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Originally Posted by Adrian Roberts  There is an unwarranted assumption that the war was about keeping the British Establishment going and that war heroes are always going to be right-wing reactionaries such as David Stirling or Ian Smith. If this is true, then all we were fighting the Nazis for was a clash between two different Empires.
What is worth fighting for in Britain is its very tolerance, even though that sometimes comes at a risk to our own safety, as when Karl Marx felt free to write in the British Library, or when today we build a multi-cultural society.
It was the British fighting men and women who booted out Churchill in 1945. And it wasn't only right-wing politicians who had served with distinction in the war. Examples of others include: Edward Heath, Denis Healey, Jim Callaghan, Clement Attlee (in WW1), Tony Benn (trained as a pilot but just too young to see action), Wing Cdr Ian Gleed (homosexual fighter ace) and my particular heroes, Leonard Cheshire VC (a pro-European Union Catholic), and (from WW1) the socialist "Mick" Mannock VC. |
I agree Adrian. Many many good men and women emerged from the war, who went on to make amazing contributions to society. More often than not it was their very experiences of the war that shaped their beliefs. And their belief that post-WW2 society had to be shaped better than post-WW1 society.
However, I think the Stirling case highlights the fact that no-matter how commendable a persons service during the war, it cannot be used as a excuse if they then end up being involved in questionable activities later in their life. And that goes for any and every famous person. Two men who I used to think were remarkable political dissidents in the 19th century have been tainted by certain revelations. Marx behaved terribly towards women, and his wife in particular. And Bakunin, who used to be one my political heroes, turned out to be an anti-semite of the worst sort.