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Both similarities and differences may appear as we examine some of
the present day motives for the general concern with fitness.
The advent of push button warfare has not eliminated the need
for physically fit troops. Generally speaking the armed forces still require
a higher standard of fitness than is required by civilian employers.
When that level of fitness falls, this trend is reflected in the rate of rejection
of recruits and the fall cannot be tolerated beyond a certain
point by any government which uses its armed forces as instruments
of foreign policy. In some countries the fall in fitness has now reached
a critical point. When the Berlin crisis became acute in 1959 the United
States government had to call up 775,000 men in order to obtain 195,000
additional troops. The rejection of recruits for physical deficiency was
at the rate of 428 per 1,000 - a slightly higher rate than that which preceded
the introduction of military drill into British schools in 1830.
was obtained in World War II. These figures were quoted to Congress
and were used to support the President's Youth Fitness Campaign which
is now being carried on. Some countries anticipate the need for recruits
and take steps to prevent, for military reasons, the debilitating effects
of civilian life. The title of the Russian fitness campaign, initiated in
1930/31 "Ready for Labour and Defence" indicated that military requirements
were held in mind. In Britain the parliamentary debates
on the Physical Training and Recreation Bill in 1937 included several
speeches of Members of Parliament who saw a military value in the
measure which was under discussion. Indeed it is true to say that any
campaign for fitness, come how it may, will derive some of its support
from those who see in it a military value. How much of the support
is of this nature will be very difficult to determine. On the government's
own confession military considerations have been powerful in the United
States Campaign. In Canada, on the other hand the speeches of the
Minister of National Health and Welfare and of the Prime Minister
in initiating their Fitness Campaign in 1962 contained no reference
to military or even paramilitary purposes.
Except in time of war, militarism, however important, is seldom
sufficient to account for a general concern with fitness. In Britain the
Division of Human Physiology within the Medical Research Council
began its work in 1949 by investigating two paramilitary subjects, the
physical development of cadets at the Royal Military College and survival
at sea. The Division went on to investigate problems of mountain climbing
at high altitude and has since carried on investigations into various
aspects of fitness including sporting performances in the Olympic Games
which are of great scientific interest but of very doubtful military value.
The interest of scientists in problems of physical performance has
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