The Grim Reality Behind First World War Enlistment
Ulysses and Jess are also commenters on Vox Political, and it’s good to know we’re both being read by highly intelligent, well-read and critical people. ;-)
Welcome to Vox Political! Today is : April 18, 2024
Bringing you the latest news and insights, every day!
All original material created for this site is © Mike Sivier. Posts may be shared, provided full credit is given to Mike Sivier and Vox Political, along with a link back to this site. Using any of my writing for a commercial purpose is not allowed without my express permission. Excerpts and links, including paraphrasing, may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mike Sivier and Vox Political with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Unless otherwise credited, all content is the site author’s. The right of Mike Sivier to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
The war started with a height stipulation for recruits but by the latter years of the war it had to be dropped and we had “bantam” regiments of men under 4′ 6″.
As I’ve said in previous comments, history has written out the grinding poverty and abuses of power that existed way into the 30’s.
The winning of the “Great War” changed nothing for those who offered their lives for 3 meals a day and a pair of boots. They came eback to the exact same situation that they left, not as heroes or protectors of freedom but as mere cattle to be put back in the pen the war had allowed them to escape.
Workhouses, compulsory labour, slum housing, disease all still part of everyday life.
As for our current youngsters, seeing how those fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq were issued redundancy notices whilst still on tour and how those injured have been subject to WCA pronouncing them fit to work (even after losing limbs fighting for “freedom”) one cannot blame them for refusing to fight.
Given that the government has already told all those unemployed youngsters that they are shirkers, wasters, crooks and druggies it would be more than a little hypocritical of them to seek their help in fighting another of their power crazy, asset grabbing grubbly little wars.