A Frenchy reacts to Blackadder - How did World War 1 Begin ! Let's listen to Blackadder explanation about how World War 1 did begin! Original video: • Blackadder How did W... #blackadder #history #reaction #britishhumour #comedy
You mentioned the British humour in war, a group of British soldiers "captured" a printing press and paper and started publishing a satirical/funny newspaper called the "Wipers Times" (Ypres)- A film has been made and is on RU-vid "The Wipers Times (2013). Worth watching, no need to react...
Great review. As a Brit, it's natural for me to understand the humour and context of Blackadder, so good on you for getting the UK black humour bolllocks. Really like the non-Anglo perspective that you presented.
@@ToonStory-fh4gn kind of you to say so, but France suffered way much more than the British. I remember from school days that we worn khaki brown while French troops wore blue uniforms. Something to do with 'Elan'. From my memory we'd found out in the Boer War that camouflage was better that the Elan spirit. Plus ca change.
@@djhazmatthe uniform colour didn’t make a huge difference with the nature of the warfare at the time, but the A l’Outrance ‘all out attack at all costs’ philosophy did
One of the writers of Blackadder is Ben Elton, who is very knowledgeable on the subject of history and it shows in scenes like these. His uncle was the Cambridge historian, Sir Geoffrey Elton. Geoffrey, along with his family, (Including Ben's Father) were Jews who fled the Nazi's in 1939.
Doing Bugger all means to do absolutely nothing what so ever. There are many saiyings that us British use that you and the rest of the world may not understand apart from our Commonwealth family, such as the Australian's and the New Zealander's who would understand. 💂♂️💂♂️🇬🇧🇬🇧🏴🏴🤝🤝🇫🇷🇫🇷💙💛🇺🇦🇺🇦
I think I like Baldrick's explanation best. Just to let you know the character known as George (as played by Hugh Laurie of 'House' fame) is meant to be affable, enthusiastically brave but completely stupid - a representation of Upper Class, Public School breeding (a rather unfair (but not totally unfounded) stereotype created by PJ Wodehouse in his Jeeves and Wooster series of comic novels (Hugh Laurie went on to play Wooster rather brilliantly in the later TV series of that name) He also played the slightly loony Prince Regent in series 3 of Blackadder). It is worth mentioning that officers of George's rank (Lieutenant) suffered disproportionately high casualties during WW1 largely due to that very enthusiasm, particularly at the beginning of the War.
Thanks for the context! I knew that UK officers had suffered a huge number of casualties and with your comment I understand better. Once again, what intelligence in this series!
@@cliffordwaterton3543 Public school because up until they came along the only schools were Church or merchant schools, and they only took certain people whose parents worked in the trade, a public school was open to anyone, or at least open to anyone who could pay
One of my favourite films as a teenager was called 'Death of a Schoolboy' which was a rather sympathetic look at the people that killed the Archduke. The boy that shot him was called Gavre Princip. What nobody mentions is that he shot and killed the Archduke's wife as well. He died, I believe, of TB while in prison. He was not executed because of his age. Was he a hero or villain, a question that applies to so many historical figures.
@@ToonStory-fh4gn I decided to let google and Wikipedia settle this difference of opinion. Apparently he was a few weeks short of 20 when he did the deed and you had to be 20 to swing.
The war started because a bloke named "Archie Duke" shot an ostrich because he was Hungry! Brilliant line! Man I miss this show, Baldric in particular!! 😂
This is so much fun! I really enjoyed this alot. And may i second what you said about the animals, you are right on. This was a wonderful way to wind down a week, happy weekend everyone, thank you as always for the video and thoughtful commentary
Great reaction. This series was my favourite of the Blackadder series. Looking forward to your Mickey Flanagan on the French reaction...😉 Loving your channel. 👍🏻👍🏻
Given the time this show was made, the lines about "two immense power blocs, who each act as a deterrent, thus preventing a war" is a pretty direct reference to the Cold War, and the idea of deterrence preventing Nuclear War because both sides should be too scared to start a nuclear war.
"Birmingham Bertie" was inspired by a real song "Burlington Bertie from Bow" and "Mrs Miggins sitting on Artichokes" comes from an old music hall song " She sits among the cabbages and leeks/leaks", rather naughty for the era!
That is sort of true, it is set in a France of the WWII 'Propaganda' Films, so everything is slightly off. For a long while I refused to watch it because of making fun of a serious subject, but then I caught an episode & got the joke.
It was dubbed into French at one point, so I assume it must have been shown on French television. It's quite absurdist in parts and a few people here thought it trivialised the nastier aspects of WW2. However, it was still extremely popular in the UK. It has many classic elements of farce - it's just the context that is a bit different.
The German Empire being a sausage factory in Tanganyika will never not crack me up. PS. You forgot about German South West Africa, which we South Africans pinched off them. 😎
The stars aligned in a terrible fashion. There had been a great many flashpoints in the years preceeding (not least with the previous Balkan wars) but people like the Archduke had always been in place at the right time and place to defuse things. In 1914, those most inclined towards peace and moderation were out of position and those desiring war were happy to take advantage. It did not help that a big, presumed quick, external war was precieved as a great way to unite domestic populations by leaders under severe pressure. The UK was on the cusp of civil war over Irish home rule, France was more bitterly divided than ever post-Dreyfus Affair, Russian autocracy was less popular than ever thanks to Rasputin, Austro-Hungary was lurching towards implosion as the federalist Archduke was sidelined by a reactionary Emperor who did not seem to understand the seriousness of nationalism and to cap things off - Germany was under the rule of a foolish, reckless, preening megalomaniac.
That was a very funest alignment of stars indeed, and this created a monster that I believe none of the belligerent could anticipate. Also the perception of war was very different before WW1 as the societies were far more militaristic than nowadays I think. Thank you for this comment mate
The real problem was that it wasn't Germany and Austro-Hungary on one side and Britain, France and Russia on the other. Geographically, it was Germany and Austro-Hungary in the middle, France and Britain on one side and Russia on the other. The German plan was to rush West and North to capture the Channel ports and then force France to an armistice. They could then defeat the Russians (who were pretty much falling apart anyway). It failed because the route to the Channel ports went through neutral Belgium and the British immediately sent its entire Army to defend it.
@@ToonStory-fh4gn The Schlieffen Plan works pretty well if you don't go through Belgium - particularly if you're using mobile armor and artillery. The horses do slow it down A LOT....
