Lions Led by Donkeys

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Lions Led by Donkeys?
V
Q3

• By Mr RJ Huggins
• 2006

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Lesson Objectives

• Discuss the reliability of comedy as historical
  evidence.
• Analyse two different types of comedy, a film
  clip and a cartoon about the Battle of the Somme
  and General Haig.
• Finally, make a judgement about whether these two
  sources are useful to an historian.

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How reliable is comedy as historical evidence?
Satire and irony can be very effective criticism
Ever a true word said in jest!
Jokes often have hidden meanings!
Comedy
2 minutes to jot down some ideas
In order to get people to laugh, you have to
exaggerate the truth!
You can learn a lot from comedy jokes about
peoples attitudes
People who can't talk openly because of
censorship, often do so through jokes
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Blackadder Goes Forth, 1991
What can we learn from this source about how many
people viewed Haigs tactics in 1991?
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How accurate is Blackadder?
Source 1 Private Williams We saw the
bombardment the Germans were getting. We thought
it was a chance of getting our own back. Everyone
was wildly enthusiastic. Far less men went on
sick parade. Nobody wanted to miss the fight.

• The following sources are extracts taken from
  letters written by soldiers who witnessed the
  shelling of the German trenches before the Battle
  of the Somme in July1916.
• What can we learn from these sources about how
  accurate Lieutenant Georges view was of how
  soldiers viewed Haigs before the Battle of the
  Somme?

Source 2 Lieutenant John Parker We couldn't
speak, but it was an amazing show. We stood
behind the lines and watched the giant fireworks
in the darkness. No one could live through that.
What evidence is therein these two sources to
support Lieutenant Georges view of General
Haigs tactics?
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How accurate was Captain Blackadder?
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The popular image of Haig in the Comedy series
Blackadder, 1991
Positive Lieutenant George
Negative Captain Blackadder
Lieutenant George is presented throughout the TV
series as an over optimistic, fool .
Looking forward to going over the top and giving
the Germans a darn good thrashing. Suggests
that he expects Haigs tactics will be successful.
Blackadder expects that Haigs tactics will be a
disaster when he says You mean are we all going
to get killed?
Sees Haig as an uncaring arm chair warrior who
doesnt care about how many men he sacrifices to
more his drinks cabinet six inches closer to
Berlin.
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What is the message of this source?
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It appeared in a political magazine called Punch,
Feb 1917
The General looks like Haig its a caricature
Does not directly mention or criticise Haig
Source E
Over 150 British Generals were either killed or
captured during the FWW
The caption The absence of the General Sir
shows that people were beginning to criticise Haig
Its a cartoon so it is designed to exaggerate
the truth in order to get people to laugh.
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OCR Question 3

• Study Sources D E.
• These two sources are not about General Haig and
  the Battle of the Somme.
• How far do you agree that these sources have no
  use to an historian studying Haig and the Battle
  of the Somme?

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Mark Scheme