Vox pop

“The world war one centenary is an opportunity to recall the true horrors of war and the original meaning behind Remembrance. Initially the poppy was worn as a symbol of near-universal grief. The war, supported enthusiastically in 1914, had descended into a futile bloodbath, only justifiable in retrospect as “the war to end all wars”.

Today Remembrance is viewed very differently. Wearing a poppy is a badge of patriotism and ‘standing shoulder to shoulder with our troops’. We are encouraged to offer thanks to those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. This is a worrying half-truth for although the second world war had a clear moral justification, the same cannot be said about most conflicts before or since.”


“There is always the possibility that some in the museum sector might be tempted to sanitise the events of the first world war to provide a less horrific story for family audiences. This might even accidentally distort the message that we should be telling. After all, museums need to be fun as well as educational, but I don’t think this will ‘glorify’ the war.

I think it is clear that the events of the war are universally regarded to be dreadful, with an almost unimaginable loss of life in what appears to be a pointless endeavour. The centenary is our generation’s opportunity to explore why it happened, to look at its causes and explain why many thought it was ‘glorious’ at the time.”


“Far from glorifying war, there’s a danger that the centenary will rehash many of the clichés that have understandably characterised the interpretation of the conflict since the 1920s.

Attempts to tell a different story have, in Britain at least, made little impression on the popular view of a trench bound stalemate symbolised by the barbed wire, poppies and poetry of the Western Front.

The challenge for museums is how to move beyond this familiar euro-centric narrative and reassess the war as a global historical event. Now outside of living memory, it is our responsibility to ensure that this conflict is not reduced to clichés, symbols and glorification, but is subject to scrutiny. Only then can we begin to engage audiences in a genuine debate about the war’s significance.”


“Such was the impact that even before the war had ended, the Imperial War Museum (IWM) was established to remember the men, women and children who played a part. As such, we have a responsibility to support the commemoration, by building a network of partners, and developing a diverse cultural programme.

Marking the centenary offers an opportunity to remind people, young and old, of the events that shape the world in which we now live.

We believe it is important to communicate the causes, course and consequences of conflict in a courageous and authoritative way that is relevant to our audiences. Our message is that war has shaped all our lives and continues to do so – some more personally and tragically than others. Can we afford to forget this?”