Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Home Front
The Home Front shows the heavy toll that total war takes on the average civillian. The food shortages that Evelyn Blucher talks about stem from the war and make their living much harder than it was before the war. One of the more powerful parts of the document is when she descibes the government taking away the church bell to be melted down and used for the war. Total war spares nothing, not even religion in an effort to give the country a little extra push for victory. This can make the war very unpopular among the general public. People are stolen out of their normal lives and shoved into roles that support the war, which causes a lot of tension within the country. It also effects all the economy of the country. Total war sucks up money with little or no return until the war is won and neglects things that are not necessary for the war, but are necessary to keep the country and it's economy running smoothly. The drooping economy causes things mentioned in the document, like food shortages and poverty. Total war is meant to increase chances of victory by shoving everything and everyone into the war, but in doing so it ruins the country's nationalism and support for the war.
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Too true. You mention the fact that there is almost no reprieve for any in the fighting country until after the war is over. Consider being a resident of a country on the losing side, such as Germany was in WWI. Then, even after all fighting is over, the people are still poverty-stricken and now needing to support injured or "damaged" soldiers come home from the trenches. It was a hard life for all.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. Although it may be what's best for the country, it worsens the conditions of living and deprives each citizen of the rights that they have come to enjoy. The shifts in jobs and food shortages do nothing to ameliorate the state of the nation or assuage the growing frustration of its people. It's doesn't require a stretch of the imagination to see how this could turn a nation's positively directed nationalism to harsher, more hostile feelings.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the primary source does a good job of exposing the demand that total war puts on the country and and its citizens.
ReplyDeleteI really like and agree with your last sentence "Total war is meant to increase chances of victory by shoving everything and everyone into the war, but in doing so it ruins the country's nationalism and support for the war." That when everything goes to War the Nationalism in the town goes with the supplies and leaves the town with nothing left. They have nothing left to give and how you said they have no more support to give.
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