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Shell Shock During World War One By Joana Bourke Analysis

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Shell Shock During World War One By Joana Bourke Analysis
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The Great War, later renamed World War One, was mainly a battle between the German and the English troops. Millions of soldiers died in the trenches. Others suffered from severe psychologically traumas. The majority of the soldiers, who suffered from psychologically traumas, were never able to return to the battle field. Experts were desperate to find a cure, but the regeneration hospitals remained unsuccessful during the war. Many of the soldiers, who suffered from shell shock, were haunted by the cruel memories for a lifetime.

The text, “Shell Shock during World War One” is an article published by BBC-history in 2011. The author of the text is Professor Joana Bourke. The intended audience is perhaps those, who are generally interested
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As mentioned before the articles intention is neither to persuade nor propagandize. The article is a historically exposition. The author makes a statement, that the psychological traumas played a major role during World War One. The statement is not presented as openly and directly as if it was a clear argument. She emphasises, that the psychological traumas could happen to anybody, because every person has a “breaking point”. Furthermore it is difficult to define trauma and find a solution to the suffering. “During World War One, four-fifths of men who had entered hospital suffering shell shock were never able to return to military duty” The author claims are supported by statistics and quotes from the war itself “Once wounds were excluded, emotional disorders were responsible for one-third of all discharges”. She also refers to examinations made by experts of that time to support her main statement “What medical officers quickly realised was that everyone had a 'breaking point': weak or strong, courageous or cowardly - war frightened everyone witless”. Millions of British and German, both soldiers and officers, suffered from shell shock and a possible cure was

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