Should Britain remain a 'Tier One' Military Power?

Sonic67

Opinion: The UK should take a leaf out of France's book and bring back conscription for young people

Sweden brings back military conscription

Note, in some ways modern youngsters may be "softer." Kids grow up in centrally heated homes with an indoor toilet now. Unheard of then.

However, back when conscription was used the average recruiter would see the recruits with a lot of diseases like TB and rickets. All pretty much unheard of now.

Also one of the main problems was poor diet. WWI actually got malnourished recruits fed.

10 myths about WW1 debunked

Many soldiers enjoyed WW1. If they were lucky they would avoid a big offensive, and much of the time conditions might be better than at home.

For the British there was meat every day - a rare luxury back home - cigarettes, tea and rum, part of a daily diet of more than 4,000 calories.

At least now it will be generally healthy, disease free people who just need some exercise.

Also note. Every time I hear people praising conscription it's from people who haven't done it and never will do it. Odd that.

Upforit1963

With the amount of time it takes to develop new equipment and build them, and the time required to train the personnel we would have to hope that any protagonists are nice enough to give us a very long advanced warning

rustybin

Russia can't say they haven't given us warning.

Audiostyle

If governments engaged in chasing human traffickers, instead of moving humans like cattle, then that might change the ' military theatre of deplore '

Since 1984 matters over before to degrees of importance, the world news wars have been a total joke , & that's an understatement akin 2 sheer madness & lunacy.

Only scene in heeling blind

IronGiant

Auto correct gone mad?

EarthRod

What you are saying is that in any war (WWII for example) the military power available at the beginning of the war is a the same as the end of the war.

Under that situation we can hope any protagonists need not be nice enough to give us a very long advanced warning.

Of course history tells us that the beginning of a war a massive build up of resource and manpower is required to meet the challenge from the 'nice' protagonist.

Trollslayer

I don't think so, not sure what it is.

Sonic67

Send keysetting over.

Upforit1963

Agreed and thats why there's a call to increase defence spending. The 2% of GDP that the US wants all NATO countries to honour is misleading because it depends how you categorise it. I believe that although we are one of the few NATO countries who spend approximately 2% (I've seen some sources say its less), it isn't just spent on buying equipment, maintaining it, training the personnel and their salary, but I believe it also covers pension. Also, there are other items which are now covered by defence that weren't in the past.

Not all countries account in the same way.

Trollslayer

I don't see how you got that as during a conflict like WWII development speeds up to try and get an edge on the enemy before they get an edge on you.