THE GLORY OF WAR?

2014 marks 100 years since the outbreak of WWI.

In Britain, and many other countries, centenary events are planned for this year. The UK Prime Minister has approved 50 million pounds to celebrate first world war battles such as the Somme, Gallipoli and Passchendaele. He has even appointed a government minister for remembering the first world war. Further funding is coming from the UK National Lottery.

Australia is said to have set aside the equivalent of 84 million pounds to commemorate the 1914-18 war.

Many critics are opposed to this glorification of war, claiming that all this does is highlight the cruelty and the horror of war. For others it is an opportunity to celebrate the lives of those involved; the ones who returned and the ones who did not and to be grateful for our freedom.

Are these commemorations needed to remind us to strive for peace? Are they needed to ensure respect continues for fallen soldiers? Or does Britain just like creating an occasion (PM David Cameron has compared the centenary to the Queen's 2012 Jubilee)?

Read more here and then respond to the survey questions:

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/30/first-world-war-worship-sickening-avalanche
www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/16/first-world-war-europe-centenary
www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/30/britain-first-world-war-biggest-error-niall-ferguson
www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/22/first-world-war-memories-last-survivors