Compare and Contrast one aspect of French people's experience in WWI and WWII - Essay Example

of the of the Assessment: Compare and Contrast one aspect of Frances/French peoples experience in WWI and WWII Date: The Atrocities of the German soldiers Any army or its soldiers are considered inhuman but all soldiers are the same and have the same mission – to fight for their country. The Germans were different; Adolf Hitler, synonymous with terror, was in power. It is believed that the causes for the two wars were not different. The First World War ended without the Germans willing to accept defeat and then again it was the Germans who started the Second World War. Hence experts are of the opinion that the cause remained unresolved and it was just a ‘cease war’ or perhaps can be described as World War Part I and World War Part II. There were just some essential differences. France suffered the most during the two world wars as most of the fighting took place on her soil. In both the wars Britain and France were allied against Germany. In 1914 people expected the war to be over by Christmas but during the 1939 war there was little confidence that the war was a matter of months. The First World War took place from 1914 – 1918 and the Second World War from 1939 – 1945. Before the wars broke the state of each countries economy was in the strongest position. In the interim period between the two wars the economy was crippling. The First World War was ignited due to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand; the invasion of Poland by the Germans led to the Second World War. In both cases it was the Germans who attacked first – they entered through southern Belgium in the First World War (and wanted to attack Paris from there) and invasion of Poland in the second. All countries that participated in World War I also participated in World War II. I shall compare and contrast the German invasion and torture on France during both the wars. The Germans soldiers moved into Belgium and then planned to suddenly attack France through Paris from the north during the First World War but their plans were thwarted by the French army. The French army stopped the Germans along the River Marne – north of Paris which came as a blow to the plans of the Germans. During the Second World War also the Germans attacked France within one week of invasion into Poland. France was taken by surprise both the times and attack was made from fronts where France was undefended. During the two wars France had the full support of England right from the beginning. As soon as Germans invaded Belgium in 1924, England sent an ultimatum to the German troops to withdraw which effectively was an announcement and put the Germans on guard. Similar was the case in 1940 when the Germans captured the Belgian Fort. England supported France by putting into operation a plan to advance to Belgium. However, as the war built momentum the aims of war for the British and French differed. France was naturally more concerned about liberating the northeastern France while the British wanted to concentrate its efforts against the Ottomanm Empire. The picture on the right1 shows the invasion through Belgium during the First World War. After the First World War France lacked the will to fight again and had no desire to be the world super power. All her coalfields had turned to battlefields and she was not socially and economically prepared for another war. The Germans were ruthless and harsh. This picture is during the First World War2 showing the Germans troops searching the civilians in the newly occupied areas. The Germans kept the French people totally under siege and threat even during the World War II. This picture is of the Second World War showing the French coal miners3 working under German Military supervision. They actually came out on strike and many were shot. These harsh measures were not limited to humans alone; circus elephants too were used and tormented. A French circus elephant was used to haul timber as the Germans felled trees for trench props (picture above). The picture on the left shows the German troops in grey uniforms and spiked helmets sweep across Belgian fields into Nord/Pas-de-Calais during the First World War. During Second World War too millions of refugees from Nord/Pas-de-Calais fled southwards fearing a repetition of the brutal German tortures of the First World War. The French homes and property were confiscated and labor forced out of them to benefit the Germans during the course of war in 1914. They were not even given adequate food while labor was extracted from them. Similarly, in 1940 the French resources and manpower were once again used to help Germans attain victory. During both the wars Dunkerque suffered the most and was the last to be liberated. The Germans used the French soil during WWI and WWII as airfields and launch pads for rockets. French production and France’s manpower were all under the control of Germans both in 1914 and 1940. The manpower was used as slaves. After the devastating First World War France and her military leaders were not anxious at another war with the Central power. The Germans had wanted to take the French by surprise in 1914 and so also in 1940. They tried to deceive France into thinking that they had no intentions of attacking France. They put up friendly banners and the German bands even played French songs within the earshot of the French. The Germans tried to incite the emotions of the French against the British4. France did not react and it was not because they were cowards but they wanted Germany to make the first move. Contrast The 1914-18 war more of a face-to-face attrition against the World War II where there was constant movement. New technology was used in World War II as against the First World War. Communication increased with the use of radio. Bombs were dropped by planes. In 1914 both sides were dug in to create crude trenches. These trenches extended from the Belgian coast to the Swiss border. These trenches had barbed-wire fencing and were protected with landmines, artillery and machine guns. The two sides lay in trenches facing each other and trying to wear down the other. This crushed the morale of soldiers on both sides. The troops living in these muddy, rat-infested trenches died due to diseases rather than attack of the enemies. In contrast by 1940 France had become stronger, well equipped and had built the ‘Maginot Line’ The experience of the First World War helped the French to strengthen their base in all respects. To protect her self even though the ‘Maginot Line’ was built but it did not extend through the Belgian border of which the Germans made a note. France had evidently not learned from the previous experience. They were aware of German aggression but had left a vulnerable gap despite constructing the Maginot Line. Within days German military force managed to enter through this gap, overpower Belgian and Netherlands, separate the French and British armies and threatened Paris. The damages during the Second World War were much severe compared to the First World War. In the Second World War France lost about 25 % of its wealth and people compared to 10% in First World War. People were either missing or had died during the war. In both cases the damage was more intense and severe in the North. While World War I represented a turning point in history, World War II surpassed its predecessor in terms of deaths, physical injury, physical destruction and the geographical areas affected. The terrible experiences of the World War II overshadowed the memories of the First World War. Weapons like bolt-action magazine rifles capable of firing 6 to 8 shots per minute, the machine guns which ‘could fire rifle ammunition automatically at a rate of 200 to 250 shots per minute’5, flamethrower, hand grenade and the poisonous gas were used during the First World War. During the Second World War however things had changed drastically. In the last stages of the war two new weapons were brought in – the long range rocket and the atomic bomb. During the World War I Germany had occupied the main industrial and mineral resources in France and so France was dependent on U. S. for its supplies. It had to borrow heavily from the United States also. The country as a whole was united and youth came forward to offer their services. Little did anyone realize at that point of time that the war would continue for so long. Even though International alliances were formed, within France nationalist fervor and enthusiasm became infectious and people stood up to the demand of the nation. The soldiers’ life became secluded in the trenches and food became sparse; medical help and sanitation declined. Even then the fellow feeling and the attitude to share prevailed. The terror and atrocities prevailed all over. Sleepless nights, uncertainty of returning in the evening to one’s home, fear of separation any moment from the family, burning figures everywhere, unable to leave home without a gas mask, German soldiers walking into homes to rape women and cut off children’s arms, dead bodies strewn all over …this was the scene that existed during both the wars. Technology always brings with it devastating results and the use of newer technology with each war led to more and more destruction. As the situation worsened during the First World War soldiers were under shell shock which today is called the stress related syndrome. They refused to fight any further. The First World War ended with the defeat of Germans but under the force of the armistice the German army was not forced to admit defeat by surrendering. In the Second World War too the Germans had to unconditionally surrender. ***************** Read More