Robin Burden answered
Soldiers returning from World War I were initially greeted with gratitude and respect from their respective nations.
However, the years following the war were difficult for many veterans for a number of reasons.
What was it like for soldiers returning from World War I?
There are so many aspects to this question that merit exploring that I find it simply fascinating.
When soldiers first returned from the front, they were greeted with a hero's welcome. Parades and flag-waving were the order of the day.
However, most soldiers only received a few weeks wages after they came back from war, and many struggled to re-adapt to normal life.
As well as their small cash payment, British soldiers would have received a set of civilian clothes and a couple of medals. They were then expected to get back to their pre-war routines.
Needless to say, this was almost impossible.
For American soldiers, there was an even more terrifying prospect to return to: Prohibition.
After years of fighting the enemy, American troops returned to find that their country had outlawed drinking alcohol! (pictured above).
How were returning soldiers treated after World War 1?
Social attitudes towards returning war-heroes was also fairly complicated.
Whilst no one doubted the bravery of the soldiers who made it back, the nation's mourning for those that didn't survive caused problems for those who survived.
Because the war dead were revered so much, people often spoke of 'the nation's best men being lost to war'. This attitude implied that those who had managed to return were somehow less important or less brave than their fallen comrades.
For many people who had experienced the horror of war directly, there was nothing they'd have liked more than to be able to forget the events they had witnessed.
Unfortunately for them, mourning nations were obsessed with reliving and honoring the past (if you think about war memorials- one of the most common phrases engraved on them is 'Lest We Forget').
Finally, there was added pressure due to the political tensions of the time.
Whilst World War I was seen as the 'war to end all wars', it was only a matter of years before the prospect of World War II seemed menacingly-close - and the thought of returning to war most have been truly horrifying for the veterans of World War I.
The following clip from the History Channel is quite useful if you're interested in learning more;
However, the years following the war were difficult for many veterans for a number of reasons.
What was it like for soldiers returning from World War I?
There are so many aspects to this question that merit exploring that I find it simply fascinating.
When soldiers first returned from the front, they were greeted with a hero's welcome. Parades and flag-waving were the order of the day.
However, most soldiers only received a few weeks wages after they came back from war, and many struggled to re-adapt to normal life.
As well as their small cash payment, British soldiers would have received a set of civilian clothes and a couple of medals. They were then expected to get back to their pre-war routines.
Needless to say, this was almost impossible.
For American soldiers, there was an even more terrifying prospect to return to: Prohibition.
After years of fighting the enemy, American troops returned to find that their country had outlawed drinking alcohol! (pictured above).
How were returning soldiers treated after World War 1?
Social attitudes towards returning war-heroes was also fairly complicated.
Whilst no one doubted the bravery of the soldiers who made it back, the nation's mourning for those that didn't survive caused problems for those who survived.
Because the war dead were revered so much, people often spoke of 'the nation's best men being lost to war'. This attitude implied that those who had managed to return were somehow less important or less brave than their fallen comrades.
For many people who had experienced the horror of war directly, there was nothing they'd have liked more than to be able to forget the events they had witnessed.
Unfortunately for them, mourning nations were obsessed with reliving and honoring the past (if you think about war memorials- one of the most common phrases engraved on them is 'Lest We Forget').
Finally, there was added pressure due to the political tensions of the time.
Whilst World War I was seen as the 'war to end all wars', it was only a matter of years before the prospect of World War II seemed menacingly-close - and the thought of returning to war most have been truly horrifying for the veterans of World War I.
The following clip from the History Channel is quite useful if you're interested in learning more;