Major Changes after the Soldiers Returned Home

The fighting in World War 1 ended at 11am on 11 November 1918. However, the deaths and suffering did not end. More than eighty years later the cost of the war is still with us, the losses are still being felt by families and friends. During 1918, people became more aware of the general effects of war. There seemed to be no real victors of The Great War and the economic costs continued to upset many in the community.

All soldiers were impacted in some way; they were very different from those who had left several years earlier. Some wives, mothers, sisters and girlfriends couldn’t recognise their men as they came down the gangway. The injuries, disease, stress, poor food and living conditions had taken their toll.  The diggers were exposed to a whole new way of life as the war broadened their horizons.

After the soldiers returned home, the countries involved in the war changed greatly:

·         The Government suffered the burden of supplying jobs for returned soldiers.

·         Population declined due to great numbers of casualties.

·         Food shortages were a problem in many parts of Europe.

·         Political parties split causing lack of leadership.

·         Trade union membership almost doubled from 1915 to 1920—years of war and post-    war economic boom.

·         Technology experienced a great boost after the war, such as the production  of automobiles, airplanes,   radios, etc.

By 1914, Australia’s population was less than five million, nearly half a million of whom had been recruited. Sixty-one thousands Australians never came home and two out of every three men sent to war were injured.

In the aftermath of World War I, thousands of families throughout Australia mourned the loss of a loved one who went off to war, never to return. Graves and memorials were built in honour of the soldiers.  

http://www.anzacday.org.au/history/ww1/homefront/homefront.html

http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/journey.html

Video Analysis

War Neuroses: Netley Hospital

This video portrays the detrimental effects on traumatised soldiers’ minds who fought in World War I. These effects are often described as shell shock, a mental illness that affects soldiers making them extremely nervous or confused.

We observe some patients and their behaviour before and after treatment at Seale Hayne Military Hospital, Netley in 1918. 

The first example shows a 23 year-old man dating back to February 1916 with complete retro-grade amnesia, hysterical paralysis, contractures, mutism (the inability to speak, result of deafness or brain damage) and universal anesthesia (insensitivity to pain). In November 1917 his memory suddenly recovered and his body was able to function again. He was able to return to his basket-making job in June 1918. After two and a half years he completely recovered.

The second example shows a particular response of amnesia, word blindness and deafness except for the word ‘bombs’.

Another example demonstrates the different facial spasm. Under hypnosis movements slowly ceased.

The effect of lateral tremor on the head was treated by relaxation and passive movements. The forceful, rapid movement help reduce the constant shaking of the head, as seen through before and after films.

Hysterical gait, swaying movement and continuous nose wiping were results of being buried by a shell. The symptoms persisted until he was admitted to Netley hospital where he underwent treatment. A month later, he was able to work at a farm and feed chickens.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL5noVCpVKw 

http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/exhibits/war/pics/ww1/shellshock72.jpg 

First Person Post- A Widow's Life

They say he’s coming home.

I’m not sure what to feel.

Four years. Four years of isolation, and he thinks he can just barge back into my life?

I warned him, I told him not to go. “No,” he said, “No, it’s a matter of my pride.”

What bloody pride? Missing the birth of his only son, was it all worth it? I’ve been living the life of a widow, and my son, Billy without a father. He thought of himself as a legend, a hero, fighting for his country. But leaving your dying wife and unborn son alone is the most cowardly act of all.

He left us with barely anything. The little money that was sent home was scarcely enough for my medical fees...

*

They said to wait the station for his return. I hear hundreds will arrive on the train. I wear my nicest flannel dress, and even put my hair up, but I look like nothing compared to those other healthy, young women. Billy clutches my hand tightly, anticipating his very first meeting with his father.

The train draws in. Shouts of joys from the reunited men and women fill the crisp air with a new warmth.

Where is he? Almost everyone is off the train. I always hated how slow he is.

“Sir?” I ask to a digger passing by. “Where is soldier Wayne Jones?”

“Oh, I’m sorry Madame. He never returned from the trenches.”

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lj6gygxB6j1qftj8fo1_400.jpg 

Home at Last

Returning home from a life full of violence and horror was not a simple experience.

During the 1920s, Lieutenant General Sir John Monash sent troops back to Australia on a first come, first go basis. They longed to rediscover a peaceful lifestyle and to settle down in Australia. The returned soldiers (diggers) came home to a new Australia, attempting to sculpt a position for themselves in society. However the process of reintegrating into Australian society was fairly difficult as not everyone understood the importance of the diggers in the War, or where the diggers belonged in society. After returning from war, many diggers were unsure what to do with their lives, suffering from shell shock, some were restless for months and even years.

The memories of the deaths of the thousands of Australian men traumatised the witnesses to a point where they could not speak of it. The many troops that returned with permanent injuries had constant reminders of their experience and physical reflections of how the war had changed them.

For the majority of the decade after the diggers returned, unemployment was over 5 per cent as women had charged into the workforce taking jobs usually occupied by men. Employers had no desire to fire their female employees as they worked as efficiently as men and were paid half the wage of a man.

Nevertheless, there was a strong sense of national pride in what the Australian troops had accomplished during the war. War memorials were built in honour of service personnel, with 60 being completed before 1918. 

http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-43_t-50_c-148/soldiers/nsw/soldiers/australia-between-the-wars-1920s/australians-between-the-wars-1920s
http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/1918/victory/returnhome.asp 

World War I 1914-1918

Introduction to World War I


The assassination by pro-Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip on 28 June 1914 of Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria sparked the anger of Austria-Hungarians who argued that the Serbian government was involved.

Austria-Hungary issued Serbia an ultimatum in which they demanded the assassins be brought to justice effectively. Serbia rejected the severe terms on 23 July, causing Austria-Hungary to declare war against Serbia. Russia mobilised on 30 July because it had a mutual defence alliance with Serbia, triggering Germany which had a defence alliance with Austria-Hungary, to send an ultimatum to Russia and France on 31 July. On 1 August Germany declared war against Russia and France, thus France mobilised.


On 3 August, Germany invaded Belgium pulling Britain into the war as Britain, France and Belgium had a defence alliance. By 1914, Europe had divided into two camps, The Triple Alliance: Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary and The Triple Entente: Britain, France and Russia.


A total of 331 781 Australians fought in the Great War, 64.58% of them being casualties.

Causes of The Great War


Imperism

· Desire and competition amongst European countries for greater empires
· Rise of industrialism causing countries that provided raw materials to need additional territories
· Status, power and wealth

Militarism
 

· 20th century- countries building military forces, arms and battleships
· 1914 Germany -greatest increase in military build up
· Germany and Britain- navies greatly increased

Nationalism

· Desire of Slavic peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina to be part of Serbia instead of Austria Hungary

· Trying to prove dominance and power

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
http://americanhistory.about.com/od/worldwari/World_War_I.htm http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-43_t-50_c-148/soldiers/nsw/soldiers/australia-between-the-wars-1920s/australians-between-the-wars-1920s