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100
Years Culturization of the Anti-War Movement
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Culture can be defined as habits, beliefs, customs and attitudes, including the "conservation of a social order" (Scruton R: 1996). The culture of anti war has developed and become more effective, over the years.
Early twentieth century
anti war representatives ranged from Ernst Friedrich's
Anti-War Museum, 1925-1933, which provided a focii for anti war objectors,
to Women's International
League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). By the time of the Second World
War; 'conscientuous objectors' (see The Central Committee for Conscientous
Objectors ) had been distinctly ostracised by their state and whose
views had been 'rewarded' with awkward labour, difficult living conditions
and propagating them as social pariahs. Nevertheless, they represented
the anti war movement within early twentieth century society. The savageness
of which, inflicted often unnecessary deaths from The Somme to Hiroshima,
and which evoked a huge response to war (see George Orwell`s (1938) "Homage
to Catalonia"). Early twentieth century antiwar 'culture' was largely
controlled by the state, leaving the anti war and anti conscription community
disjointed, lacking co-ordination, in a more physically repressive environment.
The evolution of "weapons of Mass destruction" (WMD) evolved an anti at
the same time as the anti war movement, in the late 1950`s, which saw
groups forming who were concerned about nuclear holocausts, including
the seeds of what became the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
But it took the huge paradigm shift in culture of the 1960`s before anything
really substantial took place.
Peaceful, but largely political movements of the type of Martin Luther King moved mountains in
terms of thought, however it was the pro violence "anti heroes" which
inspired a cultural revolution in Western Countries like the U.S and the
U.K. The youth generation identified with folk heroes by posters and t-shirts
of 'Che'
Guevara, the Cuban guerrila fighter, Nelson Mandela of the African National Congress and Malcolm X , the Black
consciousness leader, posternow.org/onlineshop...
which became compulsory attire, whereas previous generations had paid
respect to almost exclusively the 'higher classes,' of military Generals
and nobility. The classlessness of 1960 anti war issues moved with an
anti authoritarian youth, against the then prevailing Cold War,
whose culture still thrives today. The state threat imposed by McCarthyism
in the U.S.A and the detested Stasi in East Germany (Childs &
Popplewell: 1996) in many ways cultivating the culture further.
In addition to the folk heroes of Guevara, Mandela and Malcom X, The
Vietnam War raged both in South East Asia, and in the front rooms
of many westerners, with the technology of television reaching many homes.
For the first time war could be viewed in the front room by millions of
viewers watching "news snippets."
Further anti war sentiment was provided by Hollywood reaching the masses
of 'low culture.' with films like The Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now (1978 and 1979
respectively) and Music from John Lennon : Give Peace
A Chance (1969) or the classical Requiems of Britten et
al. But it was the returning veterans of the Vietnam war which appear
to have made the difference within the U.S. Their military training, energy
and "effectiveness" assisted the political and cultural anti war in developing
a powerful anti war movement in America.
The 'low culture' of television and cinema reached sufficient people to
question the U.S. war and arguably strongly contributed to the the American
withdrawal from South East Asia, but by this time the 'higher culture'
of art and poetry Vietnam Combat Art (1967)
Pollock marched alongside the apparent lesser mortals of tv and screen
to join the anti war crusade, in a crusade which breached all class divisions.
Low points of anti war was demonstrated by seven Bhuddists Buddhist
sets fire to himself who set themselves alight in Saigon, 1963, and
also at BBC
NEWS - Bloody Sunday, when 13 demonstrators were shot dead, revealing
that while the peace movement has improved, with a Human Rights Act 1998,
in the UK, todays protestor has more legal support, in general than before.
This culture is revealing itself again, across all class boundaries, as
people of various Western countries question their politicians, as we
get closer to war. The camaraderie found in film Movies , literature ,Michael
Moore.com "Stupid White Men", drama Theatre of War , Music, humour
PPG | Culture | Cartoons and the perennial graffiti PPG | Culture |Graffiti posters PPG |
Culture | Posters and demonstration marches PPG
| Culture | Photography that are now finding their
'brothers' in the Performing Arts and Poems.
Indeed Poet Laureate, Andrew
Motion, has today berated those responsible for war
"They read good books, and quote, but never learn
a language other than the scream of rocket-burn.
Our straighter talk is drowned but ironclad:
elections, money, empire, oil and Dad."
Andrew Motion (9-1-2003) cited by Ezard J: 9-1-2003 "Poet Laureate joins doubters over Iraq"The Guardian/Arts, London.
What Weber called "an
attitude of moral indifference" in objectivity for the General public
has now waned, and across the Western world, individuals are taking their
stance on an impending Iraq war , the culture of anti war is demonstrably
revealing itself. (Hughes S:
1890-1930) (Weber M:
1949) How ironic then that what commenced with the destruction of
architecture with the Bamiyan:
Wonder of the ancient world statues, has sparked a revival in Western
anti war cultures.
Copyright
S Coleman 2003 10 January 2003
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