I would like to share this gem from Blackadder.BridgeConsoleMasher wrote: ↑Tue Dec 26, 2023 5:15 am I mean as far as there being no good guys or bad guys in the "Great" War, that goes without saying. As far as any account I've read on the proceedings of the conflict though, Russia, UK, and France acted rather consistently in accordance with how UN or NATO contingencies are carried out.
I mean I'm sure there's a bit of a breakdown there by modern standards, but given there WASN'T an international charter or modernist association between them... The political proceedings for that matter were as if governors of each state in the US acted as the legislative and judicial body of the country. It's hard to imagine getting down like that. All they know by that nature with respect to one another is trade deficits.
Private Baldrick:
No, the thing is: The way I see it, these days there's a war on, right? and, ages ago, there wasn't a war on, right? So, there must have been a moment when there not being a war on went away, right? and there being a war on came along. So, what I want to know is: How did we get from the one case of affairs to the other case of affairs?
Captain Blackadder:
Do you mean "How did the war start?"
Lieutenant George:
The war started because of the vile Hun and his villainous empire- building.
Captain Blackadder:
George, the British Empire at present covers a quarter of the globe, while the German Empire consists of a small sausage factory in Tanganiki. I hardly think that we can be entirely absolved of blame on the imperialistic front.
Lieutenant George:
Oh, no, sir, absolutely not. [aside, to Baldrick] Mad as a bicycle!
Private Baldrick:
I heard that it started when a bloke called Archie Duke shot an ostrich 'cause he was hungry.
Captain Blackadder:
I think you mean it started when the Archduke of Austro-Hungary got shot.
Private Baldrick:
Nah, there was definitely an ostrich involved, sir.
Captain Blackadder:
Well, possibly. But the real reason for the whole thing was that it was too much effort not to have a war.
Lieutenant George:
By Gum, this is interesting. I always loved history. The Battle of Hastings, Henry VIII and his six knives, all that.
Captain Blackadder:
You see, Baldrick, in order to prevent war in Europe, two superblocs developed: us, the French and the Russians on one side, and the Germans and Austro-Hungary on the other. The idea was to have two vast opposing armies, each acting as the other's deterrent. That way there could never be a war.
Private Baldrick:
But, this is a sort of a war, isn't it, sir?
Captain Blackadder:
Yes, that's right. You see, there was a tiny flaw in the plan.
Private Baldrick:
What was that, sir?
Captain Blackadder:
It was bollocks.