Case Study: Conscientious Objectors

What are conscientious objectors?

Conscientious objection, when people refused to take part in war for moral and/or religious reasons, became a new crime in the 20th century.

Why did it become a crime to conscientiously object?

As the First World War progressed, men lost the option to avoid the war.

• ❖ Up until 1916, everyone was free to have their own personal beliefs on war and violence.
• ❖ But in 1916 the Military Service Act was passed, which for the first time in the UK included conscription - compulsory military service for all unmarried men aged from 18 to 41. A couple of months later, it was extended to include married men.
• ❖ This made it illegal to avoid taking an active part in the First World War.

How did men become a conscientious objector?

There were 2 main steps to become a conscientious objector:

• ❖ The Military Service Act did allow for people refusing to join the armed forces on the grounds of conscience.
• ❖ Some 16,000 men made this request and had to appear before a special court called a tribunal which would judge their claim.

What were conscientious objectors' tribunals like?

There were 2 main reasons why the tribunals did not always give conscientious objectors a fair hearing:

• ❖ The tribunals were held locally and the judging panel was selected by the local authority, so there was wide variation from area to area.
• ❖ Panel members were generally too old to be called up themselves but often had very clear views about other people's duty to fight and so were unsympathetic.

What alternative work could conscientious objectors be given?

There were 3 main outcomes from a tribunal:

• ❖ Non-fighting roles like driving ambulances at the front line.
• ❖ Supporting the war effort at home.
• ❖ However, some objectors were denied their request.

What happened to conscientious objectors when tribunals ruled against them?

Conscientious objectors were generally treated in one of two ways:

• ❖ Over 6,000 conscientious objectors were put in prison, where they faced solitary confinement, hard labour and a long sentence.
• ❖ Some were punished by being sent to France to the front line of the fighting. Once there they were given orders, they were sentenced by a military court if they refused to follow them. A small number were sentenced to death.

How were conscientious objectors affected by the harsh treatment?

By the end of the First World War, 73 conscientious objectors had died as a result of their treatment. Even after the war, all objectors were stripped of the right to vote until 1926.

What was the public attitude to conscientious objectors?

Public opinion of conscientious objectors was harsh and critical in 3 key ways:

• ❖ The majority of the public supported the war and were hostile towards conscientious objectors.
• ❖ They frequently accused them of cowardice, and some objectors were even physically attacked.
• ❖ Some objectors also received hate mail or white feathers in the post as a symbol of cowardice.

Why did the public have such a negative attitude towards conscientious objectors?

Objectors were treated harshly for 3 main reasons:

• ❖ The casualty rate of soldiers in the First World War was so high that the authorities were determined to stop pacifist ideas spreading. They feared it would hurt their ability to recruit soldiers.
• ❖ Refusing to fight was viewed as 'unmanly', and even traitorous and unpatriotic.
• ❖ Most people had close family and friends who were fighting and who had been killed or injured. They often felt objectors were unfairly shirking their responsibilities.

How were conscientious objectors treated during the Second World War?

During the Second World War, conscientious objectors were treated differently by the government in 3 main ways:

• ❖ Tribunals were still held but were no longer allowed to included ex-soldiers.
• ❖ A greater effort was made to give objectors alternative work such as farming or in industries like munitions.
• ❖ Prison was generally used as a last resort rather than a standard deterrent to other potential objectors.

Why were conscientious objectors treated differently during the Second World War?

Official attitudes to conscientious objectors changed in the Second World War because people were being asked to unite against Hitler as a tyrant and Nazism as a movement that persecuted minorities. In this context, harsh punishments for COs would have been seen as hypocritical.

How many conscientious objectors were there in the Second World War?

There were around 60,000 conscientious objectors in the Second World War.