[Ended]

OTOH, the terrible truth is that it was necessary to order thousands of soldiers to their almost-certain deaths in order to win the war, and without a disciplined army this would not be possible. This says something about the value of discipline (in war or maths!) even when it's not obviously in your personal interest.

[eli_gottlieb]

World War I was a stupid war over stupid pride-issues between imperialist powers.

[jacquesm]

This goes for almost every war that was ever fought.

[eli_gottlieb]

Exactly!

[kwhitefoot]

Is that true? I mean: is it true that the actions where it was necessary to "order thousands of soldiers to their almost-certain deaths" were significant causes of the final outcome?

[jacquesm]

WWI was the first 'industrialized' war, trench warfare implied the certain death of a huge number of men if the lines were ever to move, it's basically a never ending meat grinder until one of the parties runs out of warm bodies, supplies or ammo.

The final assault on the remains of the entrenched opposition were without exception extremely bloody and the side that would take the others trench never did so without significant losses.

[thecopy]

Was is necessary to win the war?