I started a chat with ChatGPT today. Here is how it went.
Me: “In 1914, France had about the same population as Ukraine has today. The French army in 1914 had over 4 million men in it. How were the French in 1914 able to mobilize so many more men than the Ukrainians today?”
ChatGPT: “The ability of France in 1914 to mobilize over 4 million men compared to Ukraine’s mobilization efforts today can be attributed to several factors rooted in the historical, social, and technological context of the time:
- National Conscription Laws: France, like many European nations at the time, had national conscription laws that required all able-bodied men of a certain age group to serve in the military. The French conscription system, established in the 19th century, was designed to provide a large pool of military manpower that could be mobilized quickly in the event of war. This system was a product of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, which emphasized mass armies drawn from the citizenry.
- Pre-War Military Planning: The period before World War I was marked by intense military planning and preparation, especially in Europe, where the complex web of alliances and a prevailing belief in the inevitability of a large-scale war led countries to prepare extensively for mobilization. France, in particular, had detailed plans for rapid mobilization as part of its strategic planning against Germany.
- Societal Mobilization: The societal context in 1914 France was one where there was a strong sense of nationalism and duty towards the country, partly fueled by the desire to avenge the defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. This cultural mindset made it more feasible for the government to mobilize large numbers of men.
- Lack of Modern Technological Constraints: Unlike today, where military effectiveness relies heavily on advanced technology, training, and equipment, armies in 1914 relied more on sheer numbers. The nature of warfare at the time allowed for the mass mobilization of men with relatively basic training and equipment.
- Different Economic and Social Structures: The economic and social structures of early 20th century France were vastly different from those in modern Ukraine. France’s population was more rural and agrarian, which meant that a larger portion of the population was available for military service, as opposed to being engaged in specialized, non-transferable professions that are more common today.
- International Context and the Scale of World War I: The scale of World War I and the existential threat it posed to nations involved led to mobilization on a scale previously unseen. The war was expected to be short but required full national effort, leading to the mobilization of vast portions of the population.
- Current Challenges in Ukraine: Ukraine today faces different challenges in mobilization, including political, economic, and social constraints, as well as the need to balance military needs with the preservation of its economy and societal function. Modern warfare also demands highly trained and specialized personnel, limiting the ability to mobilize large portions of the population quickly.
In summary, the ability of France to mobilize over 4 million men in 1914 was the result of a combination of conscription laws, pre-war planning, societal attitudes towards national service, the technological and tactical nature of warfare at the time, and the specific historical context. These factors are significantly different from the challenges and conditions facing Ukraine today, affecting the scale and nature of mobilization efforts.”
End of exchange for the moment
I feel like I just got the PoliSci grad student B+ don’t really know much about it answer. Help me rip this paper up.
I’ve been thinking about this as well, and its question that often comes up in the circles of professionals (and the professionally adjacent, like myself.)
First, the Uks had a really difficult time building any institutional competence from 2010-2014, when a good chunk of their officer corps (especially those in Crimea) turn coated. From 2014 onwards, despite the efforts of the State Partnership Program (that had started I believe started in the mid 1990s) and other attempts, there were considerable and broad obstacles to building a post Soviet institutional military. Now, the Uks weren’t the only former Soviet or Warsaw Pact nation to face these issues, but its certainly the one that likely influence the greater Soviet Union as much as it was influenced, given the Ukraine’s outsized role in the USSR’s military.
And, what mobilization experience would any of the Western mentors bring? The last remnants of a pretty sedate if politically explosive draft in a NATO military likely belonged to the US, in the 1970s. One example I often cite is the story of a Ukrainian PhD physicist drafted as a infantryman into the Uk armed forces. Now I applaud anyone wanting to get their fight on in the service of their country in its hour of need, but that’s a real fail of mobilization, which is the art of getting cylinders into round holes. More critically, the Ukrainians likely just don’t have enough high quality personnel to go around for the variety technological challenges they face. One wonders how much of the functionally irreplaceable people like a PhD were burnt up doing ill suited roles.
Second, the French and others had a population that if not supportive of drafts/levees en masse, would show up, in part as where else was there for a young man to go? In the modern Ukrainian case, there has been a level of draft avoidance, and ways to leak out into the greater European economy or elsewhere, and draft avoidance being a treasured tradition of the Soviet legacy of their country. The attritional level of the conflict is having the same effect as it had on the British Expeditionary Force of WWI.
Third, there is a huge effort on the part of Ukrainians to play down their challenges, especially self inflicted ones, and considerable level of what I perceive as self censorship on the behalf of the Western specialist press in reporting bad news. Therefore, its difficult to bring external forces to bear on these issues. I think the Ukrainians are doing this entirely on purpose, and its created a huge and growing credibility gap.
There are some more things to share, but I think that’s kind of my shot for now.