THEN:
back in those days, men and women would've been required to find one person, they wouldn't have had much time to fool around in their younger years as we do today. they wouldn't have had to go through too many breakups and they wouldn't have had to worry so much of their loved one dying from anything other than old age or disease. when the war came along they would've been so proud of their men to go off and fight for their country. when they heard news of their loved ones dying it would've ruined them. women depended on men for survival considering they wouldn't have received much pay if any at all if they could get a job, they would've relied on men for income to feed them and the rest of their family. women in those days, having relied on men so much, probably broke when they lost them. they were left widowed (if they had children it would've been harder) and they had to try to recover which would've been a lot harder if you'd loved the same person for so many years.
NOW:
in todays society, young people go through break ups all the time and for a while they may feel as if the world is ending, but then they find someone else and move on. its normal for couples to break up nowadays, its more uncommon for someone to be with only one person for their whole life. the only people who would have to suffer the death of someone they dearly loved or were in a relationship with would be either old people who's loved one died of old age or illness, or someone who's loved one suffered from a severe injury or illness. its uncommon for people to die young unless theres been an injury or illness.