Readers, writers, texts

Wilfred Owen
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POETRY OF THE GREAT WAR

For England, the nineteenth century ended in 1914. Even though Queen Victoria herself
had died in 1901. it is really World War One chat separates the Victorian Age from our
own.
Of course. such general statements about history can only be made much later. At
the time the situation presented a very different aspect. When the German armies
invaded Belgium and France, war was officially declared, and once more Br/tain feit it had
a nobie cause to fight. Recruiting campaigns appealed to the old sentiments of honour and
patriotism, and many thousands of young men enlisted. Cheered as heroes and filled with
ideals of glory, they left England to serve their king and country in France.
What they found there was vastly different from anything they could ever have
imagined. Within a month the German offensive had carne to a halt, and what had started
as a Blitzkrieg soon became a completely statie war, with two armies separated only by a
thin strip of no man's land endlessty blasting away at each ocher. The front consisted of a
forty thousand kilometre labyrinth of trenches, stretching from the English Channel to
the Alps. Millions of soldiers were exposed to rain, mud, bitter cold and the orders of
generals who refused to understand chat their nineteenth century ideas about military
tactics and strategy were no use in a war chat was different from all previous ones. They
still believed chat massive attacks on the enemy would secure victory in the end. And so
the war became a senseless series of attacks and counter-attacks. Official reports only
mention numbers in what must have been tragedies: September 20: Menin Road- British
loss 22,000 men; gain 800 yards; September 25: Polygon Wood - British loss 17,000 men;
gain 1,000 yards; October 12: Passchendaele- British loss 13,000 men in three hours; gain
100 yards. The total number of victims of the Battle of Verdun is estimated at 600,000, chat
of the Som me at one million.
Many accounts from the front only make you realize chat there are things chat
cannot be expressed in words and that cannot be properly understood except by chose
who were there: the thousands of dead bodies scattered everywhere, the smell of death,
people going mad with the constant artillery flre, the gas attacks, friends being killed
every day, despair, fear and bitterness.
lt is no wonder that many of those who survived found themselves unabte to lead
normal Jives again. Some suffered from a mental breakdown referred to as shell-shock and
even on chose who appeared sane the war had left its mark for life. They could not forget
what they had seen, and they were unable to communicate their feelings to people who
had no idea, or a completely wrong idea, of what had been going on across the Channel.
They remained silene, and their silence could only be understood by men who had shared
their experiences.
In an attempt to find words for their emotions, some turned to poetry. A number
of them had al ready been writing poems before the war started and they continued to do
so in the crenches, others were led to verse by the war itself. Not all of them were great,
or even goed, poets, but their work stands as a memorial to all those who fell in what is
still known as the Great War. This chapter presents three of the best-known 'trench
poets', and their poems take us back to one of the darkest pages in history.

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Lloyd George, 'That is what we are fighting ...' to their destruction. This is a description given of us in
Germany - 'a timorous, craven nation, trusting to its
In the autumn of 1914 there were many speeches, staking British Fleet'.I think they are beginning to find their mistake
morale for the war with Germany. Remember that in these early out already - and there are half a million young men of
days, most commentators said that it would all be over by
Britain who have already registered a vow to their King
Christmas.
that they will cross the seas and hurl that insult to
David Lloyd George was Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time British courage against its perpetrators on the battle­
of his speech. He became Prime Minister in 1916. He recognises fields of France and Germany.We want half a million
that it will be 'a long job ... a terrible war', but notice how his more; and we shall get them.
argument appeals to a sense of fair play and patriotism and pro­ I envy you young people your opportunity. They have
gress: 'the making of a new Europe - a new world'.
put up the age limit for the Army, but I am sorry to say I
have marched a good many years even beyond that.It is
a great opportunity, an opportunity that only comes
Treaties have gone. The honour of nations has gone.
once in many centuries to the children of men. For
Liberty has gone.What is left? Germany. Germany is
most generations sacrifice comes in drab and weariness
left! 'Deutschland über Alles!
of spirit. It comes to you today, and it comes today to us
That is what we are fighting - that claim to
all, in the form of the glow and thrill of a great
predominance of a material, hard civilization which, if it
movement for liberty, that impels millions throughout
once rules and sways the world, liberty goes, democracy

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Europe to the same noble end. It is a great war for the
vanishes. And unless Britain and her sons come to the
emancipation of Europe from the thraldom of a
rescue it will be a dark day for humanity ...
military caste which has thrown its shadows upon two
They think we cannot beat them. It will not be easy.It
generations of men, and is nów plunging the world into
will be a long job; it will be a terrible war; but in the end
a welter of bloodshed and death. Some have already
we shall march through terror to triumph. We shall
given their own lives; they have given the lives of those
need all our qualities - every quality that Britain and its who are dear to them. I honour their courage, and may
people possess - prudence in counsel, daring in action, God be their comfort and their strength.But their
tenacity in purpose, courage in defeat, moderation in reward is at hand; those who have fallen have died
victory; in all things faith. consecrated deaths. They have taken their part in the
It has pleased them to believe and to preach the making of a new Europe - a new world. I can see signs
belief that we are a decadent and degenerate people. of its coming in the glare of the battlefield.
They proclaim to the world through their professors The people will gain more by this struggle in all lands
that we are a non-heroic nation skulking behind our than they comprehend at the present moment.It is
mahogany counters, whilst we egg on more gallant races true they will be free of the greatest menace to their
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freedom. That is not all. There is something infinitely men and women of this generation last, they \\7Îll carry
greater and more enduring which is emerging already in their hearts the image of those great mountain peaks
out of this great conflict - a new patriotism, richer, • I
wbose foundations are not shaken, though Eurnpe rock
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nobler, and more exalted than the old. I see amongst all and Sl"lay in the convulsions of a great war.
classes, high and low, shedding themselves of
selfishness, a new recognition that the honour of the
September 1914
country does not depend merely on the maintenance of
its glory in the stricken field, but also in protecting its
homes from distress. lt is bringing a new outlook for all
classes. The great flood of luxury and sloth which had
submerged the land is receding, and a new Britain is
appearing. We can see for the first time the fundament.al
Lloyd George, 'That is what we are fighting .. .'
things that matter in life, and that have been obscured
from our vision by the tropical growth of prosperity. 80 Deutschland über Alles 'Germany over everyone' - the refrain
May I tel1 you in a simple parable what I think this war of the German national anthem.
is doing for us? I know a valley in North Wales, between decadent and degenerate idle and wasteful.
the mountains and the sea. lt is a beautiful valley, snug, skulking hiding away.
comfortable, sheltered by the mountains from all the 81 timorous timid, nervous.

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bitter blasts. But it is very enervating, and I remember
craven cowardly.
how the boys were in the habit of climbing the hill
above the village to have a glimpse of the great emancipation liberation, freedom.
mountains in the distance, and to be stimulated and consecrated sacred, because they were fighting for a just cause.
freshened by the breezes which carne from the hilltops, 82 scourged whipped.
and by the great spectacle of their grandeur. We have pinnacle peak.
been living in a sheltered valley for generations. We
have been too comfortable and too indulgent - many, 83 convulsions violent upheavals.
perhaps, too selfish - and the stern hand of fate has
scourged us to an elevation where we can see the great
everlasting things that matter for a nation - the great
peaks we had forgotten, of Honour, Duty, Patriotism,
and, clad in glit.tering white, the great pinnacle of
Sacrifice pointing like a rugged finger to Heaven. We
shall descend into the valleys again; but as long as the

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 THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD

WE’VE MADE A MOVIE TO SHOW THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR...
I HOPE IT WILL GIVE STUDENTS A REAL SENSE OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE.

Peter Jackson Director

Recruitment (4 minutes 46 seconds)

"I was taught that any enemy of England was an enemy of mine and I wanted to be in it."

Life in the Army (14 minutes 30 seconds)

"I liked to be told what I had to do because there was a reason for doing it!"

Weaponry (18 minutes 45 seconds/ 51 minutes 40 seconds)

"I'd never seen a dead man and I wondered if it came to my shooting a man whether I
would be able to do this."

Trench Life (25 minutes 43 seconds)

"It was one of the most desolate looking places in the world, you never saw a sign of life."

'They Shall Not grow Old', WingNut Films, Peter Jackson.© IWM (IWM 191)

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 THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD

Going into battle (1 hour)

"Just as I stepped into no man’s land, somebody was shot through the head!"

Medicine/Surgery (1 hour 15 minutes)

"If he was dead, then he was no trouble - medically."

Knowing the enemy (1 hour 19 minutes)

"The general agreement when talking to Germans was how useless war was and why did
it have to happen?"

The end of the war (1 hour 24 minutes)

"At 11 o clock the noise and the gunfire just rolled away like a peal of thunder in the
distance."

'They Shall Not grow Old', WingNut Films, Peter Jackson.© IWM (IWM 191)

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 THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD

Explain the title of the documentary.

Friendship: Consider how soldiers bonded and kept spirits up in the bleakest of conditions.

How were peoples’ attitudes affected by the events during the war?

What happened when the war ended and how did soldiers and their families adjust to post-
war life.

'They Shall Not grow Old', WingNut Films, Peter Jackson.© IWM (IWM 191)

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 POSTER ANALYSIS: WORLD WAR I
PROPAGANDA POSTERS

Visit www.dpc.vic.edu.au/soap
for further information

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 2 Lesson 1 : Poster Analysis: World War 1 Propaganda Posters

Poster Analysis: World War I Propaganda Posters

Propaganda posters are a valuable primary source for historians. Learning how to analyse the
visual and verbal aspects of a poster is a valuable skill to learn. A useful way to do this is to
employ a series of questions to help you identify the key elements of the poster and their
intended impact.
These questions can be divided into three aspects:

Visual Verbal Context

Visual This aspect is all about what you can see on the poster.
What is the composition of
What is the salient image? What is t he r ead ing pa th ? the poster?

That is, what is the first image that your Generally, we ‘read’ images left to right What has been included or omitted?
eye is drawn to when looking at the and top to bottom, just the same as if we What effect does this have on the
poster? were reading text. However, sometimes viewer?
the reading path of an image is set out for
us by the placement of the salient image.

What is the layout of the What is the body language of

poster? What colours have been used? any of the figures in the poster?

What is the orientation of various The use of colour can be very important as What are the facial expressions, gestures,
figures within the poster? Do we look up certain colours evoke emotional responses stance or position of any human figures?
to them or down on them (this is called in people. For example:
the point of view).
o red can mean anger, danger, passion What symbolism has been used?
o A good rule to remember is the
or stop
rule of thirds – images in the top
o white is innocence, purity and peace
third of the poster are empowered Symbolism is the use of an image to represent
o black means death, evil, sickness and
whilst images in the bottom third
night an idea. Are the symbols used clear, dramatic
are considered to be disempow-
o green equals nature and go, or pro- or memorable?
ered.
ceed
o blue means peace, serenity and, of
course, boys
o pink stands for love, romance and
girls.

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3 Lesson 1 : Poster Analysis: World War 1 Propaganda Posters

Verbal This aspect is about what is stated in the poster, both overtly and implied.

Does the language use What appeals to the

generalisations, stereotypes, emotions of the reader
What language is being used? clichés or slogans? are being made?

Appeals can be made

o Generalisations are statements to many emotions such
o Does it have positive or negative con- made by inferring information from
notations (the emotional baggage as fear/safety, author-
specific cases and then applying it to
which is associated with the word, as ity, tradition, patriot-
the whole without enough evidence
opposed to its actual denotation or to support the statement. ism, love, adven-
definition)? o Stereotypes are similar to generali- ture/challenge,
o Is it formal or informal (colloquial)? sations but are applied to a particu- pride/vanity, guilt, in-
lar type of person or thing. clusion, money or logic.
o Clichés are well-used phrases that
refer to common situations.
o Slogans are short, sharp phrases
most often used in advertising or by
governments to encapsulate an idea.

Context This aspect is all about the background and purpose of the poster.

o Who created it?

o When was it created?
o What was happening in the society at the time? Does this have any bearing on the content of the poster?
o Who was its intended audience?
o Why was it created? What was its purpose?

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 4 Lesson 1 : Poster Analysis: World War 1 Propaganda Posters

Sample Analysis:

Colloquial language is used to make the Australia is in the pinkish red of the British
reader feel comfortable and to target the Empire as it commonly appeared on maps
intended audience of young men of of the time – so this is a visual appeal to
fighting age.
patriotism

The figure of the

soldier is the The soldier appears
salient image as he manly and determined.
is the central He is actively seeking the
figure. ‘Boys’ back home.

Appeal to inclusion.

Colours used are

mainly muted and
reflect the khaki
uniform of the
Australian soldier.

The Dardanelles are a

little brighter in colour to
make them stand out as
the destination of the
‘Boys’ and are placed at
The orientation of the soldier is slightly above the the bottom right-hand
viewer. Thus, we are looking up at him which corner as the last part of
makes him appear more important. the reading path to
ensure that it is
remembered.
Source: Artist unknown, ARTV07626, Reproduced by the ANZAC Day Commemoration
Committte of Queensland, Australian War Memorial.

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5 Lesson 1 : Poster Analysis: World War 1 Propaganda Posters

• Using the series of questions and sample analysis provided, complete the boxes, below, to
identify the key elements of the poster and their intended impact.

Source: Artist unknown, ARTV05005, 1917: Sportsman Recruiting Commissioner (Publisher), Reproduced by
the ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee of Queensland, Australian War Memorial.

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