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It's a wonder that any country could survive such losses.
But they did, so the war to end all wars, didn't.
But they did, so the war to end all wars, didn't.
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At the Somme, the British meticulously planned to use the communications trenches -- the only way to reach the front line trench. The communications trenches were all filled with men moving forward. Because of that, when the stretcher bearers returned with wounded, they couldn't reach the aid stations. Thousands of men were left to die untreated on the parapets. -
Wounded/KIA ratio was about 2:1 in that war. So 60K casualties relates to about 20K wounded, about 10K significantly maimed. Many of the maimed did not live to a ripe old age after the war. Same with WW2. When I was a kid in grade school, the custodian was a older man in his 50's, with a foreign accent and one arm missing below the elbow. He could tuck a push broom in the armpit and get it done, however. Mr. Stenner was kind of gruff with us kids but not unkind. Maybe a POW who didn't repatriate.Comment
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Interestingly enough, the Department of Veterans Affairs has studied mortality among veterans and found the single most reliable predictor of long life is the Purple Heart.Comment
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When I worked at J.I.Case, there were many older German soldiers working there too. In fact, one of the carpenters that helped build my house back in the '70s was a former German soldier. He liked to take pieces of scrap wall board to shoot at. They were all interesting to talk to, especially when A former U.S. combat soldier was around. 8-)Comment
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