case study: conscientious objectors in first and second ww

from ……….., the military service act said that …..

march 1916, all unmarried men of fighting age must join the army

men who refused to fight became known as ………….., they often refused for …………….. , they were also often …………

conscientious objectors (COs), religious reason or for political reasons, pacifists- people who believed that war in all circumstances was immoral

people who refused to support the war in any way were called ……. where others refused to serve in the military but ……..

absolutists and refused to even indirectly support the war, were prepared to do jobs like carrying stretchers or diving ambulances, there were known as alternatives

alternatives were

people that refused to serve in military but were prepared to do other jobs like carrying stretchers and drive ambulances

the military service act did allow for people to ……………, and around ………. made this request

object to joining the army, 16,500 men

to request not to join the army you had to

appear in front of a special court called a tribunal, they didn’t always give fair hearings and varied a lot from area to area

many absolutists who refused to ……….. were ………..

support the war, imprisoned or sometimes put in solitary confinement

in WWI some COs were punished by ………, if they refused to ………. they were sentenced to ………. where a small number were …………… although this was reduced to …………

being sent to the front line, follow orders once they were there, military court, sentenced to death, ten years imprisonment once the prime minister intervened

in WWI, the government presented refusal to fight as ………. and the press presented it as …… this was because the government needed to …………..

unmanly and even traitorous, cowardly and unpatriotic, recruit a lot of men to win the war so they didn’t want pacificist ideas spreading

during WWI some COs were

isolated by friends and neighbours, some received hate mail or white feathers as a symbol of cowardice

in WWII COs were offered …………….., and prison was generally seen as a last resort

alternative occupations such as farm work

members of an organisation called the ………………, posted …………… and were …………….

peace pledge union, anti-war posters, put on trial but he case was dismissed by the judge

public opinion in WWII of COs was …………..

still hostile to those who refused to fight and some were verbally abused in public and some lost their jobs