Western Front

[Sean Clark]

I was watching an online lecture the other day. A well known and respected historian started by asking why do we use the phrase 'the Western Front.'

From our perspective it was all mostly east of our location.

[Colonel Kilgore]

Well, it was West of the Eastern Front 

Simon

[Rittervonbek]

A curious example of the Central Powers'  terminology for a war they lost being adopted by the victors? I know one of the shortest communiques of the war was " Nicht neues am Westftont".

Mike

[sukhe_bator (Neil)]

I always thought it was because the flashpoint was in Eastern Europe... Austro-Hungary v Serbia. We've all become so used to the NW European bias since it was on our doorstep so to speak that we tend to forget all the other parts...

[Leman (Andy)]

It is indeed the use of the German terminology of the time. Not sure why it is considered less worthy than French Front (it wasn't because it extended into Belgium) or Russian Front ( but that extended into Austria Hungary). Anyway, seems a bit pointless upsetting the applecart after 100 years. Don't hear people wittering on about the Battle of La Belle Alliance.