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June 28, 1914 - and so it began. . .

BigslugBigslug Posts: 9,858 Senior Member
100 years ago today, Gavrilo Princip fired the two most destructive rounds of .380ACP in history in Sarajevo.

I broke out my FN 1910/22 .380 and fired off 100 rounds yesterday to commemorate the occasion - as close as I've got in the inventory to the actual piece. On August 4, the Webley MKVI and Bobby's whistle will get a workout in memory of the British declaration of war.

Get out your Enfields, Lebels, Mausers, Mosins, your early auto pistols, and your most wicked knives, and take a minute to reflect on the phrase "It seemed like a good idea at the time".
WWJMBD?

"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee

Replies

  • Farm Boy DeuceFarm Boy Deuce Posts: 6,083 Senior Member
    Gee when you say it like that...

    I will give the old Russian mule a good workout soon.
    I am afraid we forget sometime that the basic and simple things brings us the most pleasure.
    Dad 5-31-13
  • JamesAPrattIIIJamesAPrattIII Posts: 156 Member
    The Browning is on display at the Austrian army museum in Vienna along with the car the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were riding in and the tunic he was wearing. for more reading on this subject see:

    A Mad Catastrophe Geoffery Wawro
    Assassination in Sarajero Alex Woolf
    The Assassination of the Archduke Greg king

    on the axishistoryforum.com there is a Austro-Hungarian section which has a posting "Austria-Hungary's last war 1914-1918" the 8 volume Austrian official history

    also 28 june in the Serb holy of holy days commemorating the 1389 battle of Kossevo which the Serbs feel a whole lot more holy about than the Texans do the Alamo.
  • shushshush Posts: 6,259 Senior Member
    Bigslug wrote: »
    100 years ago today, Gavrilo Princip fired the two most destructive rounds of .32ACP in history in Sarajevo.

    There is a bit of a to and fro about the chambering........ 7.65mm Browning or the 9mm kurz

    Found this.

    ''Dear Sir!
    The caliber of the pistol which was used to kill Archduke Franz Ferdinand is 9mm kurz. I hope this response is of some help for you.
    Please do not hesitate to contact me again, if you have some further questions.

    Best regardsMit freundlichen GrüßenIng.
    Mag. Thomas IlmingLeiter Referat WaTe (Waffen und Technik)Heeresgeschichtliches MuseumA-1030 Wien, Arsenal, Objekt.''

    article-1061691-02CB09A700000578-66_468x316.jpg

    Gun plot: The pistol which was used in the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand will go on display for the first time in Britain.
    September 2008.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1061691/Revealed-Pistol-sparked-World-War-One-goes-display-Britain-time.html

    This is quite good;
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-27978407
  • 5280 shooter II5280 shooter II Posts: 3,923 Senior Member
    And launching "the war to end all wars".............wait, what's that..........there's a sequel planned? Well let's just make this the dumbest human experiment ever.............so does range time with a sportered '03A3 count?
    God show's mercy on drunks and dumb animals.........two outa three ain't a bad score!
  • BigslugBigslug Posts: 9,858 Senior Member
    shush wrote: »
    There is a bit of a to and fro about the chambering........ 7.65mm Browning or the 9mm kurz

    Found this.

    ''Dear Sir!
    The caliber of the pistol which was used to kill Archduke Franz Ferdinand is 9mm kurz. I hope this response is of some help for you.
    Please do not hesitate to contact me again, if you have some further questions.

    Best regardsMit freundlichen GrüßenIng.
    Mag. Thomas IlmingLeiter Referat WaTe (Waffen und Technik)Heeresgeschichtliches MuseumA-1030 Wien, Arsenal, Objekt.''

    So noted. Good intel that! I've run into more than one account with the pistol incorrectly described as being an FN M1900. Seems the press wasn't any better with details in decades past.
    WWJMBD?

    "Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
  • BigslugBigslug Posts: 9,858 Senior Member
    And launching "the war to end all wars".............wait, what's that..........there's a sequel planned? Well let's just make this the dumbest human experiment ever.............so does range time with a sportered '03A3 count?

    Many have reasoned that the 1939-1945 unpleasantness was merely the rest of the game that followed a really depressing 20-year half-time show, so rock on!
    WWJMBD?

    "Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
  • horselipshorselips Posts: 3,628 Senior Member
    June is a rough month for the history of man's inhumanity to man. June 6, D-Day. June 18, Waterloo. June 22, my birthday. June 25, The Little Bighorn. June 28, Sarajevo. Probably a lot more, but those are the biggies that come to mind.
  • samzheresamzhere Posts: 10,923 Senior Member
    It's hard to comprehend the massive cultural changes that WW-I brought upon Europe unless you read some good historic accounts of the War and aftermath.

    Three great nations, Britain, France, and Germany were gutted by the death of an entire generation of young men. And essentially for nothing.

    Just one example, in the great "Face of Battle" by John Keegan (superb military book, one of the best) describes the slaughter at the Battle of the Somme where so many thousands of British troops were killed in a failed and ill-advised assault against the German lines. And this is only one example.
  • RugerFanRugerFan Posts: 2,865 Senior Member
    horselips wrote: »
    June is a rough month for the history of man's inhumanity to man. June 6, D-Day. June 18, Waterloo. June 22, my birthday. June 25, The Little Bighorn. June 28, Sarajevo. Probably a lot more, but those are the biggies that come to mind.

    And it's a popular month for weddings.
  • horselipshorselips Posts: 3,628 Senior Member
    RugerFan wrote: »
    And it's a popular month for weddings.

    Which brings to mind Ambrose Bierce's "The Devil's Dictionary" which defines 'love' as a temporary insanity cured by marriage. A 'bride' is defined as a woman with a fine prospect of happiness behind her.
  • BigslugBigslug Posts: 9,858 Senior Member
    samzhere wrote: »
    I
    Three great nations, Britain, France, and Germany were gutted by the death of an entire generation of young men. And essentially for nothing.

    I suppose it did have the effect of finishing off what the American and French revolutions started by finally opening the world's eyes to the fact that their leaders were not, in fact, sent from the heavens to rule them, but rather a bunch of squabbling, inbred children. Of course, we're still messily hashing out the various alternative systems to come out of that 200+ years of turmoil.
    WWJMBD?

    "Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
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