Which of your children would take up arms if need be to defend their country

[Lardychops]

Ive been thinking about this a lot lately in a thought experiment/abstract way since Ukraine invasion and having lived years ago in Israel where young people do national service from 17 as a matter of course with frequent refreshers- obviously now for them being put to the test .
So, my question is -
In terms of the ‘barbarians at the gates scenario which of your children/neices /nephews /siblings parents would drop everything to defend their country/ city/town/ village and family if they needed to ? And do you think their lifestyle/career path impacts on this?

I have 1DD single mother of 3 - she would have been first in the queue pre kids and if I looked after them she would be first to front line

3x DS - all tradesmen- without hesitation- 1 has a child but a partner - he would be first on the front line after his sister. One of them would be terrified but his pride would make him follow his brothers to protect his family rather than any bigger picture

1xDSD - works in retail -No doubt she would pick up arms and fight to the death.

1xDSD- left Uni-just got back from travelling - nothing in hospitality- no chance.

My husband's brother died trying to defend his city. He was 15. It was during the siege of Sarajevo. The family has never recovered.

Why? We have loads of family members in the military and many agree.b

Already have a son in the RAF…

We’re an island…

@CautiousLurker01

Well if by "we're" you mean the UK that's true but there are contributers here not on "an island"

Anyone who thinks the UK (despite being an island) or anywhere else for that matter could be defended almost without spilling a drop of blood simply by using "cyber" or "drones" is kidding themselves.

You're right, that is why the country is how it is but you're missing the point. If my children lived in a country that offered them the things I mentioned I would encourage them to fight for it, I'd fight with them. Currently they have nothing worth fighting for.

So sorry for your husbands family x

A very good point tbh x

Same here.

My dd is a genuine pacifist- she has become a Quaker by convincement (that’s what they call it) - so she definitely wouldn’t take up arms, but she’d want to do something to be of service.

My DS is only 11 so I don’t know what he’d do if an adult. Of course he may not have a choice.

I’d rather than sent me to the front lines that a young person with their life ahead of them, but I’m aware it doesn’t work like that. I’d also want to do what I could in the event of war - I’m sure they’d find something for me!

I’d rather than sent me to the front lines that a young person with their life ahead of them, but I’m aware it doesn’t work like that.

Why doesn't it work like that though? Particularly if it's just canon fodder.

Yes, have assumed OP is also from UK. So yes. We’re/the Uk is an island. Our main threat is not from troops on the ground arriving on our shores - which the history of the last 200+ years has shown - but is currently from airborne missiles [such as those being launched in Iran, Russia, Ukraine and so on] and cyber attacks [again, such as those of the attacks against M&S and multiple other corporations in recent months].

We don’t need 17yo’s doing basic army training. We don’t have a huge navy or airforce any more which we need to man [in fact, the training involved to do so, is more than ‘basic’ as our navy and airforce require highly trained personnel]. In the short and immediate term we need people who can work in the defence network - building/designing arms and working on countering cyber attacks.

Am not sure what clever point you were making in your last sentence - clearly if Russia or anyone else directed their missiles and drones at the Uk blood will be spilt, but training teenagers to run an assault course and shoot rifles will do fuck all in that scenario… hence the need to use technology to mitigate and prevent such attacks.

This is 2025, not 1914.

You'd be surprised. More than 75% of Russian population support this war. And not everyone with money left. By far. People still very much enjoy themselves, go on holidays etc.

Where did you read that figure?

Wikipedia says 800, 000 to a million left.

That’s the number of people who came here in 2023 which politicians didn’t seem to have a problem with with

Russia: opinion on military actions in Ukraine 2025| Statista

Many other sources align with it.

What is even more surprising - I used to work at a large multinational (retired just before Christmas), there were a lot of Russians, many of them living in London for a number of years means having access to all info/media. Educated people. They still supported the war in Ukraine. Probably a bit scared to say it loudly, but they repeated all that nonsense about Ukraine being part of Russia and that Ukraine was preparing to attack first.

ETA: if you listen carefully to so called Russian opposition, e.g. Yulia Navalna, they are calling to stop supporting Ukraine so "their" boys stop dying. Same as Putin. Not to f..k off from Ukrainian land.

Two of my sons are in the army. Reading this thread is seriously making me question what / who they are defending.

I get the disenfranchisement and how many or the elites are asset hoarding/ stripping us and our young people of their futures to grow, prosper not just financially. I to would like to give the willy waving war mongers a gun each so they can finish each other off.

The biggest test i think, is our own social cohesion or lack thereof, that this thread demonstrates. Thinking back to my grandparents generation there was a much more unified response, or at least in the main to defend ourselves from the nazis. There was also a greater need for housing, the NHS was born, people felt they "deserved better" perhaps those in authority also did give some concession to this?

Fully agree with a previous poster that we are being poked. We need to be so aware of the threats from russia china and Iran also the orange turd and their attempts to create division between us.

Out of 144m?
How many of them only left after announcement of conscription? so not exactly because of political reasons.

DD wouldn’t. Given how “quirky” and clumsy she is, it would probably be safer that way for everyone involved.

OH probably would if they’d take him (he has some health issues).

Well this hypothetical thread has moved closer to realities, with the UK and American government supporting Israel against Iran.
I wonder what Russia will do now.
It is like a game of chess, only the blood of real people, lives are at stake by the old rich angry men.

I think for the sake of balance, we really need to accommodate the views of people who disagree.

What is even more surprising - I used to work at a large multinational (retired just before Christmas), there were a lot of Russians, many of them living in London for a number of years means having access to all info/media. Educated people. They still supported the war in Ukraine.

There are variations of a meme doing the round that go:

"You know how in the 80s we thought that access to knowledge would solve our problems ? Turned out we were wrong."

Because if they make the journey to seek asylum then they can bring their families to safety whereas if they stayed behind they’d be more likely to all end up dead.

Often they’re escaping persecution from their own government or there isn’t an army to join up and fight for so it’s a different scenario to the one OP is suggesting. Many Ukrainians DID come over here for safety. They just didn’t have to risk life and limb to to get here the way those on the boats do. Do you honestly think it’s an easy way out?!

I have two preteen / just-teen boys, and the eldest is a cracking shot with his dad’s air gun and loves war films so he’d be jumping at the chance. The youngest would follow his brother loyally anywhere and has the chaos of a second child on his side, so that would be both of mine gone! My husband would fight out of a sense of duty despite being the wrong side of 40, whereas I would quietly opt to stay home and tend the farm (the country would have to live off eggs and homegrown veg though as I know nothing about the crops or cattle!). My nieces wouldn’t be bothered getting off social media long enough to get involved, my brother would be too afraid, but I reckon my 80 year old Dad would be squeezing into a uniform and marching ‘pon the enemy with his grandsons. My grandma is almost 100 but terribly fierce, we’d have to persuade her to stay at home….