Conscientious Objectors of World War 1 Free Essay Example

Were conscientious objectors brave or cowards? Today we will explore the life of the conscientious objectors, what their beliefs were and how they normally stuck by them. During the first world war conscientious objectors were people who refused to fight in the war, either because of religious views, or because they just didn’t like to kill or see people killing. Some people didn’t even do things like hand out weaponry, or be a doctor during the war. Conscientious could be deemed as brave in the ‘Mark Haylors story’; ”He was bullied, given short rations, and left naked for hours”.

The phrase ‘naked’ was used to show how humiliated he was, just for speaking his mind and standing for what he believes in. Mark was also given short rations so he would give in and join the great war, he didn’t join, and he stood for what he believed in. Mark was also kept in a tent, guarded (at long distance to avoid contact) by a soldier.

Even though all these things happened to Mark, he didn’t give in, and he persevered until he won. This shows that the CO’s were punished but never gave up.

Another source that shows conscientious objectors were brave is in the ‘Fenner Brock-way’ source; ”three months bread and water treatment until the doctor wouldn’t allow it anymore. And yet one had a sense of freedom which I cant describe”. The phrase ‘freedom’ shows he didn’t care what he had to go through to prove a point, he wanted to show that the conscientious objectors were people too, and shouldn’t be ruled out their own families.

Fenner was also had to eat/drink bread and water for a whole 3 months! They did this to show what happens when you don’t fight for the county you live in. his shows that they could get through anything if they put their mind to it. A third way that that shows conscientious objectors were brave is in the ‘Guardian’ source; ”they had fought for four grueling years, and stood up for something they had lost faith in”. The phrase grueling shows how it felt to be them, and may also make you think of the conditions they had to fight in, just to keep the pride and honor of their country. When they say lost faith in, because clearly nobody wanted to be in the war, but they just showed it more than everyone else.

They did this to show just what its like and how I can change your life forever, physically and mentally. I think that most of the conscientious objectors were brave because they stood their ground and in the end of all they went through they persevered, and won over the soldiers, and even over their families. Even the conscientious objectors who were cowards even learned some lessons and became somewhat brave by the end of the war. Even their families didn’t accept them, they learned to accept themselves.

Remember! This is just a sample.

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