Ten million lives were lost to the world in the 1914-18 war and they say that 70 million pounds of money were spent in the preliminary bombardment in the Battle of Ypres; before any infrantry left their trenches the sum of 22 million pounds was spent, and the weight of the ammunition fired in the first two weeks of that battle amounted to 480,000 tons. I do not believe that that represents the best use the world can be expected to make of its brains and its resources. I prefer to believe that the majority of people in the world in these days think that war hurts everybody, benefits nobody - except the profiteers - and settles nothing…..As one who has passed pretty well half a century in the study and practice of war, I suggest to you that you should give your support to Disarmament and so do your best to ensure the promotion of peace.
Field-Marshal Sir William Robertson, Chief of Imperial General Staff 1915-1918