National Service League
Encyclopedia
The National Service League was a British
pressure group founded in February 1902 to alert the country to the inadequacy of the British Army
to fight a major war and to propose the solution of national service
.
The League argued for four years of compulsory military training for home defence for every men aged between eighteen and thirty. Compulsory military service—conscription
—was not popular and "aroused the long-standing antipathy toward standing armies
and smacked of continental-style militarism
". By October 1904 it had only 1,725 members but membership grew to 21,500 in December 1908 and it claimed a further 30,000 "adherents". The circulation of the League's journal, The Nation in Arms, grew to 17,500. Fear of Germany
and a possible German invasion of Britain, coupled with the belief that the Army and not the Navy could stop an invasion underlay many of the League's proposals.
Its first president was Lord Raglan
, who then offered the presidency to Lord Roberts
in 1905, who agreed.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pressure group founded in February 1902 to alert the country to the inadequacy of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
to fight a major war and to propose the solution of national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
.
The League argued for four years of compulsory military training for home defence for every men aged between eighteen and thirty. Compulsory military service—conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
—was not popular and "aroused the long-standing antipathy toward standing armies
Standing army
A standing army is a professional permanent army. It is composed of full-time career soldiers and is not disbanded during times of peace. It differs from army reserves, who are activated only during wars or natural disasters...
and smacked of continental-style militarism
Militarism
Militarism is defined as: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
". By October 1904 it had only 1,725 members but membership grew to 21,500 in December 1908 and it claimed a further 30,000 "adherents". The circulation of the League's journal, The Nation in Arms, grew to 17,500. Fear of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and a possible German invasion of Britain, coupled with the belief that the Army and not the Navy could stop an invasion underlay many of the League's proposals.
Its first president was Lord Raglan
George Somerset, 3rd Baron Raglan
George FitzRoy Henry Somerset, 3rd Baron Raglan GBE, CB , styled The Honourable George Somerset until 1884, was a British soldier and Conservative politician...
, who then offered the presidency to Lord Roberts
Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts
Field Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, Bt, VC, KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, KStJ, PC was a distinguished Indian born British soldier who regarded himself as Anglo-Irish and one of the most successful British commanders of the 19th century.-Early life:Born at Cawnpore, India, on...
in 1905, who agreed.