Conscientious Objectors Flashcards
1
Q
Who were they?
A
people who gave religious, moral or political objections to war
2
Q
Conscription-
A
- law that states that everyone who is asked to, and who is fit and healthy, has to fight in the armed forces.
- therefore anyone who refused to fight could be committing a crime
3
Q
conscription laws were introduced twice in Britian during the
A
WW1, WW2
4
Q
Attitudes to conscientous objectors
A
people thought they were making sacrifices so others should too
5
Q
fist world war:
A
- conscription for men: 1916
- 16,000 men refused to fight
- only 400 were given total exemption on grounds of conscience
- ‘alternativists’ were given non combat roles
- '’Absolutists’’ were imprisoned, given brutal treatment and harsh labour
- 10 died in prison, 31 had breakdowns, 63 died after release
6
Q
second world war:
A
from April 1939 for men
December 1941 for women
- 59,000 men and women refused
- all except 12,204 were given complete exemption
- smaller % of exempted ones were sent to prison and others weren’t treated as harshly
7
Q
public thoughts, second world war
A
CO’s were treated as cowards and traitors
- they were physically abused
- press was less harsh in ww2
- many found it hard to get jobs
8
Q
The Order of the White Feather:
A
-encouraged women to hand out feathers,symbolising cowardice, to young men not in military uniforms
