WW2 was an existential threat for Britain/Europe/"Christian civilization". I don't mean to diminish your forebears' bravery; I'd probably have been one of those

WW2 was an existential threat for Britain/Europe/"Christian civilization". I don't mean to diminish your forebears' bravery; I'd probably have been one of those men who was paralyzed with fear on the beach and never even fired a shot. My point is just that facing an existential threat to your country, and by extension most of the people and places you've ever loved, is clear and highly motivating – and unusual for western countries in the last 60 years. It's very different from the Korean War, Vietnam War, Falklands War, Gulf War, War in Afghanistan, etc. Those were not existential threats; they were mostly geopolitical posturing. I'm not making a statement on whether those were good or worthy wars (posturing can be necessary), but it's at least an arguable position that most casualties in those wars died "because delusional leaders sent them into battle," not because they were choosing to fight and die for some grand idea.