BATTLE OF SOMME 100TH ANNIVERSARY

To begin with it has to be said that it is incredible when you see these endless graves; it was and still is not a lesson to mankind to stop war. How can politicians bow their heads to honour the dead, attend commemoration ceremonies, lay wreath and then plan war? How can they?

The battle of Somme began 1 July 1916 an offensive led by the Allies against the German troops. It was along the river Somme in northern France in the First World War. The plan was made by France's General Joffre and Britain's Field Marshall Haig as a joint offensive.

Although well planned but the reality was that the French army was almost destroyed defending Verdun. It left Lord Kitchener new volunteer armies to face the full horror of the fighting.

When the British soldiers emerged from the trenches they were in full view of the enemy's machine guns. Over 19 000 died on the first day alone.

The Germans retreated to the concrete pillbox emplacements of the Hindenburg Line from which they sent wave after wave poorly supported infantry.The Germans built this fortified defence system in the First World War after they could not capture Verdun. It stretched from Lens to Rheims and became to be known as the Hindenburg Line. In 1917 it helped the Germans to maintain a defensive front even their army was severely reduced.

In September General Haig launched a major assault with 32 tanks out front. The problem was that the tanks began to get grounded in the knee deep mud. Therefore there were not enough tanks to have a greater impact. It was the first time tanks were used.

When the conflict ended in November 15 the Allies gained 5 miles (8 km) at a cost of 615 000 lives and the Germans lost 420 000. A heart-breaking reminder and one would think it was a lesson for all times. 70 000 bodies were never found and identified and are remembered by a huge memorial.

To understand and see the full horror we have to remember in those days women had big families and were left to their devices to cope. At the  beginning of the 20th century people were very hard up, apart from the upper class who were very rich. How these women coped one does dare thinking about.

These young men lost their lives for Queen and country with great loyalty but did the Queen and country care about their families? On the contrary they were look down upon and despised because they were in rags, starved and with lice and flees living in worst housing possible. Even ended up in the poorhouse, which was even a bigger living nightmare, when they could not cope any more.

Looking back at all these impacts of war on the front as well as at home it should be a lesson to be learned when we commemorate all those fallen and maimed soldiers. It is not right to commemorate and honour all those hundred thousands who lost their lives so young and still start another war again.

Britain did not have to get involve in Iraq, Afghanistan and now in Syria. It created more enemies as it has proven. An army is there to protect its country and not to fight in foreign land. Blair and Bush are totally responsible for the existence of IS who grew so strong even the Al-Qaeda distance itself.

All those heads of states when they stand there and bow their heads to honour all those millions died in the First and Second World War have the power to create or avoid further wars. They should not be so insincere.

BELGIUM

The country is in the north-west of Europe. It became popular in the Middle Ages for the wealth of its free merchant cities.

In the 15^th century the area belonged to the Duchy of Burgundy.

In 1477 it was taken into the Habsburg Empire by Maximilian I.

Habsburg established its Empire by marrying and therefore the phrase was coined “Other countries win countries by war but you, Austria, win countries by marrying.”

Between 1504 and 1715 the territory was rules by Spain

From 1713 till 1795 it was ruled by Austria and by France
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In 1815 it became a province of the kingdom of the Netherlands and in 1830 it received independence after a national revolution.  Prince Leopold of Saxon-Coburg was elected one year later as King of Belgium

An international treaty was drawn up in 1839 and it guaranteed Belgium to stay neutral. This treaty was ignored in 1914 and 1940 by Germany when Belgium was invaded.

In 1971 a constitutional reform was established which split the federation of Belgium into semi-autonomous regions of Flemish-speaking Flanders, French-speaking Wallonia and bi-lingual Brussels.  Brussels includes the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the European Community (EU).

King Baudouin died in 1983 and was succeeded by his brother, Albert

BELGAE

Large group of Celtic tribes were living in the northern Rhineland, the Low Countries, northern France (Gaul) and southern England during the 2^nd and 1^st centuries BC.

The Belgae were well established people and put a fierce fight against the Romans. 

Eventually the Romans started to respect. 

Julius Caesar conquered Gaul in 50BC. It followed that Belgae noblemen were admitted to the Roman senate.

Today’s name Belgium derived from the name of Belgae.

FRANCE

France is a Western European country. Its coast lines are on the North Sea, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.

Humans settled there as far back as prehistoric time. Remains were discovered  dating back 100,000 years.

The Gauls which existed mainly of Celtic origin migrated from the Rhine Valley to France in around 1,200 BC.

The Romans invaded and conquered the area of France in 50 BC. When the Roman Empire fell in AD476 they were invaded by many tribes from all over Europe. Many rulers tried to conquer but the most powerful one was Emperor Charlemagne. He conquered and expanded his Empire over most Western Europe.

Charlemagne’s dynasty was the Carolingians

In 1326 when Philip I succeeded on the Throne it changed to the Capetians. Philip started the HUNDRED YEARS’ WAR and England lost all its French territories apart from Calais. 

France eventually became a unified state after the defeat of the English and the Burgundians at the end of 15^th century. After that France became the leading power in Europe.

In 1789 the French Revolution began and brought the end of the monarchy. In 1792 the first French Republic was declared.

In 1804 Napoleon crowned himself as Emperor Napoleon I and replaced the Republic.

In 1814 it reversed and the Bourbon monarchy under Louis XVIII was restored

In 1830 Charles X tried to bring back an absolute monarchy but was overthrown and replaced by Louis Philippe on the throne. He abdicated in 1848 and the Second Republic was declared which lasted till the Second Empire of Napoleon III in 1852. France’s Empire expanded into North Africa, South-east Asia and the Pacific.

In 1870 the Third Republic was announced after Napoleon III was exiled and after a defeat in the FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 

In 1940 the Republic was defeated by Nazi Germany. The FREE FRENCH RESISTANCE  movement was established by Charles de Gaulle assisting the Allies and paving the way for the liberation of France in 1944.

Then followed the Indochina-war and the colonies demanded independence. It put an end to this republic in 1958.  Charles de Gaulle was voted in as the president of the Fifth Republic and he granted independence to the colonies and established France as a prominent power in Europe.

In 1957 the country became a founder member EIROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY. Francois Mitterand became France’s first socialist president in 1981. He called a referendum in 1992 that narrowly endorsed the Maastricht Treaty attempting to unify Europe.

In 1995 Jacques Chirac was voted in as president

In 2012 Francois Hollande of the Socialist Party became president