So I've been thinking this over. I know quite a lot about the Great War. And the more texts I read, and more general history books you look at, there is a sharp change in the attitudes of society after the Great War.
I believe that the Great War marked the beginning of the end of Britain being the leading power of the world, and marked the rise of America. I believe that it was then that the idea of having an Empire was not seen as so glamorous, and the view of warfare took another direction, and the value of human life increased. I think that the social ladder was not such a huge division post war, because each man was seen as equal in the end.
Some of these may not apply to America, because America had its own tragic war - The American Civil War, which was similar in contrast to the First World War.
Now what really interests me, is that this shift in society's view mainly changed in the people who did not go to war. These were the same people who ridiculed young men in 1915, 1916, 1917, and 1918 for not joining the war effort. These were women and old men who flocked to the streets along with the soon to be soldiers to celebrate the outbreak of war.
Why was it that this sudden shift in public view of almost everything occurred then?
I mean we can take Britain as an example:
8 million British men fought in the Army in World War One.
700,000 were killed.
45,370,530 people were living in Britain at the time. The death toll and total men who served is very small in comparison to the population size. So could the experiences of men who could not write back in letters what the war was truly like, and who the vast majority never spoke of their war experiences really adjust a whole society's moral values?
The politics in Britain changed. The leading parties who had dominated the political scene prior to WWI - Conservatives and Liberals, both fell out of favour.
This trend is not only seen in Britain, but the other major European nations who fought in the conflict. The exception to this is America who seemed to rise from it, forming the League of Nations and taking a very active part in the peace treaty.
There was a huge cry in both Britain and France for Germany to pay compensation to them, the war guilt clause. The cry was from the public.
It is interesting to note that the public was behind the government for the duration of the war. Women flocked to join factories to produce arms, men too young to be conscripted were put under pressure to join the army regardless.
However, similarly to the outbreak of war, people flooded onto the streets to celebrate the armistice.
Could it be that the modern mind was born then? That Western society's moral views of 'good' and 'bad' were, changed is too strong a word, but adjusted?
And if so, why?
Post edited at 4:01 pm on Oct. 22, 2008 by ElephantStone
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