Frightfulness

Frightfulness: The German War policy (German — "Schrecklichkeit"); wanton ruthlessness; primarily among civilians, and deliberately employed to force a decision by inspiring sheer terror. "You English," said a Prussian officer to a British officer during the Boer War, "do not know the rudiments of War. When the day comes for us to go to war you shall see how we deal with the men, women and children. With us, terror is our greatest weapon."

The word "frightfulness" was so persistently used in the press in England and Allied countries in the early part of the War that it became a word of jest in the services, being used in all sorts of connections, and of anything, however trivial. A man, for intance, appearing for the first time with an incipient moustache, or wearing a new pair of trousers, or with anything at all unusual in his appearance or get up, would be chaffingly told that he was displaying "frightfulness."

References / notes

The above term is listed in our Compendium of the Great War on this day.

Included are trench slang, service terms, expressions in everyday use, nicknames, the titles and origins of British and Commonwealth Regiments, and warfare in general. These words and phrases are contemporary with the war, which is reflected in the language used. Sources include: Soldier and Sailor Words and Phrases, The War Book-of-Facts and Odhams' A.B.C. of the Great War. Feel free to expand upon and improve this content.

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