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University of Iowa speech and dramatic art programs, 1967-1969

1967-03-01 "Oh, What A Lovely War!" Page 4

OH, WHAT A LOVELY WAR

NOTES AND COMMENTS
The authorship of "Oh, What a Lovely War" is credited to Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, Charles Chilton, and members of the original cast, after a treatment by Ted Allan. It is based on the factual data in official records, war memoirs, personal recollections, and commentaries.
Everything spoken during this evening either happened or was said, sung, or written during 1914-1918. Everything presented as fact is true.
In 1960 an American Military Research Team fed all the facts of World War I into the computers they use to plan World War III. They reached the conclusion that the 1914-18 war was impossible and couldn't have happened. There could not have been so many blunders nor so many casualties.
Will there be a computer left to analyze World War III?
Theatre Workshop

The First World War could be accurately described as being by miscalculation out of accident. The accident was the assassination of an Austrian Archduke, which set in motion the military machinery of two great alliances; the miscalculation was that it would be a short, sharp war that would settle Europe's future in a few weeks. All the carefully prepared plans for the war were nullified in its first month. There was an awful military stalemate from October, 1914, to March, 1918, during which no attack moved the front more than ten miles in either direction. A lesson can be drawn from this. Before 1914 people believed that the Balance of Power could preserve peace. Today they believe that the Balance of Terror can. But accidents and miscalculations are still possible—and a third, nuclear World War could kill as many in four hours as were killed in the whole of World War I.
Raymond Fletcher (Military Adviser for the London Production)

TRUE STORY
Scene: The Ypres sector, December, 1914
English and German trenches are separated by 100 yards of No Man's Land.
A board is held up in the German lines on the end of a bayonet. It reads: "English soldiers are fools." The British soldiers shoot it down.
Another board is held up: "French soldiers are fools." The British soldiers shoot it down. 
A third board goes up: "We are all fools. Let's go home."
The British soldiers cheer.

"I know war as few other men now living know it, and nothing is more revolting. Global war has become a Frankenstein to destroy both sides. No longer is it a weapon of adventure—the short cut to international power. If you lose, you are annihilated. If you win you stand only to lose. No longer does it possess even the chance of the winner of a duel. It contains now only the germs of double suicide."
General Douglas MacArthur, 1961

"But let us not mistake the achievement of national self-determination for the achievement of human rights. Nationalism is no substitute for human rights; on the contrary, history is streaked with unholy alliances between nationalism and oppression. What was Nazism but nationalism gone mad—until it compounded the insanity of genocide with the insanity of war."
Adlai Stevenson

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OH, WHAT A LOVELY WAR NOTES AND COMMENTS The authorship of "Oh, What a Lovely War" is credited to Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, Charles Chilton, and members of the original cast, after a treatment by Ted Allan. It is based on the factual data in official records, war memoirs, personal recollections, and commentaries. Everything spoken during this evening either happened or was said, sung, or written during 1914-1918. Everything presented as fact is true. In 1960 an American Military Research Team fed all the facts of World War I into the computers they use to plan World War III. They reached the conclusion that the 1914-18 war was impossible and couldn't have happened. There could not have been so many blunders nor so many casualties. Will there be a computer left to analyze World War III? Theatre Workshop The First World War could be accurately described as being by miscalculation out of accident. The accident was the assassination of an Austrian Archduke, which set in motion the military machinery of two great alliances; the miscalculation was that it would be a short, sharp war that would settle Europe's future in a few weeks. All the carefully prepared plans for the war were nullified in its first month. There was an awful military stalemate from October, 1914, to March, 1918, during which no attack moved the front more than ten miles in either direction. A lesson can be drawn from this. Before 1914 people believed that the Balance of Power could preserve peace. Today they believe that the Balance of Terror can. But accidents and miscalculations are still possible—and a third, nuclear World War could kill as many in four hours as were killed in the whole of World War I. Raymond Fletcher (Military Adviser for the London Production) TRUE STORY Scene: The Ypres sector, December, 1914 English and German trenches are separated by 100 yards of No Man's Land. A board is held up in the German lines on the end of a bayonet. It reads: "English soldiers are fools." The British soldiers shoot it down. Another board is held up: "French soldiers are fools." The British soldiers shoot it down. A third board goes up: "We are all fools. Let's go home." The British soldiers cheer. "I know war as few other men now living know it, and nothing is more revolting. Global war has become a Frankenstein to destroy both sides. No longer is it a weapon of adventure—the short cut to international power. If you lose, you are annihilated. If you win you stand only to lose. No longer does it possess even the chance of the winner of a duel. It contains now only the germs of double suicide." General Douglas MacArthur, 1961 "But let us not mistake the achievement of national self-determination for the achievement of human rights. Nationalism is no substitute for human rights; on the contrary, history is streaked with unholy alliances between nationalism and oppression. What was Nazism but nationalism gone mad—until it compounded the insanity of genocide with the insanity of war." Adlai Stevenson