were at least more ‘justifiable’ than those centred purely on nations seeking power. However as Europe moved into the latter 20th century, even seeking independence through outright war has generally cessated – dissolution of the USSR and the split of the Czech Republic and Slovakia both occured outside of the EU.
Looking at the rate of warfare being conducted across Europe over the last 500 years, we see this was already diminishing century by century as nations became more civilized and realized it was more productive to seek peaceful resolutions to disagreements. Thus, whether the EU had come about or not, this gradual reduction of using force as a means to push ones own agenda has been slowly eroded. In fact, the very fact that the UK is seeking a political means of extracating itself from the EU is evidence of this (as is the notion of Scotland seeking independence through peaceful means rather than rioting on the streets).
While the notion of the EU is admirable, it has also become the very thing it was conceived to prevent – a focus for where unelected individuals seek to further their own gain and power. Having an overly bureacratic organization that is unable to react swiftly to rapidly shifting political, economic, geo and social issues is testament to the fact that it has outgrown its usefulness. It is very much the modern day League of Nations, and needs overhauling from top-down. We should indeed learn from the past and realise when certain organizations have had their day and need to be replaced by something able to address the demands of a 21st century Europe.
I wholeheartedly disagree with you.
Then on this matter we shall simply have to agree to disagree.
Why are so many Americans so disconnected from reality ?
How many do you kill each year with your crazy guns ?
Oh and thankyou for the mess in the Middle East !
Sadly, we haven’t matured to the point where we’re immune from the dang media getting half the people all scared and worked up… as a result, we let right-wingers get away with far too much.
We don’t have any good excuses for it… it is what it is.
We’re supposed to be better than that, but we aren’t. I’m hopeful we’ll figure it out. But we haven’t yet…
Fewer are killed by guns than by swimming pools.
Is the NRA aware if this? Surely this is time to issue lifeguards with guns.
It is a well documented (by the government) fact. Five gallon buckets drown almost as many infants as swimming pools.
One of the proposed solutions was to put holes in the bottom of the buckets!
That is utter nonsense… another non-fact being passed off as the truth when in reality it’s completely absurd…
A between 3,000 and 4,000 people per year in America drown or otherwise die in swimming pools… more than 30,000 people die in America from gunshot wounds…
What’s well documented is that gun nuts completely misrepresent the truth as a routine matter… in some cases they know it… in many cases they’re just passing on another lie they heard somebody else claim is true…
From 2005-2014, there were an average of 3,536 fatal unintentional drownings (non-boating related) annually.
in 2013, firearms were used in 73,505 nonfatal injuries (23.23 per 100,000 U.S. citizens) and 11,208 deaths by homicide (3.5 per 100,000), 21,175 by suicide with a firearm, 505 deaths due to accidental discharge of a firearm. (CDC)
I should have qualified my facts better. Criminal activity and suicide are far greater, but accidental deaths by guns are 1/3 that of pools.
No, what you should have done is to have more sense than to think the concern about our USian gun problem is “accidental firearm discharge”.
You should also show some modicum of ethics and stop posting alleged gun facts about things that are just a very minor part of the enormous issue of gun deaths in America.
As it is, it appears that you are cherry-picking your numbers in order to deceive. This has become a std right-wing trick: post nonsense that misleads, and then wait for someone else to provide a correction. Then, once corrected, you still don’t apologize. Instead, you obfuscate by hiding the truth amid a mind-numbing set of various factoids.
“… you obfuscate by hiding the truth amid a mind-numbing set of various factoids.”
No, I just differentiate between legal, responsible ownership and criminal activity.
Time to wrap this one up
So, ban swimming pools and buckets, or guns? Which would work out better? Honestly?
On the face of it, guns. (ask Mexicans how that’s working)
While we’re at it, ban cars, too. I’m pretty sure just as many people are killed or injured in car accidents.
“While the notion of the EU is admirable, it has also become the very thing it was conceived to prevent – a focus for where unelected individuals seek to further their own gain and power. Having an overly bureacratic organization that is unable to react swiftly to rapidly shifting political, economic, geo and social issues is testament to the fact that it has outgrown its usefulness. It is very much the modern day League of Nations, and needs overhauling from top-down. We should indeed learn from the past and realise when certain organizations have had their day and need to be replaced by something able to address the demands of a 21st century Europe.”
First of all you’re a racist because you have criticized the EU and made a logical argument for Britain to be disillusioned with EU membership.
Secondly, they’re just getting started, can you imagine the bureaucratic free for all an unchallenged EU would evolve into. Jean Todt getting his ample snout into the trough is just a sign of the plum positions already being doled out. Good for Britain to challenge the status quo. Accountability time for the self important bureaucrats.
How many? A lot less than in dozens of other countries. Pop over the border from the evil US to wonderful Mexico. You’re probably about 50 times more likely to be shot by some scumbag with a gun.
The Middle East? Thank Messrs. Sykes and Picot and their Russian mates.
What an idiotic thing to write.
Richard, you wrote, “How many do you kill each year with your crazy guns?”
Define who “who” is.
One group is responsible for almost all of it – criminals. Normal folks are not-just like the rest of the world. America has a crime problem, not a gun problem.
The nationalism Joe discusses is the same – a few use it as an excuse to attack others. The rest are patriotic citizens who are proud of their country, and were (are) willing to die to protect their nation from the former.
So who do you suggest Johnson, Farage or Putin ?
We keep saying it but let us hope they and their successors did not die in vain.
Amen, Mr Ballard
Have to agree with you Mr Ballard, and not for the first time either. My Paternal Grandfather & his Brother-in-Law had been in the thick of the Royal Navy engagement with the German High Seas Fleet a month back and a hundred years ago…..whilst my Maternal Grandfather & my Maternal Great Uncle were amongst the lucky ones who survived the First Day of The Somme. We can all have different views on things in life, but for my part, i think the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, of which we remain a significant partner, has been the single most effective means of holding Peace between European countries, since WW2. I can’t see us ever leaving it, nor any of the others in Europe, nor the USA. Which is all good and positive. Despite the seriousness of the Remembrance of The Somme, it is good to have a positive to point at, as Joe of course, is always highlighting positives.
Just count the number of years there was no war in Europe between the end of the first European Union, that ended in the 4th century, and the early beginnings of the 2nd after WWII. It will quickly become clear that even a bureaucratic, badly run EU is much preferred over no EU at all.
Incidentally I made this point on a Dutch website last week and most comments on it were in line with Mr. Ballard or Edward (above) only in much, much ruder language. The Netherlands, once a haven of tolerance, is quickly becoming an embarassement to itself. If there was a vote today, there would be a Nexit, the stupidity of which is indescribable.
The Netherlands of course played no great part in WWI, we were neutral. We did house about 2 million refugees at the time, on a population of about 8 million. Today we are in trouble when 30.000 Syrians come for shelter.
And to Joe. A few years ago Dutch writer Geert Mak published his book ‘In Europa’, which today is considered a standard work on European history in Dutch language. I believe it’s available in English translation and I highly recommend it to you.
The book was turned into a tv series (probably available on YouTube, in Dutch) and your post made me remind one episode where the writer visited the Somme region. The farmers there still can’t use heavy machinery to work the land, because they might plough over an explosive. To me that’s a very strong image. Unfortunately it’s not only unsafe field, the minefields around the world are a constant reminder of indiscriminate human destruction. I’m thankfull for the wise men that decided I don’t have to live the uncertain, war-riddled life of my ancestors.
Are you advocating political union over self-determination? Which is the greater priority from a humanitarian perspective? Let us not forget the latter is a core principle of international law and is protected in the UN charter (a body that predates and has a mandate far beyond that of the EU).
Let us not forget that many nations were born from removing themselves from the shackles of the ‘union’ of a colonial power – yes the initial decades that followed led to turmoil (and in many cases still exist, particularly in Africa). However, even with the chaos that has ensued, if you ask those citizens of these new independent nations if they would prefer to revert back to governance under France, the UK, Spain, Holland or whatever European nation held sway over them, or remain independent and free to determine their own will and destiny, you would find few who would agree to the notion of turning back the clock.
The citizens of the UK, whether rightly or wrongly, feel to a lesser extent, constrained by the bureacracy of the EU. Their desire for self-determination outweighs their need for financial stability. Perhaps there is a lesson for those in Brussels to overhaul and modernize now before they are deemed totally incompetent and ineffective and therefore irrelevant – I sincerely hope this reform does come about, if not for the UK’s sake, then the remaining member states.
Have you noticed how a strong effort to engage in the debate is met with little or no attempt whatsoever to challenge your arguments, but lots of virtue-signalling or plain “you are wrong”?
No
What is “virtue signalling”?
Yes.
Quick question Joe: The email blog post I viewed thru my phone shows a photo of poppies. When viewed through a browser the photo turns into a shot of the crater.
Are both photos embedded in the post and my POS phone lacks the tech to view properly?
Regardless, thanks again for the poignant article.
I changed the photos.
Well said, Joe! In these times of incredibly short memories, looking back at where we’ve been is often the only way to know which way is forward. Those who do not remember history is doomed to repeat it – a sentiment which fits the current EU discussion equally well as it does the F1 rulemakers…
“Don’t ever let anyone tell you that nationalism is a good thing.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Sadly, it is just this sort of jingoistic flag waving from large swathes of England, that is pulling the UK apart. These people aren’t waving flags for Britain, or even talking about Britain. They talk about England (at least in all the news bites I’ve seen). It is England driving towards independence, not Scotland, or Ireland or anyone else. It’s incredibly narrow-minded and shows an unbelievable lack of understanding of the bigger picture.
Well done Joe for continuing to share your sincerity.
Thanks for this excellent piece, Joe.
Like you, I live and work in France. On Thursday night I was on the Metro in Paris and struck up a conversation with a French guy standing next to me. He said how he hoped that the referendum would not be in favour of Brexit because that would “encourage all the fascists in Europe “. It has.
My grandfather and I disagreed about a lot, especially politics. This is probably not surprising considering I was twenty five and he was close to ninety. But we spoke of the EU once.
He had fought in world war two. He trained as a paratrooper and qualified, we still have his red beret at my father’s house, but broke his ankle on a rooftop landing during training meaning he was not sent to Europe. Instead he became an officer and fought in Burma, at one point he was acting Major and in charge of over five hundred men. Luckily for my family grenade shrapnel injured him and he was sent away from the front lines.
He visited Germany about five years ago. He rather enjoyed his time there and I suspect he felt happy to see what had emerged from the defeat of the Nazis. He was a supporter of the EU, critical but considered it’s influence in keeping the peace of paramount importance.
I’m not sure what the future holds for me, or my son. It is a interesting period in history. When you look at the rise of rightwing nationalist ideology across Europe, the recession and slow recovery, the information age and jobs being taken away by automated systems, global warming, terrorism and islamaphobia it can be a rather scary period. But I know, no matter what else, me and my friends like me will do everything in our power to avoid repeating the bloody mistakes of the past.
RIP John Markham.
It is always interesting to hear the views of someone who has seen the other side of the coin, as it were. Sounds like your grandfather lived quite a life. Thank you for sharing with the rest of us.
Wholeheartedly agree with your post, Joe…
And just as we go to the osterreichring, the news of Austria’s presidential election invalidated comes down, darkening prospects of unity, since the exreme-right candidate nearly won.
Some people with a short capacity to think transform their own fears into hatred for those who seem more vulnerable.
What can we do to confront this?
Maybe pretty much what you’ve just done Joe, by calling back our fresh history, as I believe most “exiters” even though keep bragging about being “true nationals” don’t even know their country’s History
Very moving and laudable, Joe. But there’s a ‘but’. Firstly, I think you can argue that national pride, [if you prefer that expression to the tainted ‘nationalism’] is what motivated the heroes of WW2 to save this country from Nazism.
Like most emotions, it can have both positive and negative results.
Secondly, altruistic desires to spare the Continent more bloodshed may have motivated some Common Marketeers in the 1950s, but what they established was the EEC – a European free trade union, not a political union. How on earth does an unelected body of bureaucrats dictating to Britain how many hours a week they are allowed to work serve the noble ideals of a war-free Continent?
Britain has a wonderful record of tolerance towards minorities, unlike its European neighbours. If they now want to assuage their guilt by opening borders to millions of immigrants form Islamic countries without knowing who they are, why does Britain need to go along with this?
Surely a more balanced view would be to acknowledge that had ‘Europe’ listened to its critics for just one moment, we would never have had this referendum. In fairness, most of our criticism should be levelled at arrogant Brussells and Strasbourg.
Btw, I am with the Remain lot!
There is not a but today. Today is about people who died 100 years ago.
“There is not a but today. Today is about people who died 100 years ago.”
And yet you used it to make a political point about the EU.
It was not a political point. It was an educational point. Education is what is required in the UK right now, not politics.
“Britain has a wonderful record of tolerance towards minorities, unlike its European neighbours. If they now want to assuage their guilt by opening borders to millions of immigrants form Islamic countries without knowing who they are, why does Britain need to go along with this?”
Agreed, the majority of EU nations, especially the smaller countries are far more racist than Britain. Britain was accepting minorities in large numbers in the 60’s if not before. I also agree on questioning unelected bureaucrats and a rudderless EU which aspires to govern.
When you say “unelected beaurocrats” do you mean the (elected) European parliament, the Council of Europe (elected heads of state), or the commisioners (appointed by the elected heads of state in the Council to rep esent them, because they can not be in two places at once). Or do you mean the beaurocrats that disseminate the decisions of the above three bodies (a bit like the beaurocrats in Whitehall do)?
Well said Biggin.
Here, here.
Very eloquently put Joe – thank you
Thank you, Joe.
Joe,
I’ve been away from the computer for a week, and am just catching up on your blog. I want to tell you that I appreciate your writings, all of them, on topics that are not directly related to racing. Although I do agree with your point of view, that is irrelevant. I always enjoy hearing and learning from others, especially those who are well educated and well travelled, and you certainly qualify on both counts.
I don’t get commenters on this blog, or others, who feel it is their job to change the author’s mind. IMHO, an author is putting his ideas out there to fuel the readers’ minds, NOT as a request that his be modified. The reader is free to accept of reject…this era of two way communications with writers is a double edged sword.
Thank you for your efforts. They are appreciated in this household.
Mike Hodish
Mike, this is the comment section of Joe’s blog. Intelligent discourse is healthy. Joe is one of the best at it.
You might have heard about this event involving hundreds of actors across UK railway stations this morning
#Wearehere: Battle of the Somme tribute acted out across Britain
This newspaper article gives you more information.
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jul/01/wearehere-battle-somme-tribute-acted-out-across-britain
Briliant post, Joe.
I’m glad you’re ignoring those who think you should only report on the F1 bubble, as if you wouldn’t understand anything else, what with your education, etc.
I was at Lochnagar crater last year with my wife, as part of a visit to trace a couple of our ancestors’ movements (and in one case, grave) during WW1. We were very moved, especially as there is a new grave there of a soldier who was only uncovered recently. Farmers still, 100 years on, find bits of weaponry, scraps of clothing, and human remains, in the surrounding fields, and all along the various front lines. Trying to picture the human carnage is almost beyond comprehension.
Some people just don’t get it though, and sadly never will. I despair at the clownery and infighting that is our current political scene over here, and I despair even more at the recent vicious hate crimes which seem to be directed at anyone who is thought to be an immigrant. These things, if unchecked, really do lead to new conflicts.
A very poignant piece and a very stark picture that really brings home the horror and despair that must have been in the air on those dark days.
It is interesting to see how a group of petrol heads that are united by their love of F1 respond to these wider issues.
Thanks Joe for bringing some perspective.
War is Satan’s greatest pleasure…
July 1 is an especially sad day for the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador for it marks the 100th anniversary of the virtual annihilation of the (Royal) Newfoundland Regiment. This useless slaughter changed the history of the tiny island (perhaps a population of 200,000 in 1916?) for the worse. The battle and the terrible loss were commemorated today in France, and last night by a very poignant documentary on the CBC.
Indeed so, the Newfoundland Memorial Park at Beaumont Hamel is one of the most poignant places on the Somme. The trenches are still there and there is the partial remains on a mine crater (if I recall)
FOR WHAT? I ask this question every day, thank you Joe!
I don’t know if you know museum at Péronne Joe but would recommend it for anybody who has an interest. A few years since we visited it, it may been relocated now, but we found it very moving.
Yes, I know it well. There is also another very good one at the Caverne du Dragon on the Chemin des Dames, just to the south of Laon.
Thanks – we went there to visit a while ago but not the museum. It’ll be an interesting diversion from the tedium of the A26.
Great article!
The pen is indeed mightier than the sword. Thank you Joe.
At times your writing transcends Motorsport and asends to another level, this entry is one of those times. Thank you.
We are, again, greatly indebted to you for your ideas and insights from well outside the F1 domain.
With sincere appreciation,
J.
Great article.
I’ve been listening to the “Hardcore History” podcasts over the holidays (thoroughly recommended for gardening or long drives) and the Somme is covered fairly well.
http://www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-53-blueprint-for-armageddon-iv/
As the Nobel committee said in 2012:
The EU is currently undergoing grave economic difficulties and considerable social unrest. The Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to focus on what it sees as the EU’s most important result: the successful struggle for peace and reconciliation and for democracy and human rights. The stabilizing part played by the EU has helped to transform most of Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace.
Great post Joe. Thanks.
Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind.
– Albert Einstein
The EU is not the cause of peace, it is a consequence of peace.
Though the idea was set down as early as 1950, European political union in the form of the EU did not exist until the early 1990s, and yet we managed to avoid war on the continent of Europe for over 45 years, and the Berlin Wall fell. Shortly after its formation, the EU was tasked with preventing war, and it failed spectacularly and shamefully; the US and NATO – the true harbingers of European peace along with the horrors of the first half of the 20th Century which still live in our consciousness – had to step in to deliver the peace.
As for the United Kingdom, we as a modern nation do not need lectures on democracy and peace. We, along with our brothers and sisters from the Commonwealth, stood alone twice last century to defend the right of peoples to govern themselves and reject the notion of a European superstate, and supranationalism (which history shows to be far more lethal than nationalism). Don’t use Google, my friends, read some books. You might learn that what we euphemistically refer to as “Western democracy” or “Western civilisation” is NOT the natural condition of humans, but is something nurtured on a small, green island on the northwest tip of the Eurasian landmass (hat tip to Hannan).
It is no coincidence that the EU is much favoured by people who subscribe to, or formerly subscribed to, the political views and policies of Marx, Lenin, Mao and Stalin. Indeed, at one point a few years ago, three of the top jobs were held by people who were formerly leaders of Marxist Communist parties.
The European Union is a catastrophically stupid, arrogant, anti-individual, anti-democratic idea which has done massive harm and done more to threaten peace in Europe than any other idea since 1945. It is corrupt, sclerotic, profligate, and arrogant, and last week it got a major warning from the nation which created the very concept of modern representative democracy: change or die. My grandfather died for me, and you, to have the voice to deliver such a message.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to observe the irony of thousands of people marching against the result of a democratic referendum in favour of an anti-democratic bureaucracy which actually takes pride in the fact that voters don’t matter and don’t have a voice (most of the time…).
I’ll leave you with a quote from a once extremely prominent Communist:
“The most puzzling development in politics during the last decade is the apparent determination of Western European leaders to re-create the Soviet Union in Western Europe.”
Google that.
You don’t get it, do you? Read a little and you will understand. Not really interested in you otherwise.
James makes an objective, rational and educated comment. Just because he offers a contrarian view does not mean he doesn’t understand. Those blinkered to a single mindset are those who need to open their minds to alternative perspectives and viewpoints.
His view is as biased as any I have read
I agree however the debate on the EU is filled with bias from Eurosceptics and Europhiles alike. This does not necessarily mean either side is without some merit.
I disagree with you wholeheartedly. Both of my mothers’ parents fought in the Dutch resistance after their home town of Rotterdam was razed by the Luftwaffe. My father managed to survive Auschwitz and the death march to Mathausen. That is why I have no cousins.
No one in the EU has been dragged out of their house in the night. No one has been put through what none of us want to imagine.
You equate food labelling laws, environmental protection and domestic appliance certification with totalitarian regimes? Really??
This reminds me of some of the many missives from USian anti-gov’t types who insist that we USians are living under tyranny.
Now, complaining about the gov’t is a perfectly fine and thoroughly American thing to do. Lots to complain about. (I sometimes think that’s half of what it’s for.)
But tyranny? In the U.S.? Where you can pretty much do whatever you please, including calling the Prez a traitor and a tyrant and God-knows-what-else, and nothing bad happens?
Believe it or not, they’re serious…
No more of this thread please.
OK… (sorry…)
Here in the U.S., we have a problem with politicians, who personally avoided combat through family connections and other chicanery, posturing and puffing out their chests as they readily send less-privileged boys and men into war.
In a more perfect world (one where I am King), I would require any politician who votes to send troops into harm’s way to have some skin in the game, i.e., if they have sons or daughters of military age, then their children would have to be sent to the front lines first.
With the same things at stake — loved ones at peril — as the less-well-connected, I suspect they would be much less bellicose, and might deliberate a bit more before voting for war.
Sadly Bob that was proven in WW1 not to be the case.
Not nearly enough discussion before hand and many of the sons of the leaders who perished.
I believe when Hindenburg saw the body of his step son towards the end he instantly suffered a nervous breakdown.
Over history it has often been a badge of honour.
In my opinion two of the most effective and meaningful July 1st memorials were the numerous soldier actors and the Exeter field of 19,240 shrouds.
One of the claims made during the Thiepval service was that the “Generals” learned the value of human life, sadly this was shown to be false. The 11th November 1918 when the Armistice hour was awaited was one of the most deadly days of the whole war in all of the armies.
Well said Bob.
Thanks Joe. A thoughtful piece. It pays us all to think a bit wider than our pleasures and interests once in a while. The loss of life in wartime is often attempted to be justified by the outcome – that belief is so hard to sustain when considering the Great War.