| Popis: |
Barring short periods of intensive action in 1914 and again in 1918, the Belgian Army’s experience during the First World War was largely one of endurance. This chapter ties together several themes that characterised the civil–military debate of the nineteenth century and examines how they played out under the strains of war. It argues that the crisis of the Great War was an anomaly in Belgium’s historical continuum that saw the nation largely come together and overtly establish a sense of nationalism—albeit through separate Walloon and Flemish interpretations. The chapter demonstrates how an evolving understanding of discipline and morale allowed Belgian soldiers to express themselves in their search for revenge against ‘the other’ through the liberation of their country. Clearly, the Flemish Front Movement confirmed that internal friction persisted, but it ought not be overemphasised. |
