How Has Recruitment Changed In The Modern Era Flashcards
What was recruitment like in the First World War ?
At the start the British army was relatively small therefore there was an urgent need for more troops ( only 250k standing and 750k reserve)
The government organized a campaign to get more troops
It present serving as a man’s glorious patriotic duty, an opportunity for adventure and necessary to defeat the evil
The public response was enthusiastic and 750k enlisted in the first 8 weeks
2.67 million men enlisted by 1916
What was conscription ?
It was introduced in March 1916 for men aged 18-41
It meant they had to fight unless there was a medical condition or other condition that stopped them from doing so
2.77 million british men conscripted in WW1
What was recruitment like between the wars ?
Conscription was ended and the size of the army deceased
What was recruitment like during the Second World War?
Conscription was again brought back due to there being a need for troops
It was for men aged 18-51 so an even bigger age group although there where still exemptions for those medically unfit
Around 3.5 million men had been enlisted into the army with the majority being conscripts
What was recruitment like after 1945? Include, what, why and details
Conscription continued to a more limited extent in the years that followed WW2
This was partially down to maintaining the British Empire
It was known as Nation Service and was introduced in 1948 for men ages 17- 21 to serve 18 months and be in reserve for 4 years
Men did still volunteer
What was recruitment like after 1960?
It returned to being purely voluntary and has remained this way even since
Recruits are accepted from age 16 (must be 18 to do active service)
The maximum age being 33 and troops usually serve for 22 years (minimum being 4)
Women were recognized as a part of the army in 1949 but finally in 1991 Women where allowed to serve along side men in combat roles
However some regiments will not accept female recruits such as the SAS for various reasons
How where officers recruited ?
Majority of officers enter at the officer level and most have gained a university degree followed by training at the royal military academy Sandhurst
As is the case from before few officers were promoted from the ranks
However this contrasts to WW1 where 41% of officers weee commissioned from the ranks
However this is less due to a change in attitude but more due to the extremely high casualty rate for officers
