Faith and Identity: The Moral Dilemma of Allegiance in WWI
Teaching with 10 Second War Stories
A 30-minute Religious Education lesson exploring the conflict between national identity, personal faith, and the ethical demands of military service during the First World War, specifically focusing on the Polish Legions.
Suggested age
14–16
Duration
30 minutes
Type
Lesson pack
Conflict / period
World War I
Subjects
Religious Education
Content note
This lesson deals with themes of war and displacement which may be sensitive to students who have experienced conflict or migration.
Overview
A 30-minute Religious Education lesson exploring the conflict between national identity, personal faith, and the ethical demands of military service during the First World War, specifically focusing on the Polish Legions.
Learning objectives
- To understand how personal and national identity intersect with faith during times of conflict.
- To analyse the ethical struggle of fighting for a state that does not yet exist.
- To reflect on the role of conscience in making difficult life-altering decisions.
- To articulate the importance of hope and resilience in the face of national displacement.
Materials required
- Internet access to https://10secondwarstories.online/en/ww1/polish-legions-world-war-i
- Printed copies of the worksheet
- Writing implements
- Projector/screen for class viewing
Historical context
Following the Partitions of the late 18th century, Poland disappeared from the map of Europe. During WWI, Polish soldiers, primarily Roman Catholic, found themselves divided, often fighting for their occupiers in order to secure a future sovereign state. This required a difficult negotiation of conscience, loyalty, and faith.
Reading material
The Polish people faced a unique moral crisis during the First World War. With their nation partitioned between the German, Austro-Hungarian, and Russian Empires, they had no sovereign state to call their own. Watch this short video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hHm-CS6OS7M. For more detail, read the full story here: https://10secondwarstories.online/en/ww1/polish-legions-world-war-i. For many Polish soldiers, fighting was not just a political act; it was a test of faith. Many clung to their Catholic identity as a way of maintaining their culture while being forced to wear the uniforms of the very empires that suppressed them. They faced a profound question of conscience: is it ethical to fight for a cause you believe in if it means serving an entity that denies your own people's freedom?
Student worksheet (preview)
Activity 1:
After watching the short video, write down two reasons why you think a Polish soldier might have felt that fighting was a 'sacred duty' despite having no country on the map.
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Activity 2:
The Dilemma Table. Imagine you are a person living in 1914 whose country has disappeared.
In the first column, write 'Reasons to fight' (e.g., hope for future freedom).
In the second column, write 'Reasons to resist' (e.g., not wanting to serve an oppressive regime).
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Discussion questions
- How does a person maintain their sense of self when their 'home' is not recognised as a country?
- Can a soldier maintain their religious integrity while engaged in the violence of war?
- Does your duty to your community ever outweigh your duty to the laws of the state you live in?
- How can hope act as a spiritual motivation in times of extreme adversity?
Extension task
Write a 200-word reflection from the perspective of a person in 1914, debating whether their religious values would lead them to enlist or seek conscientious objection.
Support prompts
- Think about what 'home' means to you—is it a place on a map or a shared set of beliefs?
- If you had to sacrifice your safety for a future goal, what would that goal be?
- How might prayer or community worship help someone feel connected to their identity during hard times?
Sources and credits
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hHm-CS6OS7M
- https://10secondwarstories.online/en/ww1/polish-legions-world-war-i
- Imperial War Museum (iwm.org.uk)
- BBC Bitesize - The First World War (bbc.co.uk/bitesize)
Developed for RE classrooms by 10 Second War Stories curriculum project.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-26