Television broadcaster and historian Dan Snow is targeted by criticisms and has been receiving hate mails after trying to set WWI records right by debunking ten popular First World War myths.
According to Dan Snow in a report ran by The Telegraph, enraged members of the public have been sending him their hate-filled sympathies through emails and even via the social media. This downpour of negative feedback came after he wrote an article debunking ten popular WWI ‘myths’ the public believe in earlier this year.
In a speaking engagement during the Chalke Valley History Festival, Dan Show stressed out that to be able to properly commemorate the Great War, it has to be remembered correctly. Besides, Dan Snow added, putting WWI upon a pedestal as the worst conflict the world had witnessed in all its history belittles the sacrifices other soldiers made in various conflicts before and after the said war.
Among the most popular WWI myths Dan Snow questioned and set straight were the beliefs that shellshock wasn’t taken into account, that the British troops were like “lions led by donkeys”, and that the Versailles Treaty was extremely harsh.
The historian even stated that there are little evidence proving the very well-known WWI anecdote about a truce football match during one of WWI’s Christmases. He also pointed out that though the war was violent and gruesome, some WWI soldiers did enjoy being part of it.
Historian Dan Snow said that most of the hate mails he had been receiving came from individuals who had read their great grandpa’s diary and whatever written there they took to heart without considering the experiences of the majority.
Dan Snow called attention to the fact that if we place WWI on a stand of gruesomeness, failure and incompetence, then we have ignored the fact that all wars must be looked at through those lenses as well. he also stated that if this is the case, then, we are indirectly saying that those soldiers who served during the Great War suffered more compared to those who went on and served in other wars throughout the years.
WWI is part of the world’s military history. Some of its elements were worse compared to other wars and some were better, historian Dan Snow declared.
Nevertheless, Dan Snow finds the hate directed to him very interesting. But these wouldn’t stop him from divulging the truth behind these WWI myths as he believes challenging these tales are very important and that the true stories must come out.
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