Conflicts today, even if they drag on, tend to be managed with tours, usually six months. In the World Wars, servicemen fought for years. I had an uncle who during WWII walked across/fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and finally Germany. Doesn't seem possible, yet they did, and the majority were conscripts, not career soldiers.
The British people seemed much mentally tougher in those days. They were used to fending for themselves and standing on their own two feet. They took personal responsibility for their own lives and expected to.
Now with the welfare state system taking responsibility for your life seems to be actively discouraged. Its three generations since the formation of the welfare state and that state has destroyed peoples resilience and ability to fend for yourself. In particular the third generation since its formation seems to expect everything for nothing, its not only destroyed peoples self resilience its also destroyed their self respect and mental toughness.
Its also caused people to believe that they can attain and maintain without effort and risk. People are becoming more and more risk averse, and with that comes a refusal to accept that there is a price to be paid for freedom. Freedom costs and sometimes that cost involves the loss of life and acceptance of life changing injuries. The refusal to accept casualties and accept injuries in defence of freedom risks enslavement.
The peoples of Eastern Europe having been occupied and terrorised under communism understand very clearly what loss of freedom means, so do those Western Europeans who had first hand experience of occupation by the Germans.
The generation that fought the Second World War understood very clearly what the consequences of defeat meant and understood that it would be a massive struggle that would require a huge effort over many years of privation, seperation from families and with the possibility of death and injury. And it was accepted.
Todays generation with its everything for nothing life is mentally and physically incapable of that effort. And it stems right from the top, the politicians will not say clearly that there is a price to be paid for everything and that price may very well include years away from home. injury and death.
Its why our Islamic potential enslavers regard us as easy pickings. They may very well be right.
From the government downwards the sacrifices of two generations are being betrayed, put simply the self sacrifices of Ian Liddell VC and Edward Charlton VC are being betrayed and its beyond shameful.