"...He should have seen Matthew Brady's pictures of the American Civil War, and had this thought occurring to him beforehand, (as I'm sure it did to many less influential parents)..."

WLD,

I'm sorry to disappoint you, but, at the time, the American Civil War was a minor conflict in what was then a minor power - American influence would not grow until the 20th Century - Of more importance to British civilians would have been the Crimea ; Indian Mutiny; China (1860 2nd Opium War); New Zealand (Moari Wars); Canada (Finian Raids); Abyssinia; the Ashantee Wars; South Africa (Zulu wars) or Afghanistan and Egypt.

To be honest, at the time, I'm not sure how many people, outside of the US would have seen any Matthew Brady photographs or even heard of him.

As for the nature of the Great War, remember that it was going to be a short sharp War, if not 'over by Christmas' it was expected not to last more than a year or so, it was to be a war of movement (just like the Franco-Prussian War) - believe it or not, the 'mutual siege' of trench warfare came as a shock to both sides.

The problem is that, from this distance, it is difficult not to view any decision made then, without hindsight, which must, by its nature distort our view.

Walrus