Edwardian Synthesis, Wylie P5 T4

The Edwardian era was defined by bloodshed and war. While violent revenge was not easily justifiable in the context of murder, war became something that citizens became proud of. Slaughtering the enemy was viewed as patriotic and as defending the interests of the country. Ultimately, the fervent bloodshed during the era reciprocated in fueling more mindless killing on the opposing side, justified by the moral obligation of the period of patriotic revenge. Even today, wars are accepted as retribution to violence. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan served the purpose in America of retaliation against the perceived injustice of the 9/11 attacks. The immorality of premeditated murder was cast aside in order to justly serve revenge to America’s attackers. The propaganda during World War I served as a clear portrayal of violence as righteous retribution. Posters of the time often depicted valiant soldiers slaughtering the enemy, often with some caption alluding to amending the injustices of the enemy. Such artwork could be found on both sides, contributing to the ideological justification of bloodshed on both the Allies and the Central powers. In war, moral notions holding back murder were ignored in light of patriotic revenge.