World War 1 Changing attitudes to war in Britain and...

You will be home before the leaves have fallen from their trees. As in most war, the first casualty was the truth. When Europe slid from a nervous peace into raging war, almost everyone anticipated a brisk, spectacular and triumphant campaign. In the summer of July 1914, war was a great and glorious suggestion. Not yet real, a good ole biff was a glamorous image that appealed to soldiers and civilians alike. Indeed, attitudes towards war were most enthusiastic and joyous amongst almost everybody in both Britain and Germany. It had been a long time since either side had experienced a real war. For Britain, it had been a century since any large-scale violence. Not since 1871 had any German seen a bloody battle. As it was, not even†¦show more content†¦Despite this ominous picture, attitudes of civilians, including the large numbers who were to enlist as soldiers, remained buoyant. Instead of making the people realize the stupidity of untamed patriotism, the dark situation of Christmas 1914 actually bolstered the determination of the people to fight. This maintenance of war enthusiasm was largely a result of the propaganda and censorship that became part of government policy. In this new style of warfare that required a large proportion of the civilian men to fight, it was vital to the governments of Europe that public opinion remain strong. Consequently, the patriotism of the recruitment campaign morphed into blatant propaganda and media deception. The tabloid papers of London became the mouthpiece for the militaristic government to insight hatred of the enemy. False reports of German atrocities flooded the news. Apparently, Belgian babies were bayoneted and their mothers raped and murdered. Magazines posted graphic, yet staged, photographs of German soldiers standing over dead nuns. A similar campaign of propaganda and outright deceit was used in Germany. Again, professed enemies mirrored each other remarkably well. The campaigns of propaganda were frighteningly successful. Evidence of the continuing loyalty to the cause of war was the unceasing flock of men on both sides, enlisting to join in the war against evil. While the smell of Christmas dinner was still in the