The War that Changed the Social Order in Great Britain

[Goldberry]

World War I is, I think, and often neglected subject because it is eclipsed by WWII. However, I think that the thing that impresses me so much about WWI, is that afterwards, things were never the same again.

One example of this is Britain's social order. The country had such a rigid class structure up until the time of the Great War, and then all the men fought side by side in the war. Upon returning home, many of the upper class gentlemen realized how little difference there was between them and people from the lower classes. They found they could no longer keep such a superior attitude toward men with whom they had fought side by side.

I don't know why, but this has always been very interesting to me. A war that we so often forget, changed so much in the world.

[Dave]

Upon returning home, many of the upper class gentlemen realized how little difference there was between them and people from the lower classes.

There is a flipside to this, maybe. The ordinary people realised that their duty to their country as administered by the inept ruling classes had been cruelly abused. Before WWI I think ordinary people's sense of duty was blind - they would have believed , for example, the "Home By Christmas" nonsense. After WWI, people might think twice. Remember also in Glasgow, just after the war, hungry unemployed Glaswegians had guns turned on them by police. Either way, I agree, we were never the same again.

[wallstreeterww]

Well at least those were the good lessons that came out of that war(if there is ever something good that comes from any war). People are people no matter how much money they have or dont have.

[mikandrews]

have you ever watched blackadder?
It may be purely takin the p*** but actually is kind of exactly what your talking about, Lieutenant George Private Baldrick strangely looking up to captain blackadder, very funny, but you can imagine it being just like that, with both upper class and working class troops having the fair share of idiots!