Book contents
- Streetscapes of War and Revolution
- Studies in the Social and Cultural History of Modern Warfare
- Streetscapes of War and Revolution
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures and Maps
- Acknowledgments
- Note on Language Use
- Introduction
- 1 All Gray
- 2 Black–Yellow Surfaces
- 3 Shades of War
- 4 Black Markets, Green Expeditions
- 5 Not Only Red
- 6 The End of Darkness? Uncertainty and Revolution
- Conclusion
- Select Bibliography
- Index
1 - All Gray
Militarization in Urban Space
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 May 2024
- Streetscapes of War and Revolution
- Studies in the Social and Cultural History of Modern Warfare
- Streetscapes of War and Revolution
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures and Maps
- Acknowledgments
- Note on Language Use
- Introduction
- 1 All Gray
- 2 Black–Yellow Surfaces
- 3 Shades of War
- 4 Black Markets, Green Expeditions
- 5 Not Only Red
- 6 The End of Darkness? Uncertainty and Revolution
- Conclusion
- Select Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The first chapter explores the new presence of the military in the city after the start of the war. It analyzes the militarization of civil society and the blend of increased prestige and tensions in civil–military relations characteristic of wartime. During the mobilization days, reactions in Prague resembled scenes in other European cities: streets buzzing with anxious agitation as crowds thronged army barracks and train stations. Increasingly ubiquitous gray uniforms delineated new visible wartime hierarchies. Contacts between soldiers and civilians sometimes led to violent clashes, especially prevalent around cafés and pubs. These locales were also hubs for spreading information in a context of increased censorship and military repression. General suspicion by the military authorities transformed Prague residents’ experience of the rule of law. The different facets of military mobilization and emergency measures in urban space are examined to contribute to the discussion on the nature of the Habsburg military wartime government.
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- Streetscapes of War and RevolutionPrague, 1914–1920, pp. 22 - 68Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2024