2.6 Choosing not to fight
Somebody who states that they will not fight in a war, for a particular reason, is called a conscientious objector. These men had different reasons for not wanting to fight. Many took on non-fighting roles in the army, such as ambulance drivers or cooks. Yet pacifists were often seen as cowards by the public. The films on this page show some of the protests that occurred, on both sides.
UNAUTHORISED PACIFISTS CENSURED
1 MIN 17 SECS, SILENT, B/W, 1914-1918
Speeches are made in Trafalgar Square, London.
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MARRIED MEN PROTEST CONSCRIPTION
0 MINS 49 SECS, SILENT, B/W, 1916-1918
Footage of a demonstration in London by married men protesting against conscription during the First World War. Some make speeches to the crowd, though the film is silent. Sound was not introduced to cinema until the late 1920s.
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TIME TO REMEMBER - THE BETTER 'OLE9 MINS 40 SECS, SOUND, B/W, 1959-1969
Time To Remember was produced for television in the late 1950s and 1960s using footage from the British Pathé archive. This clip from the episode 'The Better 'Ole' covers the year 1916 and features footage of pacifist meetings and protests against them by pro-war members of the public.