Kids today won't know anyone from the war

[raindropbox]

Our grandparents or parents were children during the war, and they had stories from their parents or grandparents, who had lived experience of WW1.

So we had a direct connection with somebody with first-hand experience of the world wars. It just occured to me that babies born now won't have that.

Does that mean WW1/2 will feel as distant to them as the victorians do to us? Will it have some kind of subconscious impact on society?

What is the subconscious impact on society you are worried about?
Trauma comes through generations so surely the bigger the distance from it the better?
Whilst nobody would want the personal sacrifices forgotten, surely part of the sacrifice was for the safety of future generations. And for it never to be seen again?

I'm Irish, the most significant war here was our war of independence in 1920's. So 20years/a generation ahead of wwll. It has not been forgotten or the sacrifices made lessened by time- even though everyone that died or involved long since dead.
It's a matter of perspective.
There have been thousands of wars down the centuries, all important in getting us here.
Surely we want our children born into a world they feel safe in so the farther away from war the better.

There’s something about it being the last time the U.K. experienced general conscription, isn’t there.

DM is American and said she wouldn’t have notified the US when I was born if I’d been a boy. I was confused until I realised that she’s the Vietnam generation…she knew boys who ‘never came home’. It makes a difference to a generation, I suspect.

Same here.

No I don't think they'll be forgotten.

So many references still to the wars. I don't think the holocaust will ever be forgotten which will also be a reminder of the atrocities.

I think many forgot we had a pandemic at the end of WW1 until recently but history does has a habit of repeating itself.

We may not have WW again but we've certainly got war on our doorstep and have many citizens here who have fled war who can tell stories to remind us of the horrors.

@raindropbox Thanks for your response, it's helped me to understand your perspective somewhat; especially r.e Nation (as pertaining to a shared history, language, culture, tradition etc).

OK congratulations?

I didn't know my grandparents.

Haven’t read the thread but of course they will. It may not be a world war but in my lifetime this country has been at war Falklands Afghanistan etc.

We are at present supporting Ukraine in their war against mad Vlad

NI and the troubles, didn't really affect people outside NI and the forces.
There was the odd bomb scare elsewhere but it wasn't a major thing or something that affected people on a daily basis.

The World Wars affected everyone at a different level on a day to day basis from a conscription, rationing, raid shelters in the garden, blackouts, conscription, females being pulled in to working in traditionally male industries, steel & iron works, munitions factories, the women's land army, because the young men were called up to the forces.
Young men in 'reserved occupations' being called up to the Home Guard.

I get what the Op is trying to say. Other wars have happened but its not something most people will have direct experience of.

It's a bit like in 20 years time when children will learn about the pandemic in school they will ask parents/ grandparents about it. Everyone will have a different story on how it affected them.

I think that the cold War is also am interesting time and is also v relevant to how the world has developed globally

Sort of reminds me of a caller on LBC who said when she's out and about she barely recognises the country her grandparents or great grandparents fought so hard for. That sort of togetherness in adversity and its lasting nostalgic legacy.

thats very true

Honestly I don’t see why it matters. Weird how school curriculum is so focused on ww1 and ww2. They should focus on more relevant and recent events. And also teach how bad Britain has treated the rest of the world during colonial times

@Sugarfree23

so it doesnt count that ‘it only’ affected people in NI?

which isnt true anyway. There were many bombs on the mainland, some of which led to some of the greatest miscarriages of justice we have seen - Birmingham 6, Guildford 4 ring any bells, what about the Warrington bombing?
growing up in Liverpool we had many bomb scares and bomb practices in school.

Sure, I agree with you that it didn't have anywhere near the impact outside of NI. But nonetheless there WAS a civil war in the UK within our lifetimes and I think it's pretty horrific to be so ignorant and dismissive of it to write that there have been no terrible wars on the UK's doorstep since WWII. It's a really awful statement to make.

So all the racist hate crimes including the murders of Northern Irish British Citizens and Irish citizens living in Great Britain don’t count as it “didn’t really affect anyone outside NI and the forces”? Shocking how little you know of your own history.

i'm 57 and my last direct contact with somebody who was in WW2 has just died

I have friends in their early 30s that have been to war.

@ColleenDonaghy
I'm half Irish thanks so I don't need your moralising. And I stand by my point. There's a reason the troubles are not referred to as a "war". You'll find many terms used but rarely that one.
If you'd like to play the shame game, I might suggest I find it pretty horrific and a quite shocking statement that you would compare the troubles to the holocaust. Is that what you meant to do?

We were working with the Forces when the Falklands conflict was on and one of our Regiments went down to the South Atlantic. A friend's husband was going and I commiserated with her, she replied 'He's been drawing his salary for almost thirty years and it's the first time he might have to fire real ammo'.

It was probably thie first time that rolling news had been available 24 hours and it was awful hearing what was happening and not knowing all the details.

My hubby's grandfather was in the war and sadly just passed before eldest was born. We've his photo around the house and have talked to the kids about him. I reckon it's also about keeping the conversation going. Scary how facism is starting to rear its head again.

There's a reason the troubles are not referred to as a "war".

Oh my. Yes, you're right, there is a reason. Chilling, isn't it?

My grandfather who was a young teen in WW2 is still alive and my kids and their younger cousins have a close relationship with him. His youngest great grandchild is due this month.

When I was a child (70s & 80s) many of my school teachers would share personal stories of having been children during the war. They would talk about their personal experiences of air raids and rationing and so on.

My grandfathers both served in the army and my grandmothers both worked in munitions factories

It felt connected and real as it was only 30-40 years previously.

My grandparents would also share stories they'd heard from their own parents of WW1

For my on children it's just black and white movies.

According to my living memory of that war, I was a school child in rural England and we started every morning assembly off with a news update and a prayer for all the regiments sent to the Falklands and all the islanders being held hostage by the Argentinians, including a baby.

NRTFT so may have been said. In about 120 years everyone on this earth today will be dead. This is why history lessons exist. There were worse times than the wars from the 1900s.