Glorification of War: A Disillusioned Society

       "This generation has no future, and deserves none.  Anyone who belongs to it lives no more." As Rudolph Binding stated, being a WWI soldier allowed thousands of young, enthusiastic men to realize the horrific disillusionment they had been put through. I, as a child living in a modern generation, didn't understand how so many young people like me could be persuaded into their deaths, as we, the modern generation, know now. It never occured to me that these kids my age had no idea what war entailed, besides a sense of pride and dedication to one's country. Because of our media, textbooks, films, and survivors, the gruesome effects of a war are easily revealed to us - and this is a fairly new phenomenon. The young men of the 20th century, in my eyes, were tricked into being soldiers; they were taught that war was their duty and through propoganda, they were motivated to enlist or else they'd feel guilty. Yet, if these tactics were used now, I feel as if the turnout of men enlisting for their death would be far less than it ever was 100 years ago all because of the society we live in. 

a prime example of guilt propoganda 

       These preconceptions of the war (World War I, specifically) stemmed from  strong sense of national pride and the excitement for a better country. In Germany, pre-WWI, a revolution of all sorts was happening; mechanization was dramaticallly increasing; the population was growing; industrialization was on the rise. It was like a domino effect, as Germany revolutionized from an agricultural to an industrial society. But, what happens when a country is uniting and thriving? The hunger for power. And where does this power come from? Land and hierarchy. I mean think about it - does the tiny state of Vermont have more power and say in the government than the giant state of Texas? No, of course not - because Texas has a much bigger sway in politics, since it's so much larger. The same concept applied to Germany: it was a nation on the rise, with no where to expand its borders. Germany was ready to announce its presence on the world stage. But how? War. Germany, as we know, was a militaristic state that was dedicated to enlarging it's presence, especially in a time when weapons were readily available due to industrialization. The arrival of World War I was the ideal time for Germany to get involved in foreign affairs, yet little did they know how they would end up. 

     The main motivation behind every German boy's enlistment was his extreme sense of nationalism. They were brainwashed by their professors, modern art/music, and propaganda to join the army because they would be committing such a "great sacrifice" for their country. They were convinced they would obtain glory in a short amount of time if they all worked together as one. It was seen as the "masculine" thing to do - I mean, how would a boy feel if his brother enlisted and he didn't? These young men wanted to make their fathers proud. The unification of the many regions in Germany was finally happening, and the rise of nationalism took over the minds of most German people. Sadly enough for them, this great pride would soon be shot down post-war, as the Treaty of Versailles for Germany was borderline worldwide embarrassment and heavily impacted their economy and ability to grow. 

     I personally find it fascinating to think about the difference between the early 20th century society and today's. Being an American, I feel as if propaganda and extreme nationalism wouldn't necessarily persuade a majority of men to enlist if we were to get involved in other great war, and I feel this is due to our readily available sources of technology and knowledge about the past. Boys these days wouldn't willingly get up and join the war with all of their friends, brothers, and fathers out of pride for being an American. It's very rare that this is the case, even though 100 years ago, this was why militaristic influence was so powerful. I feel that in modern - day, we identify more with our close groups: for example, our community, states, or religion. Nationalism has definitely decreased, and Germany is a perfect example of why. War can no longer be glorified - we all know what it truly entails. 

-Lyndsey Clos