Loss Of Many Soldier's Lives example essay topic

The First World War was the first modern war, fought with such technological advances as aircraft and more potent gun power. There were many social aspects which contributed to the course of the war on the front lines, and which affected the way the war was viewed at home. Class relations, women's new and changing roles, and race were all major contributors. One of the strongest social forces that affected almost every aspect of the war both at home and on the battlefield was class. With regard to the military there were grave differences in the life of an officer and the life of a soldier.

Officers were from the public school upper class. They made decisions which killed thousands of troops unnecessarily. The officers enjoyed good meals, quarters, ample leave, pay and conditions, whereas soldiers endured grossly inadequate accommodation in the trenches, even suffering from lice, dysentery, malaria, tetanus and gangrene to name a few. The trenches were filled with mice and rats who fed on the rotting corpses. In many cases there was also mud to contend with, making movement dangerous and sometimes impossible. Men had little confidence in their superiors and communication from the front line to headquarters was not good.

The inability of those in charge of the army to see past their traditional ideas of war strategy and tactical manoeuvres caused the loss of many soldier's lives. These men, such as Kitchener and Haig were unable to grasp the reality of the war, and the consequences of their outdated views. They were sceptical of technological advances, and so chose to ignore them rather than realistically evaluating their course of action. As a result, many lives, resources, and time were sacrificed. The loss of so many soldiers led to the enactment of conscription.

In order to aid enlistment, propaganda was used, such as the famous "What did you do in the War, Daddy?" while women were expected to adhere to traditional views and support the war effort by encouraging their men to go and fight. One way of persuading men to join was through the PALS battalions scheme. This encouraged men from the same city or factory to form companies together. The added peer pressure also influenced men to enlist. Moreover, those who opposed the war or refused to enlist were given very demeaning and filthy jobs such as making manure from dead animal remains and chemicals.

This was meant to demoralize those not supporting the war effort. Also, troops from throughout the Empire were brought in to fight. These men were kept in separate battalions from the British troops. When being treated for wounds, they were kept away from white nurses for fear of illegitimate children and mixing of the races. Many of these soldiers were not accustomed to the harsh climate of Western Europe or the battle tactics of the West, and suffered much hardship. As many men died on the front lines, more men were needed, and there was opportunity for middle class men to become officers, and class definitions narrowed slightly because of this.

Classes narrowed at home as well. This was due partially to the need for workers and also the higher wages paid for those aiding the war effort. This was most apparent in the narrowing of the lower and middle classes, where the differences in pay for skilled and unskilled labourers evened out more, and middle class workers were able to enjoy luxuries they could not previously afford. As most able-bodied men were needed to fight, women became a major part of the workforce in factories and took on roles that traditionally they had never filled before. This gave women a feeling of independence and self-worth that was partially responsible for forwarding the Women's Movement.