Finished with the War: A Soldier’s Declaration by Siegfried Sassoon, 1917

World War I, originally known as the Great War, was a globe spanning conflict that originated in Europe in 1914. Kicked off by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the conflict itself would see a mobilization of more than 70 million military personnel during the conflict and saw estimated casualties of 9 million combatants and 7 million civilians. Worse, it also contributed to a number of genocides and the 1918 influenza pandemic which added another 50 to 100 million dead.

Interestingly, the war itself may not have lasted so long, nor resulted in as many casualties, had peace overtures by Germany in December of 1916 been accepted. Following ten brutal months of the Battle of Verdun, as well as a successful offensive against Romania, Germany attempted to sue for peace with the Allies. Unfortunately, this attempt at peace was rejected of hand by the Allies who though it was simply a ruse of war to fracture their ranks. Even intervention by then President Woodrow Wilson of the United States served to fan the flames of war than to extinguish them. In the note the President sent to the Allied representatives, a new perception emerged that the US might soon enter the war on their side.

Regardless, the Germans pressed for a direct exchange of views to determine if peace might be possible. The Allied governments ended up seeking restoration of all damages, the evacuation of the occupied territories, reparations to France, Russia, and Romania, and finally a recognition of the principle of nationalities. Even with additional addendums in the demands, the peace negotiations would eventually fail. Thus the war would continue, and the soldiers would keep fighting while their comrades continued to die around them.

Many soldiers were tired of the war, but one in particular went to great lengths to air his grievances. A British soldier by the name of Lt. Siegfried Sassoon, and with the assistance of Bertrand Russell and John Middleton Murry, wrote a letter and circulated it among a number of influential people and the press. It would be published in the Bradford Pioneer on July 27th, read to the House of Commons in July 30th, and be published again in the London Times. Needless to say it caused quite the uproar, but I’ll let you judge that for yourself by sharing with you the words the Lieutenant wrote. Without further ado, the letter written by Siegfried Sassoon:

Lt. Siegfried Sassoon. 3rd Batt: Royal Welsh Fusiliers. July, 1917.

I am making this statement as an act of wilful defiance of military authority because I believe that the war is being deliberately prolonged by those who have the power to end it. I am a soldier, convinced that I am acting on behalf of soldiers. I believe that the war upon which I entered as a war of defence and liberation has now become a war of agression and conquest. I believe that the purposes for which I and my fellow soldiers entered upon this war should have been so clearly stated as to have made it impossible to change them and that had this been done the objects which actuated us would now be attainable by negotiation.

I have seen and endured the sufferings of the troops and I can no longer be a party to prolong these suffering for ends which I believe to be evil and unjust. I am not protesting against the conduct of the war, but against the political errors and insincerities for which the fighting men are being sacrificed.

On behalf of those who are suffering now, I make this protest against the deception which is being practised upon them; also I believe it may help to destroy the callous complacency with which the majority of those at home regard the continuance of agonies which they do not share and which they have not enough imagination to realise.

***

Though a powerful letter, it did not quite have the impact that Lt. Sassoon hoped. Threatened with court-martial, it was only the valiant efforts of his friend and fellow officer, Robert Graves, that he was instead judged by authorities to be mentally ill, and thus unfit for a trial. In the end he was sent to Craiglockhart Hospital and treated for shell shock. The war would continue for another 16 months.

For More Information

1. The National WWI Museum and Memorial: Located in Kansas City, it is the premier US institution commemorating the Great War. Their website has a wealth of information and a number of interactive elements whose purpose is to educate the public about WWI.
2. Historial de la Grande Guerre: Located in Péronne, Somme, this institution is an international museum and research centre. Here you can find information based on a historical and cultural approach to WWI, with clear explanations of the conflict, its origins, and the overall lasting impacts it made.
3. World War I: Causes and Timeline: Hosted by History.com, this website includes a list of articles and videos aimed at educating the public on the intricacies of World War I.

Books

1. A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918: A great account of the significant, and sometimes misunderstood, events that occurred during the First World War.
2. The Guns of August: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Classic About the Outbreak of World War I: Written by renowned historian Barbara W. Tuchman, this work examines the first thirty days of the First World War to show how they shaped the conflict, the century, and ultimately the world we live in today. Truly a classic work.
3. World War I: The Definitive Visual History: An essential eye-witness account of the day-to-day life of World War I, and covers such people and events as Mata Hari, trench warfare, Armistance Day and more.
4. The World War I Reader: For those with a more academic inclination, this volume contains a wide selection of articles and book chapters written by major scholars specializing in World War I. These readings cover everything from its causes, the experiences of soldiers and leaders both, battlefied strategies, acts of diplomacy and attempts at peacemaking. Includes a timeline and maps as well.

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