The past week I pondered about what life was like 100 years ago? After some internet research I realised that early 1919 was the aftermath of the WW1 (First World War). I believe conversations about the war were still the order of the day, a war that took the lives of more than 9 million soldiers with 21 million more wounded. Civilian casualties caused indirectly by the war numbered close to 10 million.
End of WW1
WW1 ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. Though the armistice was signed at 5:00 am on 11 November 1918, the fighting continued till 11:00 AM, killing nearly 11 000 more men.
The two nations most affected were Germany and France, each of which sent some 80 percent of their male populations between the ages of 15 and 49 into battle.
On 18 January 2019 the Paris Peace Conference was held and the League of Nations (a precursor of the United Nations) was formed and on 28 June 1919 the Treaty of Versailles was signed. The idea was that WW1 would be remembered as
The war to end all wars.
But we all know that wars have not ceased in spite of the United Nations’ working on it for the past 74 years and to this day peace talks still continue.
Treaty of Versailles
But the Treaty of Versailles was also known to be “the unhappy compromise.” The Germans felt they were mistreated because they were denied entrance into the League of Nations. Though the Treaty was intended for good, it bore the seed of the next World War.
Hitler channeled this resentment into German nationalism and a mere twenty years later WW2 started on 1 September 1939.
So the treaty that tried to prevent further wars, actually provoked WW2.
The first global war also helped to spread one of the world’s deadliest global pandemics, the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 and killed another estimated 50 million people.
World War 1 has been referred to as “the first modern war.” Many of the technologies we now associate with military conflict – machine guns, tanks, aerial combat and radio communications – were introduced on a massive scale during World War1.
# WW1 Drone
At the end of WW1 the Eiffel Tower (built in 1889) was still the tallest structure on Earth, airmail was first introduced during 1918 and Charlie Chaplin was the biggest movie star.
The one invention though that caught my attention was the “first version” of a drone with a camera introduced during WW1. The camera was mounted on an aluminium breast harness, which was then attached to a pigeon. They had a timer mechanism that would automatically take pictures at regular intervals, because apparently pigeons can’t be trusted to click a shutter.
Considering the events of a century ago and today, I think king Solomon had a good understanding of life when he said “Do not say, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.” (Ecc 7:10) and “That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecc 1:9)
To find direction for your life, it is necessary to know and understand yourself. A Career Direct Assessment will help you do just that.
Also tune in to my radio program “Jy die Entrepreneur” Monday evenings at 20:00 and Saturdays 12:30 on Radio Namakwaland www.934fm.co.za. 
