Something of a thought exercise here, and Yorick there is no need for another "all wars are bad" speech -- I agree already http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...miles/wink.gif

Of all the wars in the past, which is the one you would consider the worst to have been stuck in as a participant?

I would say World War I, specifically on the Western Front. Paraphrasing Ernest Hemingway, there has never been such dreadful, colossally mismanaged butchery on the face of this earth as occurred in the 4 years of that war.

I have to say the Crusades spring to mind, miles and miles with no medical help, battles that were little more then brawls and emenys that take no prisoners and if you did die they was often know around to morun or even give you a buiral(?). Who knows how many died in that one.

------------------
http://www.webspawner.com/users/shad.../group5012.jpg
The angel's MIA.

definately WWI it was the first modern war ..... they didn't even know what they had gotten into. Must have been very shocking seeing as how the last war was fought with rifles that took 1 min. to load.

It depends. All wars are awful to be in if youre a civilian. If youre a soldier... ill have to think about this. If you count civilians, id say the thirty years war in europe 1618-1648

The one in which I would have died. http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gif


------------------
I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on.... http://www.animfactory.com/animation...ing_lg_clr.gif

A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

WWII at the siege of Stalingrad...

well, for the States, id hafta say the Civil War, but for other countries...

possibly the Vietnam War. guerilla warfare and snipers and that crap is terrible, especially if air support is added.

------------------
It's simple. Once the Planet is hurt, it gathers Spirit Energy to heal the injury. The amount of energy gathered depends on the size of the injury...What would happen if there was an injury that threatened the very life of the Planet? Think how much energy would be gathered! Ha, ha, ha. And at the center of that injury, wil be me. All that boundless energy will be mine. By merging with the energy of the Planet, I will be come a new life form, a new existence. Melding with the Planet, I will cease to exist as I am now. Only to be reborn as a 'God' to rule over every living soul.
http://24.17.217.175/images/sephforsite.gif

American Civil War

------------------
http://www.123imagehost.com/images/b...arrissig02.gif
"the memories of a man in his old age,
are deeds of a man in his prime"

Agreed John D. From the American stand point it would have to be the Civil War.
Divided the whole country and we still feel it even today.

All wars are terrible, unfortuately some are necessary. WWII had to be fought or we'd have all been saying Heil Hitler or bowing to the Rising Sun. Vietnam is a good example of a war that probably should have never happened. No one gained a thing in that war. We didn't, I know and I think that is why Americans are so reluctant to get involved anymore, except when it effects our interests.

------------------
Sir Taliesin

http://www.dabros.com/images/sigs/giant.gif

If they take my gun can I still use my Axe?

After having reead a really thick book about that war, I have to agree. The most casualties came from moving to or from a new battlefield. An army of tenthousand men (not including the families, tross and support) Could loose maybe a hundred man in a battle, but loose more or less all horses and up to 1000 men every month to cold, starvation, diseases, robbers. This is one of the absolutley most gruesome wars ever.

The war was real costly for civilians, many took to joining one of the armies since they at least could be lucky. The civilians were not. Many cities were butchered to the last man. In this war, it became a war of money and wealth, The armies were forces in their own. The leaders of both crown and church stood helplessy and looked upon the chaos they had created. From a holy war and the fight to free cities and countries from opressors. Most countries fought for glory, prestige and money and food!

Also remember that at this time, people were living worse than in the medieval times, worse hygie and alot of diseases and alot of filth and bad years for crops..

------------------
http://wolfgir.najk.net/wolfie.gif
Yawning lazywolf dreaming about nice little fairies...zzzzz
Wolfgirs lair
once-upon-a-paper

The war between the sexes.

------------------
I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on.... http://www.animfactory.com/animation...ing_lg_clr.gif

A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...miles/spit.gif http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...miles/hihi.gif

In answer to this thread's question: I honestly don't know...all war seems so immensely horrid to me...
I think an important distinction to me would be the distintion between two kinds of war. The one that has millions of people suffering, starving, etc, one that is physically murderous, like pre-modern ones or the WW1. On the other hand there are the wars which were really politically paranoid and where you had to walk on your toes to avoid torture. The kind of atmosphere in China under Mao or under the Nazis the WW2. To me, both options would be horryfying but I still think I'd sooner choose the former option. Getting used to the fact that you'll probably die is possibly not as hard as it seems in such a situation, whereas living in constant fear, weighing every hypocritical word you utter would be hell to me!


------------------
Melusine, High Queen of Fluffies, Archbabe of the OHF, the LH,
the HADB and the SPAE(Society for the
Prevention of Acronym Extinction) &
Official Entertainer Elf of the BG2 Bar
http://www.angelfire.com/anime2/memnoch/mel1.gif
Your voice is ambrosia
Amy Brown Fantasy Art

[This message has been edited by Melusine (edited 08-23-2001).]

WW1, with Flamethrowers, Machineguns, Trenches that protected you so long as you were in one, but meant instant death because emerging meant u were an easy target..
Nerve Gas, Chlorine Gas, Artillery..

But if you were talking about bad places I'd say..Hiroshima or Pearl Harbor.

The hundred years war between Britain and France would have sucked too..peasants got rode down by knights, knights got pelted by arrows..

And maybe the defence of Singapore, the so called invincible fortress of the British, which fell in a week to the Japanese..
Chinese soldiers fought with BIRD RIFLES because the Allied forces pulled out of Singapore..bastards..
City fighting has got to be the worst kinda combat to be in.

------------------
Resident Lurker Guy