How would you link these themes from Pink Floyd's The Wall?

Question

So you have 'The Wall' building higher and higher protecting and isolating the character, and it's caused by many hurtful things (women, growing up, etc.).

But then, the album is filled with war references (WWII). How does war connect with this wall? The wall seems passive while war seems aggressive.

Also, what do you think Vera Lynn, the war entertainer from that time, represents in The Wall?

Answer 1

try looking at it from a different point of view. think of the wall as the berlin wall and it may make more sense to you. it's more about what he went through and witnessed at the time of the fight to bring down the berlin wall

Answer 2

All of the WWII themes have to do with Roger Waters father Eric Fletcher Waters, who was killed in WWII at Anzio Bridge battle.  He even mentions Anzio Bridge in "When The Tigers Broke Free".  He also dedicates Pink Floyd's next album "The Final Cut" to his father.  You could safely say that the first and largest brick in the wall was his fathers death, it had a very profound effect on him as young child.  

Vera Lynn was simply one of the British armies favorite performers, the song that faintly plays before the opening track "In The Flesh" is a Vera Lynn song called something to the effect of "The Little Boy Santa Forgot", which I'm sure is how Roger Waters felt most of his childhood.  In the song "Vera" the two most telling lines are: "Remember how she said that we would meet again, some sunny day."  And, "Does anybody else in here feel the way I do..."  It all ties into his fathers tragic death and his absence in Roger Waters life.