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Original poster

Conscription, in this day and age.

147 replies

Vebrithien · 24/02/2022 07:24

Somewhat morbid thinking, but I was wondering what would happen with conscription now days, if it was ever used again.

As far as I can recall, in WWII, it started with young, single men (after volunteers). Then moved up in age, and into the married men.

Given that so many people now have children without marrying, how would the powers that be get around it? Would you be conscripted if you didn't have children? Would absent father's suddenly be claiming their children? Or would it be linked to marital status still. Would there be a rush of weddings? And again, would it still only ever be men? What would happen to non-binary people, or trans people? If women with children were conscripted, would there be fail safes to ensure that their other parent wasn't conscripted?

What do you think?

OP posts:
Original poster
Vebrithien · 24/02/2022 08:47

It's so interesting to hear your thoughts on this. I was reading through a rations cookbook, and was thinking about how different society and life is today.

Both of my grandfather's were exempt from fighting (one was a reserved occupation, he was sent to Ireland, the other was deaf) and they both got married during WWII.

OP posts:
ukborn · 24/02/2022 08:48

I thought the military had plenty of personnel already? Weren't they reducing recruitment not so long ago? Unless we enter a Third World War I don't see this happening, and I think they may be more volunteers than you think.
As fir the pp remark about estate agents - I'm sure they are as trainable as your average soldier.
Frankly the question might be: should women be conscripted?

Original poster
Vebrithien · 24/02/2022 08:52

@endofagain

We were discussing this last night. Family member is in the military. Modern warfare is really more to do with tech, drones, cutting off access to fuel, money, communications. I am far more worried about hacking of systems than guns and bullets. National service would be more likely to be about providing basic services when technology fails.
Actually, I could see this. Conscription to work in the basic services we need to keep us running (didn't this happen in Wales with the mines in WWII?).

But my previous questions still remain. Who would be conscripted? If both sexes, how do you ensure that children don't have both parents conscripted? Although my grandfather was exempt from fighting, he did get sent away to Ireland, for the best part of 2 years.

OP posts:
JuergenSchwarzwald · 24/02/2022 09:02

@FrankieStein403

Singapore has conscription - you have a choice of armed forces, civil defence, nursing, police fire etc

Works well - would be a great idea for the UK

It would not be a great idea at all. There is no need for it, and it's always people who are too old to be called up who think it's a good idea.

We don't owe the state anything. We pay our taxes and that's it.

I am not fighting someone else's wars. I'm not working in a care home for free either, it's a skilled role that should be paid properly.

Georgeskitchen · 24/02/2022 09:05

@Wheelz46

If conscription was a thing, of course it should be just as much a womans duty as a mans!
The women didn't just sit around drinking tea. They "kept the home fires burning" they worked the land, they worked in munitions, in intelligence, they played a huge role. Even our future Queen was involved and did her bit to help!!
MedusasBadHairDay · 24/02/2022 09:06

Actually, I could see this. Conscription to work in the basic services we need to keep us running (didn't this happen in Wales with the mines in WWII?).

The Bevin Boys, my grandad was one.

Dinosaurwoman · 24/02/2022 09:09

You still get paid if you’re conscripted, but not sure how much you would get. My son i early 20’s said he’d volunteer to join up and he is definitely the gamer non sporty type. I was quite surprised. I do think a lot of men will suddenly conveniently suffer from gender dysphoria.

AnEpisodeOfEastenders · 24/02/2022 09:15

The “conscription age” generation are so fragile I don’t see how they would survive basic training. They’d be saying they can’t be made to train, wake up early, be told what to eat, how to stand, when to talk, march, run, fight. So many would cite health issues, mental health, gender / trans / discrimination reasons I expect it would turn into a legal nightmare.

Regularsizedrudy · 24/02/2022 09:15

It would work like it does in other countries I imagine.

Original poster
Vebrithien · 24/02/2022 09:17

@MedusasBadHairDay

Actually, I could see this. Conscription to work in the basic services we need to keep us running (didn't this happen in Wales with the mines in WWII?).

The Bevin Boys, my grandad was one.

Thank you! The name had slipped my mind.
OP posts:
swirlsy · 24/02/2022 09:22

Dont see how it can work these days. I'm not sure why young people should suffer even more crap.

Rooroobear · 24/02/2022 09:26

In this day and age there would be no chance. Be far too many exemptions or snowflakes….equal opps etc.

MedusasBadHairDay · 24/02/2022 09:26

The thing I anyways notice about those who are for conscription because it would teach young people a lesson (or those who like to say that young people nowadays couldn't do what young people did in the previous wars) is that they are usually speaking safe in the knowledge that if conscription was brought in they themselves would be exempt.

If it was brought back in our young people would do just as well as those young people did back then (and yes I'm including the young women who joined the war effort). If by just as well you mean they'll die, be horrifically injured, or irreversibly traumatised. They'll be brave because they'll have no choice. And one day they'll be used by future generations who never had to do the same to make jibes at the newer generations of young people.

SparkleSpangle · 24/02/2022 09:27

I think of men and women were both conscripted to the front lines a lot of women would end up leaving pregnant.

More likely the men would be taken to the front and women would be compelled to become nurses and farmers.

As a pp pointed out you can't take both parents away from a home. It would be the men who had to go.

JuergenSchwarzwald · 24/02/2022 09:28

@MedusasBadHairDay exactly

MedusasBadHairDay · 24/02/2022 09:28

Sure I read something that showed young people were more likely to stick to the rules regarding covid in order to protect the older generation, so don't pretend they are "snowflakes" who are incapable of doing the right thing for the greater good.

Wheelz46 · 24/02/2022 09:29

@Georgeskitchen wow! Where in my comment did I mention women were sat around drinking tea?

Iggly · 24/02/2022 09:29

I most certainly would protest if they did this.

Conscription now, as it was back in WW2, was a way of throwing the working class under the bus in the name of liberty. Not just in this country but across all nations.

JuergenSchwarzwald · 24/02/2022 09:30

@MedusasBadHairDay

Sure I read something that showed young people were more likely to stick to the rules regarding covid in order to protect the older generation, so don't pretend they are "snowflakes" who are incapable of doing the right thing for the greater good.
Conscription isn't the right thing for the greater good. Wars are caused by insecure males who can't just live and let live.
Abra1d1 · 24/02/2022 09:31

@FatCatThinCat

Are you sure the public wouldn't agree to it? I think that's true of being conscripted to fight in Ukraine. But if Putin doesn't stop there and starts heading for our door? I know my DH would be at the front of the queue if he thought his home and family were under threat (thankfully they'd never take him).
The modern army probably doesn’t particularly want (generally) unfit, unskilled conscripts who would take a lot of resources to get battle-ready. Ukraine isn’t part of NATO and I haven’t heard anyone seriously talking about British boots on the ground.
Iggly · 24/02/2022 09:32

Wars are caused by insecure males who can't just live and let live

^this

It’s glorified willy waving, idiots screaming about who’s got the biggest middle/cock, funded by taxpayers.

steppemum · 24/02/2022 09:34

this terrifies me.
My ds is 19, fit and well and I cannot imagine how it must have been for the families in WW1 and WW11 seeing their wonderful sons in the prime of life sent to war.

My heart is breaking for the Ukrainian families who are experiencing this now.

ShiftingSands21 · 24/02/2022 09:35

I think if the UK was literally invaded you might be surprised how many people would actually choose to fight, conscripted or not.

My family has had to do military service in their country of origin though and I must say their participation could not have been more reluctant. One had to do it during a conflict for about 3 years. He’s not a well man now.

AnEpisodeOfEastenders · 24/02/2022 09:36

@MedusasBadHairDay

Sure I read something that showed young people were more likely to stick to the rules regarding covid in order to protect the older generation, so don't pretend they are "snowflakes" who are incapable of doing the right thing for the greater good.
Big difference between staying in and playing Xbox all day and running around on an army training ground preparing for war. Of course they were willing to isolate, protected in their own little bubbles.
CorrBlimeyGG · 24/02/2022 09:42

Surely all the Boris supporters will be happy to volunteer? Give them all #IBackBoris t-shirts and a flag to wave, and send them on their way.

Boris' Brave Boys will do us proud!