Did soldiers of days gone by enlist mostly for money, adventure, rite of passage/obligation (WW2, ancient)
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Did the soldiers of days gone by enlist mostly for money, sense of adventure, or rite of passage/obligation to society?
Nowadays, military does not pay that great. The romans use to give their soldiers land to farm. US, now has Montgomery GI Bill, but with today's economy that not really a sure fire way to livelihood.
During Napoleonic style of warfare, I cant imagine any government being able to pay their boys enough to stand in rows like that and just take enemy fire. No money is worth that. You dont need to be experience to realize how that tactic is not good for the individual infantry.
I much rather fight in the shield wall of antiquity. I have more control at least. I have a shield and some armor to protect me. I can use my skill and physical prowess to at least give myself a fighting chance.
What were some ways commanders convinced young boys to join his army and go fight him? I know the Romans gave you land, but what about the Greeks, Byzantines, Caliphate Armies, Viking raiders, Ostrogoths, and all the way up to the Peter the Great, or the Hessians that fought in the American Revolution, plus WW1, and WW2.
I think there are some age old truisms which stand the test of time. Young boys/men do what young men/boys do.
It is all over the place and I think you mentioned what the reasons tended to be. One should also add forced drafts.
I recall one of the opening comments from Bernal Diaz's Conquest of New Spain.To paraphrase "We did for God, glory and gold but mostly for gold."
I recall a scene in a Laurel & Hardy French Foreign Legion film where Oliver opens a locket showing a woman's image-a soured relationship being one of the reasons to enlist, to forget her. Of course, everyone, other legionnaires and Riff Arabs present also open their lockets, all containing the same female image.[Jean Harlow] Maybe we should add that as a reason as well. Human nature does not change. A woman will drive a Man bonkers.
It's hard to answer the question without focusing on a specific time and place. I'd imagine at some points in history, people enlisted just to get regular meals.
Yeah covering "days gone by" is just too varied a period to give you one answer. Soldiers of the Napoleonic era were conscripted in many cases, many soldiers are just taken from the dregs of society where, indeed, hot meals and a place to sleep were the main motivations. Ancient Rome, as you said, had a professional army with a good retirement program. During the Middle and Dark ages you were just expected to as a serf, as you were just part of the local nobleman's or king's property.
Some did it on the promise of pillage, as in the Vikings.
Just to varied to answer.
Is 1959 "days gone by"?
If so, I enlisted the first time to get away from home so my mother would divorce my abusive step father. IIRC, I made something like $30/month.
All other enlistments were because I enjoyed being in the Service, and missed it when I wasn't.
After bouncing around between Regular Navy, Regular Army, National Guard and Army Reserve, I retired from the Navy Reserve.
I had a conversation along these lines at a Regimental dinner a few years ago.
I was seated at a table with some of our WW2 guys, who had all enlisted as "day one guys ' in September of 1939 here in Toronto with the 48th Highlanders of Canada.
Their reasons to join the Canadian Army were pretty revealing....
Some had been in the Regiment all through the depression years, with no pay, only street car tickets to get to and from the Armouries. Others had Fathers and or Uncles who had served in The Great War. One had not had a full time job in 5 years. Two were recent high school grads with no work.
They joined for many reasons, but the majority saw it as "job security " and that dollar and 10 cents a day, plus food and medical care was a lot better than civvy street.
Yes they were being honest about their individual reasons to join, not the stuff that the Government of the day was pushing. Don't get me wrong, they certainly did more than just their part, they were out of Canada for over six years, don't forget. And the 48th saw a lot of action, in both Italy, and then France, Belgium, Holland, and the final battles in Germany in the spring of 1945.
They are now a dying breed, those WW2 vets. Most are now over age 90, and this year's Remembrance Day ceremony at the Regimental Cenotaph saw fewer than 20 of the WW 2 guys on parade. And most of them were in wheelchairs. Even the Korean War guys are becoming fewer in number, year by year. The newer vets, the young guys that served in Bosnia, Yugoslavia, Haiti , and Afghanistan are filling in the spaces in the ranks. Its a family Regiment, with the same names showing up every generation........125 years of service to Canada.
I had a conversation along these lines at a Regimental dinner a few years ago.
I was seated at a table with some of our WW2 guys, who had all enlisted as "day one guys ' in September of 1939 here in Toronto with the 48th Highlanders of Canada.
Their reasons to join the Canadian Army were pretty revealing....
Some had been in the Regiment all through the depression years, with no pay, only street car tickets to get to and from the Armouries. Others had Fathers and or Uncles who had served in The Great War. One had not had a full time job in 5 years. Two were recent high school grads with no work.
They joined for many reasons, but the majority saw it as "job security " and that dollar and 10 cents a day, plus food and medical care was a lot better than civvy street.
Yes they were being honest about their individual reasons to join, not the stuff that the Government of the day was pushing. Don't get me wrong, they certainly did more than just their part, they were out of Canada for over six years, don't forget. And the 48th saw a lot of action, in both Italy, and then France, Belgium, Holland, and the final battles in Germany in the spring of 1945.
They are now a dying breed, those WW2 vets. Most are now over age 90, and this year's Remembrance Day ceremony at the Regimental Cenotaph saw fewer than 20 of the WW 2 guys on parade. And most of them were in wheelchairs. Even the Korean War guys are becoming fewer in number, year by year. The newer vets, the young guys that served in Bosnia, Yugoslavia, Haiti , and Afghanistan are filling in the spaces in the ranks. Its a family Regiment, with the same names showing up every generation........125 years of service to Canada.
Jim B.
I envy you. I'm an American, and we don't have family regiments. In our armed services, we get moved around from unit to unit over the course of an enlistment or career. I have ancestors who fought for Gen. Nathaniel Greene in the war for US independence, who rode in Gen. Lee's Cavalry in the US Civil War and who sailed in the US Navy during WWII. I wish they had all served in the same unit so I could serve in it too and look forward to the day when my sons would do the same.
Thank you , but I think that I may have given you a false impression.
When I said a "family Regiment " I was talking about a unit that has served for 125 years as a part of the Canadian Army . It is open to all Canadians who volunteer to serve. The same family names keep showing up, time and again. Father, Son, Grandson, Great Grandson, Brother, Cousin.
The 48th have had 4 Colonels who all had the last name of Darling, all related to each other. Four Pipe Majors all with the name McKee. Three Regimental Sargent Majors named Elms.
As a joke we refer to the Regiment as a social club with automatic weapons, and armoured vehicles. It really is a big family, with strong traditions and customs that we all know and understand.
During the past 125 years of service, about 65,000 Canadians have been members of the Regiment.
Here is a link to the official website of the 48th Highlanders of Canada.
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