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The Cambridge History of the First World War
The Cambridge History of the First World War: Volume 3, Civil Society
Volume 3 of The Cambridge History of the First World War explores the social and cultural history of the war and considers the role of civil society throughout the conflict; that is to say those institutions and practices outside the state through which the war effort was waged. Drawing on 25 years of historical scholarship, it sheds new light on culturally significant issues such as how families and medical authorities adapted to the challenges of war and the shift that occurred in gender roles and behaviour that would subsequently reshape society. Adopting a transnational approach, this volume surveys the war's treatment of populations at risk, including refugees, minorities and internees, to show the full extent of the disaster of war and, with it, the stubborn survival of irrational kindness and the generosity of spirit that persisted amidst the bitterness at the heart of warfare, with all its contradictions and enduring legacies.
763 pages, Paperback
First published January 9, 2014
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April 16, 2020
The third volume of the Cambridge History of the First World War examines the role of the civil society in the conflict.
The authors pay great attention to the cultural aspect of the story. The way the contemporaries understood the violent events frames their actions. Art in all its forms contributed to this understanding; many practices of faith, mourning and commemoration continued long after the Armistice.
WWI inflicted great damage on civil society. The people underwent not only the toll of casualties, but also incarceration, hunger, and deep psychological traumas. The state wasn’t a source of help and recovery; families and organizations did all the job.
The killing, the pain and suffering did not end in 1918. This volume examines the hidden injuries of war in all post-war societies and the extent of of its shadow over generations after the Armistice. The authors account for all the costs of war – political, material, cultural, and human.
Personally, I found the third volume the most engaging of all. Although no one can fully establish the true losses of such a war, this book effectively comprises its very broad subject; it answered a lot of my questions about the role of women, children, artists, and propaganda in the warfare.
The shifting notions of gender roles in the years of the Great War are examined through the stories of female soldiers, medical nurses, all striving to be on the front alongside the combatants.
I think that this viewpoint of the conflict is essential for a wholesome understanding of what war is.
The authors pay great attention to the cultural aspect of the story. The way the contemporaries understood the violent events frames their actions. Art in all its forms contributed to this understanding; many practices of faith, mourning and commemoration continued long after the Armistice.
WWI inflicted great damage on civil society. The people underwent not only the toll of casualties, but also incarceration, hunger, and deep psychological traumas. The state wasn’t a source of help and recovery; families and organizations did all the job.
The killing, the pain and suffering did not end in 1918. This volume examines the hidden injuries of war in all post-war societies and the extent of of its shadow over generations after the Armistice. The authors account for all the costs of war – political, material, cultural, and human.
Personally, I found the third volume the most engaging of all. Although no one can fully establish the true losses of such a war, this book effectively comprises its very broad subject; it answered a lot of my questions about the role of women, children, artists, and propaganda in the warfare.
The shifting notions of gender roles in the years of the Great War are examined through the stories of female soldiers, medical nurses, all striving to be on the front alongside the combatants.
I think that this viewpoint of the conflict is essential for a wholesome understanding of what war is.
Displaying 1 of 1 review