National Army Museum survey reveals UK’s attitudes towards the British Army and recent conflicts
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- Over half of the UK public think that the British Army should never have been deployed in either Iraq or Afghanistan
- Conflicts protecting British territory are the most strongly supported
- Over 70% of people surveyed believe defence of British territory and British citizens to be the Army’s main role
- The majority of people would still support their child’s decision to join the Army
Results released today, Thursday 10 September, of a major survey conducted by the National Army Museum reveal UK attitudes towards the British Army, and some of the main conflicts of the past three decades. The survey coincides with the opening of a major new exhibition opening at the Museum on 12th September - Conflicts of Interest, which looks at the British Army’s role since 1969.
Over half of the 2,000 respondents - a representative sample of the UK public - felt that British troops should never have been deployed to Afghanistan, and a larger proportion, 60%, believe that we should not have gone into Iraq in 2003. Only 5% of people surveyed strongly agreed that this was the correct decision in either case.
The survey asked what people thought was the most important function of the British Army, to which only 13% responded that international peace-keeping and conflict intervention - including supporting NATO and the UN - was the primary role. One conflict in which the British Army’s main role was as part of a UN peace-keeping force, the Bosnian war of the 1990s, proved surprisingly unpopular amongst respondents, with only 23% of people surveyed agreeing that British troops should have been deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Despite reservations regarding recent modern conflicts however, 64% of people surveyed would support their child if they wished to join the Army; and only 17% would strongly discourage this decision. The survey did find, however, that women were slightly more likely than men to discourage their children to join the army - with 36% of women opposed to the idea, and only 26% of men interviewed.
71% of people surveyed felt that defence of British territory and British citizens was the British Army’s primary role, and past conflicts directly involving British territory were considerably more popular amongst respondents - with over half (53%) stating that it was right for the British Army to be deployed to Northern Ireland, and 56% agreeing with the decision to deploy troops to the Falklands in 1982.
Opinions on modern conflict were split across age groups. 67% of respondents in the 55-64 bracket agreed with the decision to deploy troops to the Falklands, and the approval rating for deployment to Northern Ireland was similarly high in this age group (55%). Fewer 18-24 year olds felt positively about these conflicts - with only 20% of this age group supportive of the decision to deploy troops in The Falklands, and fewer than a third believing that the British Army should ever have been deployed in Northern Ireland.
The survey also revealed the UK public to be generally opposed to Britain becoming involved in some of the other main conflicts of recent years:
- 3% of people would have been in favour of intervention in Haiti’s 2004 coup d’état
- 8% would have approved of British troops intervening in the Democratic Republic of Congo 1998
- Only 11% of respondents would have like British troops to be involved in the recent conflict in Gaza
Mairead O’Hara, Exhibition Team Leader and Curator in the National Army Museum’s Exhibits Department commented:
‘The survey results give an important insight into the British public’s thinking about the role of today’s armed forces, especially with regards to conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. At the Museum we are offering the opportunity to debate the issues, with the new Conflicts of Interest gallery operating as a forum for discussion. The exhibition will include an interactive voting area, Conflicting Opinions, asking visitors to consider the reasons for and against going to war, and to leave behind their own thoughts in each case.’
Survey results to follow
Ends
For more information please contact Helen Wharton or Chris Baker at Colman Getty Consultancy: chris@colmangetty.co.uk / helen@colmangetty.co.uk / 0207 631 2666
Notes for Editors
The National Army Museum explores the impact of the British Army on the story of Britain, Europe and the world; how Britain's past has helped to shape our present and our future and how the actions of a few can affect the futures of many.
The National Army Museum was established by Royal Charter to tell the story of the Land Forces of the crown wherever they were raised. Opened by the queen in 1960, it moved to its current site in Chelsea in 1971.
Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of Interest will be opening on 12th September. The exhibition will explore over three decades of conflict in which the British Army has been involved, including Northern Ireland, the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan. The exhibition also examines the impact being a serviceman or woman has on home life, and will include personal accounts from servicemen and women and civilians alongside exclusive images and objects from the Museum’s collections.
Omnibus survey
The survey was prepared for Opinion Leaders by ICM Research. Over 2,000 people responded to the telephone survey, being a representative sample of the UK population in terms of age, gender, social class and region.
National Army Museum Contacts:
Becca Hubbard: rhubbard@national-army-museum.ac.uk
Julian Farrance: jfarrance@national-army-museum.ac.uk
**Full survey results available on request
Sample Survey Results
To what extent do you agree or disagree that British troops should have been deployed to The Falklands?
Agee - 56%
Disagree - 11%
Neither agree nor disagree - 15%
Prefer not to say / don’t know - 18%
To what extent do you agree or disagree that British troops should have been deployed to Northern Ireland?
Agree - 53%
Disagree - 18%
Neither agree nor disagree - 19%
Prefer not to say / don’t know - 9%
To what extent do you agree or disagree that British troops should have been deployed to Bosnia- Heregovina?
Agree - 29%
Disagree - 29%
Neither agree nor disagree - 27%
Prefer not to say / don’t know - 14%
To what extent do you agree or disagree that British troops should have been deployed to Afghanistan?
Agree - 25%
Disagree - 53%
Neither agree nor disagree - 15%
Prefer not to say / don’t know - 7%
To what extent do you agree or disagree that British troops should have been deployed to Iraq?
Agree - 20%
Disagree - 60%
Neither agree nor disagree - 13%
Prefer not to say / don’t know - 6%
Should British troops have been deployed to...
a) Haiti (coup d’état of 2004)
Yes: 3%, No: 54%, Prefer not to say / Don’t Know: 43%
b) Vietnam (1959 - 1975)
Yes: 6%, No: 69%, Prefer not to say / Don’t know: 25%
c) Democratic Republic of Congo, Second Congo War 1998 - 2003
Yes: 8%, No: 57%, Prefer not to say / Don’t know: 35%
d) Gaza (war with Israel December 2008 - January 2009)
Yes: 11%, No: 65%, Prefer not to say / Don’t know: 24%
e) Sri Lanka (conflict between Tamil Tigers and Sri Lankan Army April - May 2009)
Yes: 7%, No: 65%, Prefer not to say / Don’t know: 28%
Which of the following functions of the British Army do you think is the most important?
Defence of British territory and British citizens: 71%
International peace-keeping: 13%
Humanitarian / media aid to countries to countries affected by natural disasters: 4%
Providing emergency aid in the UK: 2%
Providing jobs and career structure for British people: 2%
Reconstruction of countries affected by war: 2%
Training and mentoring international armed forces: 1%
How would you react to your child wishing to join the Army?
Support: 64%
Discourage: 32%
Don’t Know: 4%
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