MILITARISM

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT

BRIGADE
ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON
1.
1870 Flash'd all t heir sabres bare,
Half a league, half a league, Flash'd as they turn'd in air,
Half a league onward, Sabri ng t h e gunners th ere,
Charging an army, while
All in the valley of Death
All the world wonder'd:
Ro d e t h e s i x h u n d re d .
P lunge d in t he ba t t e r y-s m o ke
" Fo r w a rd , t h e L i g h t B r i g a d e ! R igh t t hro ' the line t he y b ro ke ;
"Charge for the guns!" he said: C o s s a c k a n d Ru s s i a n
Into the valley of Death Re e l ' d f ro m t h e s a b re s t ro ke
Ro d e t h e s i x h u n d re d . Shatter'd and sunder'd.
2. Then they rode back, but not
" Fo r w a rd , t h e L i g h t B r i g a d e ! " Not the six hundred.
Wa s t h e r e a m a n d i s m a y ' d ? 5.
Not tho' the soldier knew Cannon to right of them,
Someone had blunder'd: Cannon to left of them,
Theirs not to make reply, Cannon behind them
Theirs not to reason why, Vo l l e y ' d a n d t h u n d e r ' d ;
Theirs but to do and die: Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Into the valley of Death While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Ro d e t h e s i x h u n d re d .
Came thro' the jaws of Death
3. Back from the mouth of Hell,
Cannon to right of them, All that was left of them,
Cannon to left of them, Left of six hundred.
Cannon in front of them 6.
Vo l l e y ' d a n d t h u n d e r ' d ; When can their glory fade?
Storm'd at with shot and shell, O the wild charge they made!
Boldly they rode and well, All the world wonde red.
Into the jaws of Death, Honor the charge they made,
Into the mouth of Hell Honor the Light Brigade,
Ro d e t h e s i x h u n d re d . Noble six hundred.
 MILITARISM

Created an environment where war, rather than

negotiation or diplomacy, was considered the best
way of resolving international disputes.
Shaped public opinion
Connected to nationalism and imperialism
 ARMS RACE

Prussia- Germany
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Wanted to compete on the world stage
Britain
Protection of its colonial empire
Navy
Dreadnoughts
In 1870, combined military spending equaled 94
million. In 1914, it equaled 389 million.
" ANTHEM FOR A DOOMED YOUTH
WILFRED OWEN
1917

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

-- Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifl es' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries for them from prayers or bells,
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,-
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?

Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their fl owers the tenderness of silent minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.