Kaiser Wilhelm II 1914 - Napoleon Bonaparte 1814

Summary of the Talk:

Sir Hew Strachan’s lecture explores the complex connections between Scottish martial identity, the literary legacy of Sir Walter Scott, and the experience of the First World War. Rather than a direct comparison of Wilhelm II and Napoleon Bonaparte, the talk focuses on how war—particularly 1914—was perceived, shaped, and remembered in light of earlier military traditions and literature.

The lecture unfolds in three major parts:

1. Scott and the Scottish Warrior Tradition:
2. Scott's romanticised image of Scotland’s past, especially the Highland warrior, had a deep impact on how Scotland viewed itself.
3. By the early 20th century, this vision became institutionalised through the British army’s maintenance of Highland regiments, even as actual recruitment declined.
4. Despite low enlistment pre-1914, Scotland made an enormous contribution to the war once it began—24% of Scottish males of military age enlisted, compared to 22% in England’s regions.
5. Scott’s Literary Influence and War Literature:
6. Many young men going to war had read Scott, whose novels influenced their ideas of heroism and martial glory.
7. Scottish contributions to war literature included Ian Hay (The First 100,000), John Buchan (Greenmantle), and Robert Service (The Rhymes of a Red Cross Man). These writers, although popular during the war, fell out of the literary canon later.
8. Their works reflect both pride and growing disillusionment with war, mirroring Scott’s own nuanced views on military life.
9. Commemoration and Memory:
10. Post-war memorials drew heavily on romantic and medieval imagery—Highland officers in kilts, St. George, and idealised soldiers.
11. Scott’s influence is seen in these artistic choices, sustaining the image of the heroic Scottish warrior.
12. Over time, memorials and public sentiment shifted from glorification to grief, reflecting the traumatic scale of loss.
13. This marked a transition in Scottish cultural memory—from heroic martial pride to a more sombre, reflective remembrance of war and its costs.

Interesting and Noteworthy Points

• Romanticisation vs. Reality: Strachan critiques the gap between Scott’s romanticised Scotland and the grim industrial realities of 20th-century warfare. This contrast becomes especially poignant when examining how Scott’s influence shaped expectations that were not matched by actual recruitment or experience.
• Scott’s Indirect ‘Responsibility’: With humour and historical insight, Strachan notes that Scott can partly be “blamed” for institutionalising the myth of the Highland warrior, which then created unrealistic military expectations by the late 19th century.
• Volunteerism and Urban Enlistment: The myth of the Highland martial tradition masks a more urban, working-class reality: the majority of Scottish recruits came from cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh, often driven by unemployment or peer pressure, not just patriotic fervour.
• Territorial Army and Drill Halls: A distinctive feature of Scottish military culture was the role of local drill halls, which became entry points to war service, reflecting a blend of community engagement and inherited martial tradition.
• War Poetry and the Canon: Scottish writers of the war, although initially influential, have not remained central in the English literary canon—unlike southern poets such as Wilfred Owen or Siegfried Sassoon.
• Evolving Commemoration: The evolution from heroic statues to memorials emphasising suffering and sacrifice marks a cultural transformation in how war was processed and remembered, particularly in a post-Scott, post-industrial age.