Introduction

The soldier’s death has throughout human history been understood as a very special kind of death.  Death in war has been the surest way to heaven or similar otherworldly place; most often dead warriors have gained the admiration and gratitude of others. 

Many nations have cherished the idea of a heroic soldier whose death would be a blessing, not only to the soldier himself who would surely go to heaven, but to the entire nation which needs such pure sacrifices.

The Birth of the Citizen Soldier

The age of the citizen soldier has often been claimed to have begun in the French Revolution. When we think of the honor of common soldiers, this seems especially true. Heroes of the revolution were praised and their sacrifice was understood to be part of a greater whole.

nation-states were created in Europe and around the world, the role of the common soldier changed everywhere, especially at the ideological level. The common soldier was no longer thought of as a paid mercenary, and the idea of forced conscription was replaced by the image of more or less voluntary, highly patriotic men.

Instead of fighting for an often-distant ruler the soldiers in conscript armies were said to fight for the nation, which included also their home and families. The honor was theirs, because they were supposed to be willing even to give up their lives for the nation, but essentially the honor was the nation’s, because it was for the greatest value of everyone. Soldiers fought to safeguard the nation’s destiny; their bravery was proof of national virility, personal manhood and national honour.

In this they were not alone, for their families were also said to be offering a great sacrifice.

The most evident feature of the citizen soldier is that every man is supposed to defend his country. The definition of man is obviously quite limited here, because armies do not have much use for children and the young, the elderly, crippled  or mentally challenged.

If dying for one’s country is supposed to be the ultimate sacrifice and only the best citizens can manage this, being an able-bodied male is the first qualification.

It is no surprise, then, that when the actual war began, and even before that, families and especially mothers were also praised. They were, it was said, also giving a great sacrifice, to which their entire lives and even giving birth to their sons had aimed at. Their deepest wish was supposed to be to send their sons to war and solemnly, if not happily accept their deaths.

The reasoning is the following: the death of a soldier is proof that the family (mother) brought him up to be a valorous and patriotic man. Hence the family (mother) must be patriotic and cherish the ideal of sacrifice. There cannot be one without the other. There are no fallen soldiers whose mothers did not raise them to be just that; there are no mothers of fallen soldiers whose sons were unwilling to die for their country.