Listen to the moment the guns fell silent ending World War I • Hacker News Board

Re: Listen to the moment the guns fell silent ending World War I

#81

Post by DubiousPusher » Tue, Mar 31, 2020, 11:28 PM UTC

CaptArmchair wrote: post #67

admax88q wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Imagine being brainwashed to the point that you purposefully get yourself killed because you only have a minute left to kill the others.

It wasn't so much plain brainwashing as it was a total lack of modern communication on the battlefield. Especially in 1918. Back then, communication happened via carrier pigeon, runners, telegram, telephone or telegraph. In extremely hostile conditions. Trench newspapers were the only alternate source soldiers and availability depended entirely on the situation on the ground. In fact, fighting didn't necessarily seiz…

There are many historical examples of generals and frontline troops continuing conflict after the fact for multiple reasons.

Some as innocuous as communication issues. Some as numbing as military bureaucratics. Some as terrible as hatred.

My point was never to attribute all such instances to hate or a desire to kill. But I see that all demonstrate well why war should be avoided at all costs.

Re: Listen to the moment the guns fell silent ending World War I

#82

Post by handojin » Wed, Apr 01, 2020, 3:40 AM UTC

4weekoldroses wrote: post #76

handojin wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs, And towards our distant rest began to trudge. Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots, But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots Of gas-shells dropping softly behind. Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time…

Which is this from? I would like to read it.

Wilfred Owen, 'Dulce et Decorum est.' That's it for that poem but he wrote more.

Re: Listen to the moment the guns fell silent ending World War I

#83

Post by ninju » Sun, Apr 05, 2020, 4:14 PM UTC

billziss wrote: post #27

Like others I found the recording profound at first. The birds at the end cheapened the experience for me because they made me question the authenticity of the sounds heard and whether this was leaning closer to an actual representation or an artistic interpretation. Perhaps somewhere in between. Assuming that this is leaning closer to an actual representation of the sounds heard on that morning (with the dubious add…

> The birds at the end cheapened the experience for me...

I agree. There is no way that the microphone were that sensitive. I understand what the artists were trying to "say" but yes it did distract from the power of the quiet