YEAR 9
HISTORY
This term in history we have
been learning all about World
War one. It’s the centenary
anniversary so it seems more
important than ever that we
reflect on the significance of
that War…A war that killed
over 16 million men and
wounded over 20 million. It is
one of the worse conflicts in
human history. Here are 3
facts you probably didn’t know
about WW1:
1. An explosion on the
battlefield in France
was heard in
London
2. 12 million letters
were delivered to
the front every week
3. The youngest
British soldier was
12 years old
By Faye Williams and
Katelyn Quintans.
We have been studying the
many reasons for the
breakout of the war and
some of us have argued how
it seemed to be inevitable
because of the jealousy and
hostility that was going on
in Europe before 1914.
We also went into depth
about Propaganda.
Propaganda was put up
around the countries to
persuade men to sign up to
the war. They based the
posters around taking pride
in their country and their
family, this is an example
emotional blackmail. They
put important people on the
posters for example Lord
Kitchener…and carefully
worded their phrases to
make you think you could
make the difference of
winning or losing the war.
WW1 brought about Trench
Warfare. Trenches were filthy,
and a perfect breeding ground
for rats and deadly diseases.
In our history lessons we
empathised with these soldiers
and tried to imagine walking in
their shoes. A particularly
poignant part of our study was
Remembrance Day...It made
many of us realise how
pointless the war was.
Probably best described by a war
poet Wilfred Owen in his poem
‘Dulce Et Decorum Est
“Bent double, like old beggars
under sacks,
Knocked-kneed, coughing like hags,
we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned
our backs
And towards our distant rest began
to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost
their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went
lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the
hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that
dropped behind.
Gas! Gas! Quick, boys-An ecstasy of
fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in
time;
But someone still was yelling out
and stumbling
And flound'ring like a man in fire or
lime...
Dim, through the mist panes and
thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him
drowning."