Jim
you are now including blame for starting the war in your arguments,

I am not, but you raised the issue and made a false assertion about Macmillan's view on it.
She said Germany and Austria-Hungary were responsible.
Here are ten other historians who mostly agree. None of them blame UK.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26048324

Dave,
So this new knowledge is what exactly, "did 17 million really die?"
You will find the new knowledge laid out in the histories written in recent years. Just read something Dave, instead of endlessly exposing your woeful ignorance.

"did 17 million really die?"

Yes, and that seems to be the sum total of your knowledge.
The war had to be fought (read the history books).
The war could not be fought without incurring heavy losses (read the history books).
Had the army not been well led, the losses would have been even heavier (as they were for all the other armies) and we would not have won.