Haig; Murderer or Judged too harshly? (1 Viewer)

Haig your thoughts.

  • Cold callous killer,should have been shot.

    Votes: 2 7.1%

  • His later brilliant victories forgive Somme/Passchend

    Votes: 1 3.6%

  • Judged to Harshly, was under huge pressure

    Votes: 8 28.6%

  • Should just have been sacked after Somme

    Votes: 13 46.4%

  • Not convinced either way-open verdict

    Votes: 4 14.3%
  • Total voters
    28
Sorry, perhaps some would see that as another, low even for me, post. Maybe the poll should be put a bit higher so I could dance on it, I understand that poll dancing is very popular.
 
OzDigger said:
Sorry, perhaps some would see that as another, low even for me, post. Maybe the poll should be put a bit higher so I could dance on it, I understand that poll dancing is very popular.
Click to expand...

Yeah, tried that, no money in it:eek:;)

Simmo,you are the only one calling for Haig to be shot,you're a hard man my friend!:D

Rob
 
Not another bloody poll :eek:

Rob you now appear to be wearing the "stubborn mantle" that adorned the shoulders of the man you insist on defending. Trust me old mate Haig is far too controversial a figure to get military historians (professional academics and amateurs such as our merry band of brothers on here) to coming anywhere near an accurate consensus based on your thread/poll.

Your previous Fromelles thread proved what a minefield the subject is. Louis and others have articulated their views very admirably that they believed that Haigs tactics were practically of the "stone age". Not mentioned however, was the fact that some of his field commanders at the time also thought that. Allenby for one after the Battle of Arras lambasted Haig over the poor thought out strategy which resulted in him being transferred to the Palestine theatre-and we know how Allenby did there.

His much maligned quote about the machine gun "a much overated weapon that could be taken by pure grit & determination"-aligned with his explicit orders that the British tommy should walk slowly in line toward the enemy.
No wonder the Germans wrote after the battle "......all we had to do was load and reload. They went down in their hundreds" Not surprising that he wrote to the government that "......the nation must be prepared to see heavy casualty lists"

Haig's written report that first morning at the Somme ".....everything going like clockwork" with already thousands of British dead before lunch was served at the Lords cricket match which had started that same morning. Even when the casualty lists became known he never once visited the Somme front line to see what the hell was going on.

Another officer stated that Haig reminded him of the blind King of Bohemia at the battle of Crecy

And one final blistering comment from history is from one of his own countrymen "Haig was the greatest of the Scottish generals even better than William Wallace himself. Why? since he killed the most English soldiers in history"

Now you Rob have and probably will continue to counteract all my above and the rest of the guys previous comments with opposite stories/quotes etc of which you are entirely at liberty to do so but it wont change my mind and I doubt it will change the rest of the lads who come down on the same side of the minefield. Like I said Rob far far too controversial and imo a liitle flawed to have a poll on such.

Bob
 
Was just trying to get a conversation going Bob putting both sides of the argument.I have been criticized many times for my dispatches threads,and here I've tried to get a discussion going asking people to open their minds from perceived truths and and prejudice. Whether people like it or not the 'Lions led by Donkeys' myth is gradually being eroded and History is being looked at again. But I sense from several posts of late that we are not allowed to question these myths in any way,so will take my leave and return to my 'stories'.

Also I would have thought with an operation the size of the Somme,warning the public of casualties was plain common sense,they are still doing it today with our troops involved in smaller operations.

However I will say it one final time.Its about differentiating,there is a WORLD of difference between incompetance and deliberate murder.


Rob
 
Last edited:
Simmo's post,
"Rob this poll is childish and immature .Grow up and stop starting idiotic polls.Simmo".

Is the best of the day.

Regards
Brett
 
Rob said:
Yes the posts got mixed up for some reason on that one.

I posted that Louis had shown great restraint and in post no9 you replied 'you probably should Rob'. I just didn't understand that one.

Cheers:)

Rob
Click to expand...

Oh, I see. You had asked since the results were favorable to you position whether you should close. I was just agreeing with you :)
 
UKReb said:
Not another bloody poll :eek:

Rob you now appear to be wearing the "stubborn mantle" that adorned the shoulders of the man you insist on defending. Trust me old mate Haig is far too controversial a figure to get military historians (professional academics and amateurs such as our merry band of brothers on here) to coming anywhere near an accurate consensus based on your thread/poll.

Your previous Fromelles thread proved what a minefield the subject is. Louis and others have articulated their views very admirably that they believed that Haigs tactics were practically of the "stone age". Not mentioned however, was the fact that some of his field commanders at the time also thought that. Allenby for one after the Battle of Arras lambasted Haig over the poor thought out strategy which resulted in him being transferred to the Palestine theatre-and we know how Allenby did there.

His much maligned quote about the machine gun "a much overated weapon that could be taken by pure grit & determination"-aligned with his explicit orders that the British tommy should walk slowly in line toward the enemy.
No wonder the Germans wrote after the battle "......all we had to do was load and reload. They went down in their hundreds" Not surprising that he wrote to the government that "......the nation must be prepared to see heavy casualty lists"

Haig's written report that first morning at the Somme ".....everything going like clockwork" with already thousands of British dead before lunch was served at the Lords cricket match which had started that same morning. Even when the casualty lists became known he never once visited the Somme front line to see what the hell was going on.

Another officer stated that Haig reminded him of the blind King of Bohemia at the battle of Crecy

And one final blistering comment from history is from one of his own countrymen "Haig was the greatest of the Scottish generals even better than William Wallace himself. Why? since he killed the most English soldiers in history"

Now you Rob have and probably will continue to counteract all my above and the rest of the guys previous comments with opposite stories/quotes etc of which you are entirely at liberty to do so but it wont change my mind and I doubt it will change the rest of the lads who come down on the same side of the minefield. Like I said Rob far far too controversial and imo a liitle flawed to have a poll on such.

Bob
Click to expand...

Great post Bob. I love the quotes. As I have admitted to Rob, being born 50 years after the action, my statements are just opinions based on hearsay, but it is very interesting to see his contemporaries' poor opinions of Haig.
 
Okay, "nah, nah, nah..." :D

The only trouble is that the lyrics end "say goodbye.";)
 
Hi Brad I did not know until now that you don't like me. Fair enough you can't like everyone .I for one think you are ok and like to read your comments and views. I am all the things you have said about me on this forum, and the WIFE agrees!! But is it that I am a blue coller worker and not in the same class as some on this forum. My humour maybe simple to you and stupid but I am who I am. Who are you. Simmo.
 
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