Description
Object description
British absolutist conscientious objector in GB, 1939-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Hampstead, London, GB, 1918-1938: family; education; early influences on pacifism at school. Recollections of period as pacifist in GB, 1938-1939: commitment to Peace Pledge Union; effect of gramophone recording of Dick Sheppard; involvement with pacifist group at University of London; forceful removal of British Union of Fascist supporters from pacifist meeting; attitude towards and nature of peace movements in 1930s; reasons for visit to Germany, 1938; Nazi policy towards GB; subterfuge used to remove him from Germany; post-war visit to Germany; nature of evil and evolution of peace.
REEL 2 Continues: story of visit to Nüremberg, West Germany during 1970s; post-war visits to Soviet Union; failure of attempts at international cooperation during 1930s; memories of Stuart Morris; question of reasons why people joined Peace Pledge Union; attitude towards war and sacrifice. Recollections of period as conscientious objector in GB, 1939-1945: registration as conscientious objector, 1939; attitude towards conscientious objectors; value of being Quaker; attitude of tribunals towards conscientious objectors; question of coaching those about to appear before tribunals; receiving conditional exemption from military service; decision to teach; opinion of Forward Group outlook; attitude towards absolute and alternative pacifism; changing attitude towards war; parents' attitude towards his conscientious objector stance.
REEL 3 Continues: friends' attitude towards his conscientious objector stance; detainment by police as suspected spy; opinion of police treatment of pacifists; contrast between pacifist philosophical approach and attitude of military; question of lack of understanding of his wartime lifestyle by Quakers; isolation of his individual peace stance; teaching German Jewish refugee children; prior recollection of pre-war visit to Jewish family in Vienna, Austria and refusal to marry daughter; nature of civil defence work; changing attitudes of some pacifists during Second World War especially towards military; attitude towards wartime sacrifice, patriotism and propaganda; his unchanging pacifist convictions.
REEL 4 Continues: question of dilemmas facing pacifists; wife's pacifist convictions; wartime role of Peace Pledge Union; reasons for failure of pacifist communities; participation in Gloucester Land Scheme, 1943; attitude towards victims of bombing and Nazi atrocities; question of alternative means of dealing with badly behaved states; question of prevention of Second World War; reaction to end of Second World War, 1945; question of difficulties of obtaining employment as conscientious objector in immediate post-war period; story of fellow employees resentment of his conscientious objector stance, 1939; post-war peace work to foster international cooperation to prevent war; attitude towards nuclear weapons and prospects for world peace.
