History society Freshers 2017 Guide

historian historian VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1

Meet the committee...

Meaghan Ní Raghlaigh as Gráinne O’Malley Meaghan is flying the flag for the west on the DU History committee this year, just as her historical friend Grainne O’Malley did, albeit in the slightly different world of sixteenth century piracy. The similarities don’t end there however, and it is more than just their western heritage which makes this pair fit together so well. Gráinne was never afraid of a challenge, travelling to London to square up to Queen Elizabeth I in person. Likewise, Meaghan will have no fear in sticking it to the highest echelons of DU History power in this, her first year on the committee, if needs be. Another well-travelled committeer, Meaghan will return from her summer sojourn in the US with renewed vigour and a possible tan, much as Gráinne would have returned from her seafaring voyages four centuries ago. She will certainly be a major player for the society in 2017/18.

Hayley Douglas as Fidel Castro

Ciara Shevlin as Virginia Woolf

With new auditor Hayley having seized power in a bloodless coup at the DU History AGM, we now know who will rule over the society in the coming year, and the only question that remains to be answered is to what extent Hayley’s impending dictatorship will be a benevolent one. While large cigars and military fatigues might not be de rigour for Hayley, a shared passion for class politics make this match a no-brainer. Full of revolutionary plans and ideas for the society, Hayley might not last the 51 years in office that Castro racked up, but she’s aiming to squeeze as much into this year as she can. Having climbed the staircases of power from humble beginnings as first year rep, her time spent lying in wait is over and she will now have to decide if she will be an upstanding champion of the people, or something altogether more sinister. Most likely she will look to her historical pal Fidel for guidance and fall somewhere in between.

Ciara joins the committee as second year rep, having last year established herself as a key member of the society and an all round sound gal. Literary, mysterious, and a little bohemian, Virginia Woolf is undoubtedly the one for Ciara, who’s love for trendy books, trendy bands and trendy vintage shops is well known. Of course, Woolf had a darker side and while it has yet to be established which second year rep will be doing the most harassing of their year group, and which will take up the so-called ‘Conall Callery role’ of pulling strings behind the scenes, you can expect to see another side of Ciara this year. This will be as she employs every method of persuasion, cajoling, pushing and borderline psychological torture until every second year has agreed to attend a DU History event.

Béibhinn Breathnach as Florence Nightingale

Anita Kelly as Amelia Earhart

Another new face on the committee is Béibhinn, who completes the second year rep tag-team of English & History TSM students. Upon first inspection, Florence and Béibhinn may not seem like an obvious match, with Béibhinn lacking both Florence’s medical skills and general saintliness, while Florence can’t match up to Béibhinn’s flair for confidently performed DU History AGM speeches. However, dig beneath the surface and one will see more similarities than meet the eye with this pairing. Much like Florence, Béibhinn has a sensitive, entirely wholesome façade, with rumours suggesting she has only ever uttered a “naughty word” on one occasion, in an exclamation of pure joy upon her election to the DU History committee. However, beneath the thoroughly respectable exteriors of both Florence and Béibhinn exists the fortitude and grit necessary to survive in the tough worlds of 19th century military medicine and 21st century university history societies. With this grit in mind, Béibhinn is certainly not to be crossed and as such, if only for my own well-being, this writer certainly suggests she will be a significant figure for DU History in the coming year.

If Anita wasn’t running the well-oiled machine that is the DU History secretariat, it’s safe to say she would almost certainly be flying across the Atlantic in a bid to emulate her historical heroine, Amelia Earhart. Adventurous and daring, Anita isn’t afraid to go out of her comfort zone and try something new, as her off the cuff election to the committee of Food and Drink Soc proved. While this achievement might on the face of it seem a little less significant than being the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, the volume of snacks involved certainly make Anita’s accomplishment the more desirable of the two. With interests ranging from science to religion and history to denim jackets, Anita is without doubt the polymath of DU History, always on hand to enlighten us on some more obscure subjects. By now a veteran of the committee, she’s looking forward to bringing this wide range of interests into her role as secretary, so keep an eye on her weekly emails!

Conall Callery as Lorenzo de’ Medici Enthusiastic and enigmatic in equal measure, Conall has long sought to emulate his historical idol Lorenzo de’ Medici. Of all their shared traits (benevolent tyranny chief among them) it is their love of the arts that makes this a match made in historical heaven. While Lorenzo was one of the most significant patrons of the arts during the Renaissance period, Conall is often known to catch people off guard with his in-depth knowledge of Frederic Chopin or William Turner. One secondary-school debating club at a time, he has fought to turn his hometown Wexford into ‘the Florence of the south-east’. However it is a different aspect of Lorenzo’s life that Conall will hope to mimic this year, as he looks to the Medici’s famed banking empire as the model for the DU History treasury.

We all have the utmost confidence in our new treasurer, as despite the fact that he still owes the writer fourteen Polish Zloty from last years’ international trip, he swears he is ready and raring to go on all matters financial.

Imogen Kavanagh as Lady Augusta Gregory Imogen really is the 21st century incarnation of Lady Gregory, complete with a passion for literature, large reserves of charm and grace, and yes, a big house in the country. One of the society’s most enthusiastic members, she has also proven a very effective recruiter, to the extent that the current committee contains not one, not two, but three members of her S2S group from last year. In this regard she has echoed her historical alias, who nurtured the careers of figures like Synge and Yeats. Whether Gregory’s correspondence included quite as many semi-threatening emails as Imogen’s efforts to encourage/force her mentees/underlings to get involved in DU History did remains to be seen, but without doubt the effectiveness was similar. Freed from the shackles of S2Sing this year, Imogen will be taking as active a role as ever in the society, bringing that trademark Cashel charisma to all our events.

James Conroy as Elizabeth I

Katie Hastings as Alva Vanderbilt

Growing up, Elizabeth I was not expected to ascend to the throne, being third in line to succeed her father Henry. In a similar way, fellow red-head James was very much the surprise package of the DU History AGM, moving from the shadows to claim his place on the committee with a speech that was at times hilarious and at times bizarre, winning the hearts of the society’s members in the process. But as we all know, Elizabeth went on to achieve great things once she came to power, not least founding Trinity College in 1592. James will hope to impart a similar impact on college life during his time on the committee, although how he’s going to top founding the entire place remains to be seen. Nonetheless, in continuing the proud tradition of HistPol students in DU History, James is one to watch in the coming year.

Katie is a new face on the committee this year, but is just as well-known in DU History circles as her historical alter-ego, socialite and suffragette Alva Vanderbilt would have been in the (probably less glamorous) social circles of 1900s New York. Vanderbilt was famed for throwing opulent, decadent and debauched parties and Katie will be serving up a similar brand of intemperance and grandeur at DU History’s social events this year. Be it the Apollo Ball or a humble table quiz, expect big things from our Social Sec, with her having seen first-hand this summer how things are done in the US of A. Who knows,fresh from a summer on the exotic shores of Virginia, Katie may even have picked up a Vanderbilt-esque accent to match.

Cathal Byrne as Mikhail Gorbachev Cathal is ready to take the keys to Room 9 and hold the base at DU History HQ, having miraculously matured from his maiden days of the society Dingle trip, our Celbridge comrade successfully convinced our members that he has gained enough wisdom and poise to hold the position of librarian. While the Dingle trip is something from which he may never recover, we know that our Cathal has the vision and heart to reinvent the most indecent of legacies, much like his alter ego Mikhail Gorbachev reinvented Soviet relations in Cold War Europe. We’re sure Cathal’s peacekeeping tendencies will prove valuable when things get heated in the DU History chambers and our former first year rep has spent his summer practicing his international charm with tourists of Trinity. Keep an eye on this rising Soviet star.

Cormac Dowdall as Henry VIII Cormac is new to the DU History committee this year but is a familiar face to any who frequent the society’s social events. While those who witnessed his remarkable resurrection in Warsaw earlier in the year might suggest Jesus Christ as Cormac’s historical alter-ego, a shared love of parties, music and fashionable hats make Henry VIII the perfect match for this man. Henry of course had a serious side too and while we all encourage Cormac to keep the beheadings to a minimum this year, he will be looking to help keep the society ship shape and at the forefront of campus social life. He promises to be a very valuable addition to the committee, as long as he doesn’t argue with Pope Hayley I and break away to form his own Newbridge branch of the society.

Orla Forristal as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Orla makes her committee debut this year and as PRO she’ll be hoping to keep the society in the spotlight, just as her historical alias Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis remained in the spotlight throughout her life. As elegant and fashionable as Jackie, there is no doubt Orla will bring a touch of style and glamour to the society, but we can expect supplies of Nutella to dwindle, in light of former controversies. A society veteran at this stage, this is nonetheless Orla’s first time on the committee, and is certainly a very exciting addition. After spending the summer brushing up on her Photoshop skills, Orla is ready to provide the stunning graphics that DU History members are used to. Whether it’s tickets, posters or humourous doctored photos of certain committee members, keep your eyes peeled in the coming year for Orla’s sterling work.

Calling all First Years!

We are now recruiting two first year reps to complete our committee. In order to be a first year rep you must be studying Single Honours History of History and Political Science or be reading History through a Two-Subject Moderatorship. Keep a close eye on our emails and follow our Facebook page for more details so you don’t miss out.

Peter Malone as Winston Churchill This year sees former auditor Peter return as the elder statesman of the committee, but don’t expect him to take a back seat now that his best days may be behind him. Much as his historical doppelganger Winston Churchill experienced an Indian summer in his career, returning to the office of Prime Minister during the 1950s, when many said he was too old, and frankly too grumpy to make an impact, Peter will no doubt be a pivotal figure for the society this year, that is, if he can bring himself to leave his beloved Berkeley library. Aside from their shared longevity, other factors in the Peter-Winston bromance include Peter’s passion for the empire as well as his penchant for cigars and scowling. This fourth-year rep is undoubtedly one to watch, and come next year we may be saying that ‘this was his finest hour’.

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Editor Cathal Byrne Creative Director Orla Forristal

To new friends and returning faces, I would like to formally welcome you to the coming academic year and to the 85th session of DU History - one of Trinity’s oldest and most vibrant societies. Our aim is to provide you with the most exciting social events that Trinity has to offer, to host interesting and accessible academic guest speakers, to promise great trips abroad and at home, and to nail the really niche events that DU History does best. There is something for everyone at DU History and as a committee, we are dedicated to ensuring that our events are of the highest quality, with innovation at the heart of everything we do.

DU History is an incredibly active society, hosting at least one event a week in some really great locations. In the past, these have included the Georgian buildings of Henrietta Street, City Hall and most recently, Christ Church Crypt. We are constantly thinking about how we can improve our events for you and everymemberis kept up to date through our weekly emails and via our social media. As a society, it’s our greatest aim to ensure that every single member feels welcomed and embraced, and we welcome studentsfrom any discipline and any year. Whatever your interests, you will find something for you at DU History.

I hope that joining DU History brings you the same joy and opportunity that it has done for thousands of our members before you. The friendships and memories formed in DU History are once in a lifetime and will last years beyond your time in Trinity. Whether you enjoy funky social events and sell out club nights, a great list of academic speakers, our annual Apollo Ball and its stunning venues, or anything in between - DU History is the perfect society for you. The committee and I are really looking forward to getting to know you and we can’t wait to fill your year with amazing events and experiences. I urge you, whatever your background may be, get involved. You won’t regret it.

I look forward to getting to know you all soon.

Hayley Douglas, Auditor

Karansebes, 1788

Cian Cooney Senior Sophister European Studies

We all know of the time-honoured saying that sometimes you are your own worst enemy. Surprisingly this adage also applies to armies, as the Austrians both hilariously and tragically displayed in 1788. The Austrian Empire at the time was culturally and ethnically diverse, and as such, the Austrian Army recruited from among the many peoples who resided within its borders. However, this often posed linguistic problems between these auxiliary forces and the rest of the Army, as not everyone spoke the lingua franca (in this case German), necessitating interpreters. Not only that, but often the different nationalities constituting the Austrian Army came into conflict with one another, being historical enemies.

In 1787, the Ottoman Empire declared war on Russia and Austria. An Army of 100,000 men under the command of the hapless Emperor Joseph II sought to intercept the Ottomans. Scouts were sent on ahead of the main fighting force to reconnoitre the local land, searching for enemy. Towards this purpose, the Austrians used Hungarian Hussars, light cavalry suited for recon. However, the Hussars were notoriously undisciplined and had a propensity towards rape, pillage and murder when let loose.

On this occasion the Hussars were approached by a group of Roma gypsies selling booze (schnapps on this occasion – although history is silent on whether they were Peach flavoured or not…). Predictably, the Hussars bought up the schnapps and got drunk with their new found friends. A group of Austrian infantrymen saw what was happening and wanted a piece of the action – but the rowdy hussars were clearly angry drunks and not wanting to share their hard won drinks, fought off the soldiers with fisticuffs. During the melee, a musket went off, probably fired by a hussar, and fire was returned by the infantry. Other nearby units were spooked by the fire, and rationalising that it was the advancing Ottomans, opened fire at anything that moved.

The panic spread and before long, rumours of a Turkish attack had reached the main body of the army. Men shouting in the dark in foreign tongues only added to the confusion, and without interpreter on site, it was impossible to restore order. An artillery commander ordered his batteries to open fire to repel what he believed to be a major assault, and his guns began firing on any threatening movement. In the dark and confusion it was impossible to tell friend and foe apart, and the frightened soldiers shot first and asked questions later. Units began firing on each other, believing the other to be the Ottomans. At some stage the camp caught fire and destroyed resources vital to the continuation of the campaign. The Emperor himself was pushed from his horse into a stream amid the confusion. Discipline broke down completely as soldiers abandoned their units and making use of the chaos, began looting the nearby settlements.

When dawn broke the truth became clear – the Austrian Army had done battle with itself – and lost. Around 10,000 soldiers were either killed wounded or deserted during the course of one night, a full 10% of the Austrian forces. The army was forced to retreat and the town was captured without a fight by the Ottomans a few days later. However, the Austrians were eventually triumphant against their Ottoman foe, thanks to a combination Marshall Laudon’s return from retirement and the utter ineptitude of the Ottoman leadership who failed to capitalise on the disaster at Karansebes. The tragicomedy at Karansebes does remind us of another adage – ‘Friendly fire, isn’t.’ (And perhaps don’t drink on the job).

Apollo Ball 2017

Dining. Dancing. Debauchery.

DU History’s annual Apollo Ball promised a night far removed from the world of looming deadlines and reminiscent of a golden age of Ireland with the evening themed The Land of Saints and Scholars. This theme was carefully observed in the planning of the event which was set deep in the crypt of Christ Church Cathedral.

The venue of the ball was undoubtedly a highlight of the evening as the eleventh century crypt, with its hidden alcoves and arches offered a very different scene to the usual societal ball. The stone walls of Dublin’s oldest structure echoed the enchanting notes of an Irish harp as the entertainment for the evening. The calm and magical atmosphere in the crypt harkened back to a romanticised vision of the medieval banquets of the Emerald Isle.

The room plan for the ball was carefully designed to facilitate socialising as small pod tables were scattered throughout the chamber in the place of traditional dining tables. This allowed for groups to mingle and explore the crypt’s many areas with ease, although the limited seating was perhaps less favourable to those in high heels!

WARSAW TRIP 2017

The eighty fourth session

Upon arrival, each ticket holder was greeted and welcomed in the celebrious underground vault. The two-course meal was diverse and guests could taste a variety of dishes for main and dessert. As waiters weaved between the crowd with trays of food, a photographer mingled amongst the guests snapping pictures. Students with a little more patience and willingness to queue for the photo booth could also get a free, charming photo keepsakes to remember their night.

An early start was necessary on Monday morning to ensure that we allowed ourselves enough time to take in as much culture and history as possible. We visited POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, which is a modern building located in the middle of Warsaw’s old ghetto, honouring the contributions of Polish Jews to society in Poland and commemorating the persecution of Jews in Warsaw during the Holocaust. The museum was voted the best museum in Europe in 2016 and it is well worth a visit. After this, we walked to the Palace of Culture and Science and enjoyed the stunning sunset views from its rooftop terrace, the tallest in Poland.

The heavy March rain did not dampen the spirits of the ball attendees as the party was moved to South William to continue on into the small hours of the morning. The after-party commenced and harp playing was traded for dancing in the venue’s club style basement. Students that purchased after party tickets joined the revellers, all eager to enjoy their night and cheerfully dispense with any expectations of being saints or scholars.

After we dined and rested, we headed out on Warsaw’s town again. Unbeknownst to us, many nightclubs are closed in Warsaw on Mondays so our choice was limited and thus, we headed to the single most Europop nightclub in existence - mix the atmosphere of Coppers with the clientele of middle aged Polish couples dancing to Europop and you’ll land upon the Polish equivalent of The Living Room. Between the mirrored ceilings and the light up LED dance floor, it was hard to not feel like a fish out of water, but that didn’t get in the way of our socialising or enjoyment, with some of the lads even managing to make lifelong friends with a lovely Polish man named Bogdan.

The Apollo Ball attracted people from every year and an array of courses, making the evening an inclusive one. With an unconventional yet awe-inspiring venue, delectable food, and a chance to dress up to dance the night away, DU History’s Apollo Ball was an unforgettable event. Hopefully this year’s ball and location choice will be equally sophisticated and inspired!

-Béibhinn Breathnach, Second Year Rep.

The Pits

The lovely folks at The Turk’s Head were more than happy to let us decorate the venue as we liked, so the night began for everyone with a descent down a mining shaft into the club room decorated with protest signs and pickets that definitely were not hand painted by the committee days earlier. As is customary, photo-ops were held beside our also annual cardboard cutout. Though Buzz Aldrin and Arnold Schwarzenegger made it through the night, I cannot say the same for Maggie who was looking quite the worse for wear towards the end of the night and seemingly missing her lower half. Everyone then spent the rest of the night bopping to David Bowie, Blondie, and then we gave up and played whatever people wanted. Nothing if not flexible.

Overall, the night was a resounding success. DU History’s club nights are always memorable. They promise love, debate and a cardboard cutout.* Come at your own risk!

- Anita Kelly, Secretary *we only guarantee the cutout

We touched down on Polish ground around 10:15am and after some confusion about bus tickets and the lack of chicken nuggets in Polish McDonald’s, we made our way to the Patchwork Hostel in the heart of the city. First on the agenda was our walking tour of the city and our eccentric tour guide, Dominik showed us all of Warsaw’s main attractions, including the city’s university and rather bizarrely, street benches that play the music of Poland’s national treasure, Frédéric Chopin, who had his heart buried in his beloved Warsaw. Domo’s tour helped us to get a good grasp of our bearings, even if he did pass veiled comments about gender roles and rant about veganism being a waste of time, the silver lining was that nobody got lost.

That night we got to grips with Warsaw’s nightlife as we enjoyed a pub crawl organised by our hostel. A well planned route of every bar and fun games meant that we definitely got our money’s worth and while some didn’t manage to last the night, romances kindled, dance moves were thrown and everybody had a good time, our first night on the town was a success.

Another highlight of the event was the display of artefacts in the crypt. This made the evening more unique and made the ball extra engrossing for any history nerd. From the stocks to the statues, the crypt provided an anomalous set for a Snapchat or Instagram post. Guests could also compare their elegant attire to the equally glamorous Tudor costumes on show.

On the 24th of November, hundreds of students headed down to Turk’s Head for DU History’s annual club night. Our theme: Miner’s Strike. I know for me, it’ is not common to attend a club with a cardboard cutout of Margaret Thatcher, pickets, and a selection of miners gear with which to dress yourself for the night, but all of our guests certainly adapted to the situation with gusto. Coming from a mining background, and being an asthmatic, I have never felt more accepted by a themed event. The theme of the night definitely kicked off conversation between attendees; favourites included whether or not Britpop should be included on the playlist (spirit of the miner’s strike versus actually being from the 90s), Billy Elliot, and the moral implications of Thatcher’s economic, foreign, and domestic policies, which is exactly the type of light hearted discussion we here at DU History hope to inspire.

In February Reading Week, our committee and members came together for our most eagerly anticipated event of the year - our annual European trip. With Lisbon and Rome being the most recent destinations of choice, we opted for a more eastern location last year and voted to take on Warsaw.

Our voyage began on Sunday of Reading Week, when tired students gathered in Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2 at 4:15am, loaded with Polish Zloty. After grabbing a necessary coffee before our flight, we boarded our 6:20am flight to Warsaw and excitement grew amongst our travelers.

Tuesday was our last full day in Warsaw but with an itinerary packed of as many sites as possible, we visited both the Royal Castle and the National Museum, which were both full of decadent décor and beautiful art - a wonderful sight for sore heads. Again, we walked the city from the castle to the museum, taking in more of Warsaw’s unique culture and architecture. With the Royal Castle in the middle of the Old Town and the National Museum in the more modern part of Warsaw, it allowed us to enjoy as much of the city in our last day and get those coveted edgy Instagram pictures.

2016 - 2017

On the final night, we enjoyed one last dinner in Warsaw which consisted of gorgeous Polish delicacies for some and cheap instant noodles from the corner shop for others. After this, we enjoyed a few drinks in our hostel for the last time as a group and then headed out to a nightclub. This night proved the most fun of the trip, as Warsaw was treated to the amateur DJ skills of the DU History committee, with former secretary, Aoife and current Social Secretary, Katie taking rein of the DJ decks to blast ‘Shane Long’s On Fire’ through the city’s finest nightclub. While we couldn’t get Beyoncé’s ‘Formation’ played, we did take over the stage of the nightclub to showcase our slick dance moves.

Our walk to the bus the next morning was an exhausting ordeal for our jaded and burnt out members, but we managed to make it to the airport with enough time to spend our last amount of Polish Zloty on food and hilarious Polish souvenirs that boast Pope John Paul II’s face. All in all, Warsaw proved to be a highlight of the 84th Session and will go down as another DU History European triumph. Stay tuned to see where we head this year, we’re already planning our next adventure.

-Hayley Lee Douglas, Auditor

Eoin O’Donnell, Senior Freshman Single Honours History

The Forgotten War

The First World War was among the largest conflicts in human history, and defined modern civilisation in many ways, causing the fall of centuries-old empires and the rise of global superpowers, and serving as the catalyst for some of the greatest technological advancements in the world. By 1920, ‘The Great War’ was considered among the most important things to have ever happened, but within two decades it was dwarfed by another, bigger war, and today is often overlooked in favour of its successor.

The obvious answer is the emergence of the terminology of ‘world wars’. By 1942, the event in human history that was large enough to be definitively labelled as ‘The Great War’, or even ‘the war to end all wars’, was shrunk to the status of a precursor to the next global war that had emerged. It was now simply one of the world wars, numericised as the first of an unspecified amount of global conflicts. The question could arise as to whether other conflicts like the Napoleonic Wars or the Mongol Conquests would be so overlooked if they were only an entry in a series of wars rather than standalone, recognisable events in history, or whether it is the similarities the Great War bears to World War II that sees it so often lumped beneath it.

The Second World War dwarfed the developments of the First in many ways, taking over many of the same battlefields and involving many of the same combatants, all the while completely overshadowing it in terms of scale. Estimates of casualties of World War II range as highly as four times greater than those of The Great War, and it encompassed much more of the world, with a sprawling conflict in the Pacific Theatre adding to the battles that raged in Europe. I don’t question the perception of World War II as a continuation or successor to The Great War, as the comparisons are certainly apt, and the motivating factors of the latter were largely influenced by the former, but perhaps this mindset is what contributes to the popular diminishing of World War I as simply a prologue to a greater war.

The Great War’s importance, however, lies far beyond its role as a motivator for the major powers behind the Second World War. The Great War was the result of a combination of a technological revolution throughout the globe and a world stage growing uneasy through a series of alliances and rivalries pushing the world towards of destruction. 1914 saw the death of romantic ideals of war as a glorious battle, and introduced the horrors of modern warfare to the millions of soldiers exposed to it. Machine guns, tanks, gas, artillery and aircraft saw their first widespread use. The battlefields of Europe saw cavalry charge helplessly at hulking metal behemoths - gone were the ideals of chivalry and honour, instead the technology would reign supreme.

The Great War was the world’s first truly ‘modern’ war, and it does not receive enough exposure as such.

While one cannot question the immeasurable scale and scope of World War II, nor its impact on modern politics, one can still be compelled to ask whether a war which saw both the fall of the great Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires, and the complete metamorphosis of warfare into the modern age, should be consigned to being merely a footnote to another war’s legacy. In an age where the world’s politics are in flux, and we’re once again facing an age of new and terrifying technology in warfare, it’s vital to examine the war which started it all, regardless of what came between then and now. In 1939, the historiographical interest in the war shifted almost entirely to the more recent and arguably more impressive conflict, and one might suggest that the attention diverted from the Great War never really returned to it.

Our education system goes in-depth on the causes and results of the Second World War, but the First?

An average student likely couldn’t name five nations involved in the war, nor could they detail its origins or impact. In an era where the storming of Normandy and the scorched fields of Japan still grace cinema screens, and the tragedies of World War II still ink the pages of entire libraries, one might say that the cultural relevance and representation of The Great War has been decidedly not ‘great’.