That's how things looked 100 years ago on the Western Front. The Brit's single entrenchment is shown in red; the German entrenchments are in blue. At 07:30 hours, 100 years ago, the red line advanced against the blue "grid" with horrific consequences. Of course the Reds had no idea how extensively and well-entrenched the Blues were. They had flung a week's worth of soft shrapnel bombs at the Blues, fully expecting that it would devastate the Blue defenses. An equivalent volley from the Blues to the Reds would have utterly destroyed the Red's single line which was mostly an open trench. But the Blues were too well dug-in and fortified.
Am I getting through?
8 comments:
not yet, but maybe after I sleep on it.
The stuff I used to read about trench warfare was akin to the feeling of how it must be like to be put through a meat grinder. It was just seriously brutal, savage, merciless shit.
Red and blue is clue, right? This is Britain and Germany but it equates with American blue so intrenched they openly flaunt conflict of interest on a case of supreme national interest. And the American red line being very weak. Plus the pun on trench/trenchant. This is about trenchant politics being fraught with unknown dangers.
Well, who won that war?
One good thing about WWI, a lot of these inbred emperors and their empires were gone at the end of it.
The Limeys had yet to learn that weeks-long barrages did more harm than good for their attacking troops. The ground was so badly chewed up, the troops trying to cross it made easy targets for the defending Hun.
The Frawgs had realized a short fierce barrage did the job much better.
Chip Ahoy said...
Red and blue is clue, right? This is Britain and Germany but it equates with American blue so intrenched they openly flaunt conflict of interest on a case of supreme national interest. And the American red line being very weak. Plus the pun on trench/trenchant. This is about trenchant politics being fraught with unknown dangers.
Well, who won that war?
Fortresses are the tombs of armies, someone said.
The first blue line is a intended to dampen and delay the advance of the Red forces. It is manned by volunteers, and true believers from the Kaisers schools of journalism. There, at the strong-point called the Hawthorn Ridge Redoubt you will find the brave and dedicated warriors who call themselves the "Timesmen." They will fight the delaying action until they have shed their last drop of ink.
Behind them is a deeply entrenched and highly trained group of conscripts who are known by their nom de guerre, "The Unimpeachable Career Prosecutors." Once the first trenches are overrun they will hold the line at any cost because their futures, their fortunes and their families are in the Kaiser's hands if they fail. Seeded among them are political officers whose task is to shoot stragglers and wafflers and offer post-war rewards to the bravest among them.
Should there two lines fail and the Reds advance they will meet an impenetrable third line of trenches known as the "Power of the Pardon." Their leader, Field Marshall O has differences with the Kaiser but understands that his own future prospects are in danger if the defense is unsuccessful. The Kaiser is well known as a vindictive, dishonorable bitch. Field Marshall O is well known as a vindictive, dishonorable pussy. This favors the Kaiser.
What the map does not show is the tunneling underneath the Red lines which has allowed agents of the Kaiser to infiltrate the Red's rear areas. These unprincipled men do their dastardly work in Red uniforms and call themselves "The NeverTrumpers." They are in violation of the rules of war and should be shot on sight.
The smaller, horizontal blue lines are manned by "Das FBein." They work quietly as messengers, engineers and logistics experts in support of the main goal while avoiding direct confrontation with the Reds.
It is a solid plan and is working as designed. The only hope for the Reds is that General Black Jack Trump and his patriotic doughboys can fight their way past the infiltrators and reach the front lines in time, or that the Kaiser's unmitigated arrogance will bring her down in a burning pile of expensive pantsuits and designer moo-moos.
My hopes for victory are fading. Sometimes the bad guys win.
Outstanding reconnaissance, Rabel!
I do my best work undercover(s).
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