(Header: UCL.AC.UK)
Shell shock was renamed Battle Fatigue at the beginning of World War Two, encapsulating a shift in perceptions that embraced their trauma as emotional rather than solely physical.
“Early in World War II, the United States Army adopted the explicit policy of building up a permissive attitude toward fear and anxiety symptoms among the troops. Men were taught, from basic training on, that they need not be ashamed of feeling afraid in danger situations, that fear reactions are normal and are shared by everyone exposed to combat conditions.”
- Samuel A. Stouffer, Princeton University Press
The once common practice of screening men for any psychological predisposition towards mental breakdowns was removed, yielding a more accepting environment.
“In contrast to previous thinking and concepts, it became clear that while some men were more vulnerable to the development of psychological symptoms and syndromes, all men, no matter how brave or courageous, were vulnerable” -David H. Marlowe, anthropologist
Breaking Point
In 1944, the Army officially adopted the slogan, 'Every Man Has His Breaking Point.' This idea inspired a cultural shift in acknowledging human susceptibility to war.
“(The slogan) debunked the myth (a myth most common in the military) that suffering in the wake of traumatic events was indicative of a broken or weak character; rather, all humans, given the right circumstances, are liable to experience such things. If all men, in particular, suffer from PTSD given the right conditions, it is not ‘unmanly’ to discuss my feelings.”
- Aaron Smith, former Marine and Veteran's Counselor Counselor for
University of New Mexico
This acceptance, and allowing the problem to be recognized, would open the doors to exploring new therapeutic treatments.