Photos of the Great War

June 2, 2003 1:41 AM

Photos of the Great War is a collection of nearly 2,000 photos from World War One, ranging from the tragic to the peaceful to the unexpected. It also contains war albums by ordinary soldiers (such as this German machinegunner or U.S. sergeant) and a section devoted entirely to animals, featuring things like this gas-mask-wearing dog.
posted by Ljubljana (4 comments total)

Nifty stuff.
posted by Cyrano at 7:37 AM on June 2, 2003

This war has always fascinated me. Mosty for the reasons it started and the utter and total fruitlesness of the fighting. I studied it in college and it was a great course. This war is overlooked frequently. I think it's because it isn't easy to understand WHY it occurred (as say, WW2 was,) nor was there something as tremendous as the Holocaust or the nuclear bomb involved in it.

However, millions died to move a foxhole a foot in either direction. An entire generation was wiped out. And for what reason? Mostly because of interlocking treaties. A fascinating war. Really horrible.

Can you imagine living for YEARS in those foxholes? (The soldiers who fought often wouldn't come home for years on end.)

What a great site. It makes me want to read Barbara Tuchman's The Proud Tower again. Which, by the way, is a long and tough read, but one of the best about WW1 and why it happened.
posted by aacheson at 10:19 AM on June 2, 2003

This is great. Thankyou very much Ljubljana.
posted by plep at 10:37 AM on June 2, 2003

Excellent site Ljubljana - thanks! I love viewing historical events through photos.

I just recently came upon a WWII Picture of the Day site you may find interesting too.
posted by madamjujujive at 6:28 PM on June 2, 2003